Going Green Can Save You Green

Of all the colors that have gotten attention, "Green" has taken on a life of its own.

It's "Go Green Week" at the News On 6, so watch for stories every day this week on steps to make your life a little more environmentally friendly.

Six In The Morning reporter Carina Sonn reports how going Green can save you Green.  Specifically, the big and small things you can do in and around your home.

Brian Wiggs is a local home builder; his company and another are constructing 11 homes that will make up the area's first "Green neighborhood."

Six In The Morning recently headed to Jenks to see for ourselves, the six features that made these homes so special.

For Brian Wiggs, "Green" isn't just a color; it's a way of life.

"There's fox in this area and we've seen deer tracks out her, said Brian Wiggs.

Wiggs and another builder's work are sprouting up in the Jenks subdivision of Oak Hill. When finished, a total of 11 homes, all energy-star rated will complete the neighborhood. Everything in these homes is planned with the environment and energy efficiency in mind.

First, the home has an aerobic sewer system, so the water from showers and the dishwasher is recycled on site and used again to water the yard. The greenery itself is a feature of this house. The landscaping in the front yard is drought resistant and needs only a minimal amount of care.

Brian Wiggs is also the President of the local Home Builders Association and he says the acre of property is almost equally split between home-and-yard space, and green space.

"We didn't want to destroy their environment either, so we want to live in harmony with the wildlife and what you can see out here," said Brian Wiggs.

Heading inside, some of the most energy efficient features are ones you don't see, like Solarboard.

"That's right, this reflects the UV rays from the sun so it doesn't heat your attic up as much, your air conditioner won't have to fight, if it's not fighting the hot air that's right on the other side of the wall," said Wiggs.

The Solarboard basically works like a sun reflector you put in your car's windshield. It costs a couple thousand dollars more on this 4,000 square foot home, but Brian says the new owner can save as much as $25 on energy bills during the summer months.

According to Wiggs, insulation is one of the most important features in any home, this kind is called isonene.

"And the difference between this and regular fiberglass insulation is that it's more airtight," said Brian Wiggs. "Yes, it really stops the air infiltration through your house, when it goes on, it goes on wet. It has an adhesive and it actually sticks to the studs and to the interior decking so that air cannot move through it, so if air is not moving through it, it's not taking the cold air or the hot air, depending on the season away from the condition part of your house."

It can cost anywhere from a couple thousand dollars up to $10,000 to $15,000 depending on the square footage. This home is on the low end.

"The single biggest place to lose energy efficiency in your house is through your windows and doors," Brian Wiggs said.

That's why this home has dual pane glass with argon gas in between and then a titanium coating on the outside, basically state of the art technology.

Out of the more than $18,000 in Green upgrades, the windows and doors are the most expensive at more than $6,000.

So if you aren't ready for those yet, just check the caulking and paint on your old ones.

Finally, a very small price for big savings. Programmable thermostats are relatively cheap, and you can buy and install them yourself. The key to savings, though, is the temperature.

"Every degree above 78 degrees is about an 8 % cost savings to your utility bill, so if your cost is $100 a month for your air conditioning, that'd be about $8 a month you'd save by going up one degree more above 78," Brian Wiggs said.

Even though this house at 12610 S. 12th Street East was built with the environment and savings in mind, Brian says ironically, Green Country isn't as "green" as other parts of the country that've been doing it longer.

He's confident that will change for everyone in the near future.

"I think 'Green' within 10-years will not be called green anymore. It will just be the norm and it won't be a new cutting edge item," said Wiggs.

Brian compares "Green living" to what fiberglass insulation used to be in the 50s in 60s. It used to be an add-on, now it just comes standard and that is what Green is going to be in the future.

The home that we featured in this story has not been sold yet. There are also 8 other home sites in that neighborhood available. For more information, you can Brian Wiggs directly at 260-5304.

For more information about the News On 6 Go Green Week, Click Here.