2.6d Durable Materials and Design

Feature

SLOHouse According to the NAHB green building guidelines: Building design minimizes degradation, and weathering of materials and enhances life expectancy.

Here, you see an older house with a design element — wide overhangs — that will protect the home from sun damage. This will save the homeowners money in repairs and maintenance, and also eliminate the need for the degraded materials to go to the landfill and for more materials to be manufactured and brought to the site.

 

NAHB Guidelines

Here are strategies the NAHB green building guidelines suggest to enhance durability of a home and reduce maintenance:

1.    Provide a covered entry (e.g., awning, covered porch) at exterior doors to prevent water intrusion and subsequent rotting of joists, sills, and finishes.

2.    Use recommended-sized roof overhangs for the climate.

3.    Install perimeter drain for all basement footings sloped to discharge to daylight, dry well, or sump pit.

4.    Install drip edge at eave and gable roof edges.

5.    Install gutter and downspout system to divert water five feet away from foundation and into the overall onsite

6.    Divert surface water from all sides of building. Slope top of backfill to achieve settled slope of at least six inches of fall within 10 feet of the foundation walls.

7.    Install continuous and physical foundation termite barrier in areas where subterranean termite infestation is a problem.

8.    Use termite-resistant materials for walls, floor joists, trusses, exterior decks, etc., in areas known to be termite infested.

9.    Provide a water-resistant barrier (WRB) or a drainage plane system behind the exterior veneer system or the exterior siding.

10. Install ice flashing at roofs edge.

11. Install enhanced foundation waterproofing.

12. Employ the following flashing details:

A.   Around windows and doors

B.   Valleys

C.   Deck/house juncture

D.   Roof/wall junctures, chimneys step flashing

E.    Drip cap above windows and doors.

More Resources

• LEED for Homes Materials and Resources point system