Eco Smart Homes in Austin

Coventry builds LEED-certified homes throughout Austin, Texas. This environment friendly initiative requires homebuilders to follow strict mandates in order to construct high performance homes. The result is a high performance home that uses fewer natural resources, less energy, less water, and creates less waste, making it much more comfortable and healthier for occupants to live in. You can get more information about the LEED program by clicking the following link: http://www.greenhomeguide.com/know-how/article/leed-and-homes-video.

Each home built by Coventry now qualifies for the Efficiency Promise Program entitling the homeowner for a two-year limited guarantee* on the energy used to heat and cool the home, learn more here: www.efficiencypromise.com.

* The energy used to heat and cool the home will not exceed the guaranteed usage listed on the front of the limited guarantee subject to the terms of the limited guarantee. The energy usage is for the heating and cooling portion only of your energy bill and is calculated on the base plan for the floor plan design built. The base plan calculation and guarantee does not include any optional rooms or other modifications listed on the builder’s option addendum, which would alter the base plan size of the home purchased whether added by the builder or purchaser. Since this is a limited guarantee of energy usage and not cost, any reference to dollar amounts is strictly an estimate and actual costs will vary with the cost of energy. Learn more details at www.efficiencypromise.com.

Homes built by Coventry are certified through the LEED for Homes program. Coventry Homes employs the following energy-saving building standards:

• Coordination of transfer grills, return grills, and jump ducts in bedrooms, which allows for a balanced air pressure, and enables the HVAC system to perform as effectively as possible.
• A “blower door test” is performed to check for air leakages, as they usually account for over 30% of the home’s conditioned air loss.
• Custom HVAC unit and duct sizing that is based on the number of windows, and size of your home.
• Programmable thermostats, dishwashers, light fixtures, ceiling fans, and several other ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances.
• A 16 SEER A/C system, which is not only quieter, but it also requires a considerably less amount of energy to run.
• Rafter baffles and vents are used to insulate your attic and keep it ventilated, which means that your home is more comfortable during summers and guarded against moisture at all times. It also gathers heated air during the winter, keeping you warm.

Each home is equipped with mechanically controlled air intakes and 4-inch pleated MERV air filters, which ensures optimal air quality. To make sure every home meets the air quality goals, a thermal bypass inspection is performed on each Coventry home. This also includes a third-party analysis of the areas where air barriers are frequently missed, as well as an insulation inspection to make sure they are properly aligned with the air barriers.

This extra measure keeps the air and thermal barriers complete and continuous, therefore increasing the durability of the HVAC system, decreasing the amount of air infiltration, and not to mention, saving you some money.

Numerous smart features are added by Coventry to improve water efficiency in your home. The most notable, a PEX plumbing system, comes with a configuration manifold, which provides hot water lines to each outlet. According to a study, this causes the hot water to reach fixtures and twice as fast as non-manifold systems.

High-grade engineered lumber is used in the construction process whenever possible. Not only is it stronger and defect-free, but it also has the capability to support heavy loads over long time spans! Moreover, since less amount of lumber is required by this engineered product, fewer trees need to be cut, which is more environmentally friendly and keeps waste to a minimal.

Cementitious and brick sliding are also used for the exterior cladding in order to decrease the air entering and escaping through the structure’s envelope. As a bonus, a 25-year manufacturer’s guarantee is offered on all cladding products!

Proper moisture management protects your family’s health, and increases the durability of your home significantly. That is exactly why Coventry Homes places special emphasis on moisture management! A drainage plan is used to prevent water from infiltrating the wall. Not to mention, all the doors and windows of your home are equipped with proper flashing in order to prevent moisture and air leaks.

However, that is not all! To minimize moisture even further, a vapor barrier is constructed beneath the foundation of the home, which not only manages moisture effectively, but also affects your home’s overall energy efficiency.

Each Coventry home is RESNET certified. Each Coventry home’s foundation, walls, roof, and vapor barrier are certified through third-party inspections. Coventry is also LEED-certified and is backed by the Green Built Texas program.

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Our homes are carefully constructed following stringent Eco Smart standards. Not only are they suitable for a wide range of aesthetic tastes, but they also retain their curb appeal whilst being more environmentally responsible, healthier, and efficient. The bottom line is that when you buy from Coventry, you benefit from improved home comfort, increased resale value, long-term savings, and protection from ever-increasing energy costs.

HVAC Unit and Duct Sizing

We incorporate energy efficiency into our homes because we know the outcome will be a top quality and healthy home. Due to this reason, each home built under the Eco Smart Program comes with its own heating and cooling system that is based on the size of the home, number of windows, and several other energy efficiency components like ventilation and insulation. We properly size the HVAC equipment according to the EPA and Air Conditioning Contractors of America standards.

ENERGY STAR® Rated Light Fixtures

To use less energy, help protect the environment, and save money, our homes are equipped with ENERGY STAR rated light fixtures. These fixtures are a combination of attractive design and quality, which provides homeowners with the best energy efficiency levels available today!

ENERGY STAR® Rated Dishwasher

Using 3 gallons less water per load, ENERGY STAR rated dishwashers do not only save you the cost of the water, but also the costs it would take to heat them.

Construction/Exterior

Verified and Certified Green Home Building

Nowadays, several companies claim and promise to be “green.” In fact, most of them believe that by only adding a few visible energy features, they become green homebuilders! However, the truth of the matter is that we (Coventry Homes and sister company Wilshire Homes) are the only homebuilders in Austin to be certified GREEN by the Green Built Texas program.

A renowned green building certification system, Green Built Texas provides third party verifications to ensure homes are constructed with the aim of improving performance across several metrics. These include water efficiency, enhanced indoor environment quality, energy savings, and proper management of resources. This leads to the construction of homes that are environmentally responsible and energy efficient!

Eco Smart homes provide an overall healthier living environment. It is cost efficient to maintain and operate and uses natural resources efficiently. Not only this, these homes are also inspected for performance, all of which results in a healthier, cleaner, and cost-efficient home for you and your beloved family.

Water Efficiency PEX Plumbing System

Your home is fitted with a PEX plumbing system and various other water efficient fixtures to ensure optimal water efficiency. This system comes with a configuration manifold, which dedicates hot water lines to each outlet in order to maintain peak efficiency during water usage. This, as a result, causes hot water to reach the fixtures twice as fast as non-manifold systems.

Air Infiltration

All penetrations of floors and walls, as well as joints between building materials, are sealed with polyurethane caulk in order to reduce air infiltration.

Blower Door Test

Did you know that air leakage is responsible for more than 30% of a home’s heat loss? Unlike other homebuilders, we at Coventry perform a third party “Blower Door Test” to identify and correct any air leaks around your home.

16 SEER A/C System

The A/C system requires less energy to run, is a lot more efficient, and has a higher Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. As a result, you benefit from a lower carbon footprint, lower energy costs, and less noise.

Third Party Energy Inspections

Third party energy inspections will be provided when your home is complete to show that your home is energy efficient. Inspection companies will thoroughly assess your building to ensure it meets all quality and energy efficiency standards.

Superior Insulation

R-30 flat ceiling and R-13 wall insulation ensures your home has the maximum comfort levels.