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HADDONFIELD, NJ – The buzz word in home building these days is "going green"...building homes with more features for energy conservation and other environmentally sensitive issues. Tim Schaeffer Communities' new Signature Series Division recently completed a green built home for the Hoff family in Haddonfield. The project was named "Best Green Built Home" by the Builders League of South Jersey at their annual MAME Awards program in November.

"Today it is impossible to ignore the importance of energy conservation," Rick Hoff says. "Going Green is no longer a term just for environmentalists, but is now a very practical issue for every homeowner. Electing to ‘build green' was almost a selfish decision on our part. Not only is it environmentally responsible, but it is cost effective in the long run."

Green building offers the additional advantages of lower maintenance costs, health benefits such as improved indoor air quality, natural ventilation and ample sunlight. It also enhances the resale value of the home.

The insulation systems in the Hoff home used a combination of foam sealing and fiberglass bats to keep the conditioned air in. When tested by a third party, it was shown to have almost no leakage in the insulation envelope.

Special circulation fans in the home run on a program to circulate air at specified intervals. Necessary air changes were calculated to keep the conditioned air fresh.

"Building a home in an established neighborhood on a small lot required us to think about storm water run off," says Jason Schaeffer, company president. "We put a dry well in the yard and piped downspouts to it. The water that runs off the roof is recharged into the ground instead of being carried away into the county drainage system."

A careful selection of construction materials went into the home....including James Hardie cement-based siding that is considered green because of its durability, is termite and rot proof and does not require on-site finishing. Factory finished or pre-cut items are considered green because they do not create waste on the job site, Schaeffer points out.

The iLevel floor joist system used is completely pre-cut avoiding the necessity of putting excess engineered wood into land fills. Special glues and interior paints used in the house are designed for minimal off gasing. Water saving plumbing fixtures were also used, as were Energy Star appliances and lighting. Carpeting throughout the home can be recycled when it comes time for replacement.

A green built house can cost more than traditional construction. While the Hoff family was comfortable in investing in the green features in their home, Rick admits that some green features are simply too expensive to be economically possible.

Jason Schaeffer points out, however, that a house doesn't have to have solar panels on the roof or a windmill in the back yard to be more energy efficient and environmentally conscious. "There are several green building programs that have different levels of ‘green', but they all share the same goal for high quality of life and low environmental impact. Every home can incorporate something to make it greener."

Hoff is very pleased with his green building experience. " Previous owners of a Tim Schaeffer home, we knew we could trust the Schaeffer team and we were not disappointed," he says.

For more information on green building, visit www.timschaeffer.com and click on the Schaeffer Signature Series logo. Tim Schaeffer Communities has been an award-winning home builder in South Jersey for more than 20 years and has completed 21 communities with over 1,000 apartments, townhomes, single family and custom homes.