Green Homes Special Series
Part Seven: Foundations

Emotions play a huge role. Often, people just have an idea of how a house should look, how it should sit, says William Weber, senior research fellow at the Center for Sustainable Building Research and lecturer/adjunct assistant professor in the College of Design at the University of Minnesota. Others might associate a full basement with bonus living space or believe it has higher appeal at resale. Historic traditions influence us. Homeowners in the Upper Great Lakes states, for example, may remember old homes needing basements to accommodate large furnaces, fuel storage, clothes washers and clotheslines, and cellars to preserve garden harvest. Some have the idea that a basement is cheap and easy. In reality, it is anything but, says Joseph Lstiburek, Ph.D., P. Eng., author and lecturer, principal of Building Science Consulting and leader of one of the Building America program teams for the U.S. Department of Energy. Making It Green Any foundation—constructed correctly—can be “green,” depending on your definition. For many, green means durable, comfortable, affordable, dry, energy-efficient and healthy. To obtain that, the home’s architect or designer has to have a clear understanding of the issues and the design has to be followed through. The Building America program of the U.S. Department of Energy notes that “poorly constructed crawlspaces can contribute to mold problems, indoor air problems and inefficient operation of the home's mechanical equipment.” It notes that a livable basement requires appropriate methods to insulate walls, control moisture and heat and cool the space and that slabs require proper insulation to prevent heat loss and increase comfort. The most cost-effective approach to insulating a basement involves rigid insulation run continuously behind a wood frame wall with the wall cavity insulated with unfaced fiberglass or damp spray cellulose. No interior vapor barrier is installed. Photo courtesy of BuildingScience.com. Ashley Katz, communications coordinator of the U.S. Green Building Council, says selection of a foundation should be a conscious decision based on a full evaluation of what best meets the homeowner’s needs and its environmental impact. UMN’s Weber says that if people do choose to build a basement, for example, they should plan to build it right so it is a habitable space. He sees growing interest in basements for single-family affordable housing with the intention of using it for bedrooms or play areas. For that reason, good water protection, insulation, radon protection, waterproofing and exterior drain tiles are vital.

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