Legend Homes Featured in Corvallis Gazette-Times

Vice President Mike Goodrich Discusses Energy-Efficient Homebuilding Practices

Legend Homes has long been recognized and awarded for our efforts and abilities to build energy-efficient “green” homes in the Northwest Oregon communities. In an article posted by the Corvallis Gazette-Times Mike Goodrich, vice president of Legend Homes, discusses some of the ways that Legend Homes has made our new homes more energy-efficient.

The typical new house in the mid-Willamette Valley is far more environmentally friendly than a few decades ago — or even just 10 years prior — said Mike Goodrich, vice president of Legend Homes.

“Things have changed dramatically,” added Glenn Waer of Oregon City, who independently verifies the energy efficiency of homes.

Legend Homes offered solar panels as a standard amenity and as an option with some of its previous subdivisions, and buyers thought they were an interesting idea. But the mainstream demand simply wasn’t there, Goodrich said, and solar panels tend to occupy a niche market.

“When it came down to spending money up front, it wasn’t as important to them as the other features in the home,” including finishes and surfaces, he added.

Marble countertops, in other words, were more critical when people brought out their checkbooks.

Legend Homes’ recent changes toward increased energy efficiency started in 2004, when the company revamped how it installs windows, siding and more to prevent leaks that led to drafty houses, water infiltration, mold and other problems.

Window leaks were a particular concern for Legend. “We went from dozens of complaints in every major storm to almost none,” Goodrich said.

Heating and air conditioning systems are far more efficient than a decade ago, and compact fluorescent lights are now commonplace, he added.

“In the next year or two, you’ll see a huge switch to LED lights,” Goodrich said.

Duct tape has been replaced with rubber mastic nowadays and many home builders are moving duct work and furnaces inside the house, rather than keeping them in the garage.

Third-party inspections and certifications also are becoming more common, Goodrich said. Legend Homes uses an Energy Trust of Oregon Energy Performance Score on every new home. During that process, the home and duct work are checked for leaks before sheet rock is put on the structure.

“A lot of the industry is really starting to embrace having that expert put another set of eyes on what’s going on,” Goodrich said.

The attention to detail adds to the cost of building homes — and the resale value — but Legend Homes and other companies that use the Energy Performance Score also get rebates back from the Energy Trust of Oregon, Goodrich said.

The practices that go above and beyond building code have become normal construction costs for Legend Homes and other companies, Waer said after completing tests on a Legend Homes’ house in south Corvallis.

Based on Energy Performance Scores, Legend offers a 3-year guarantee of what homeowners will pay for natural gas and electricity. Lee Eckroth, principal broker at Town & Country Realty, said customers are particularly interested in that detail, which acts almost like a miles per gallon sticker on a car.

With its next subdivision, off of Research Way, Legend Homes is adding tankless water heaters, which heat up water as it’s being used and will increase energy efficiency, Goodrich said.

There are many other ways to advance environmentally friendly construction below the passive house level.

The typical new house in the mid-Willamette Valley is far more environmentally friendly than a few decades ago — or even just 10 years prior — said Mike Goodrich, vice president of Legend Homes.

“Things have changed dramatically,” added Glenn Waer of Oregon City, who independently verifies the energy efficiency of homes.

Legend Homes offered solar panels as a standard amenity and as an option with some of its previous subdivisions, and buyers thought they were an interesting idea. But the mainstream demand simply wasn’t there, Goodrich said, and solar panels tend to occupy a niche market.

“When it came down to spending money up front, it wasn’t as important to them as the other features in the home,” including finishes and surfaces, he added.

Marble countertops, in other words, were more critical when people brought out their checkbooks.

Legend Homes’ recent changes toward increased energy efficiency started in 2004, when the company revamped how it installs windows, siding and more to prevent leaks that led to drafty houses, water infiltration, mold and other problems.

Window leaks were a particular concern for Legend. “We went from dozens of complaints in every major storm to almost none,” Goodrich said.

Heating and air conditioning systems are far more efficient than a decade ago, and compact fluorescent lights are now commonplace, he added.

“In the next year or two, you’ll see a huge switch to LED lights,” Goodrich said.

You can read the full article at the Corvallis Gazette-Times.

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