Fortress Homes goes green

Buying a house during a recession can be a little scary, but one home builder hopes that purchasing a green house may save you some of that angst. Newt Bartel is the owner of Fortress Homes and has been involved in construction for a long time.

"We've been doing it the same way for 20 years! Why would you do anything the same way for 20 years when there is new technology out there to do it better," said Newt.

Taking his experience and the current state of the economy, Newt decided to aim his sights at building a more environmentally friendly house.

"Its just responsible, when you get down to it, it's material conservation. Let's pay attention to what we are using and how we are using it," said Newt.

Currently one of the highest certifications a house can attain is a gold rating of green from the National Association of Home Building. Thats exactly what Newt is trying to achieve.

"We look at material conservation, energy conservation, and living quality, the air quality, the noise quality, the functionality of the house," he said.

One of the more important and costly features of this home is in the insulation. The special insulation is sprayed around pipes on all exterior walls letting the air only enter the home through filtered, and mold killing vents. The heating system is also revolutionary boasting a 98 percent efficiency versus the standard 70. All of this means less energy wasted. Some of the other energy saving features consist of energy star appliances, windows, and doors. Low flow plumbing fixtures are used throughout the house, even the exterior is environmentally friendly. The landscaping plan is designed to use plants indigenous to this area and have low water requirements.

"Once you go through the house, it's really just a much better attention to quality and we are thinking through things we are not used to thinking through," said Newt.

If you're interested in learning more, there is a Green Symposium being held at the Holiday Inn South, by the Dayton Mall. The symposium will be open to the public from 6pm to 8pm Thursday night.