Eco Smart

Eco Smart Homes in San Antonio

For Coventry Homes, building energy-efficient homes in the greater San Antonio area is just the beginning. Coventry takes its building program to the next level by meeting Environments for Living (EFL) standards. A focus on indoor air quality and resource efficiency further elevates Coventry’s building program in San Antonio, resulting in healthy homes designed to last for generations.

A new home by Coventry not only offers significant energy savings, but also is built to leave a smaller footprint on the environment.

Energy Savings

Every home Coventry builds is certified through Environments For Living (EFL). Coventry employs the following energy-saving building standards:

  • Customized HVAC unit and duct sizing based on the number of windows and size of the home
  • A programmable thermostat/humidistat
  • Roof ridge and soffit ventilation to keep the attic well-ventilated, meaning your home is more comfortable in the summer and guarded against moist air building up in the winter
  • A 16 Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) A/C system that not only requires less energy to run, but is quieter than systems with a lower SEER
  • R-38 ceiling insulation that creates a barrier between outdoor and indoor air temperatures, providing some of the greatest energy savings in a home

Indoor Air Quality

Breathe easier knowing your home is outfitted with mechanically controlled fresh air intakes that are filtered through pleated high performance MERV air filters.

And as an extra measure to ensure air quality, each Coventry home undergoes a thermal bypass inspection, including visual third-party review of framing areas where air barriers are commonly missed and inspection of the insulation to ensure proper alignment with the air barriers. It’s an extra check to make sure air and thermal barriers are continuous and complete, which reduces outdoor air infiltration, saves money and increases the durability of the HVAC system.

Water Efficiency

Coventry Homes adds several smart features that enhance water efficiencies, most notably a PEX plumbing system with manifold configuration that dedicates hot water lines to each hot water outlet. According to a study by The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH), this solution enables hot water to reach fixtures twice as quickly as compared to copper, non-manifold systems, reducing the amount of wasted water.

Resource Efficiency

Engineered lumber is used for the subfloor joist and wall studs when possible. This decision adds value to construction due to the fact that engineered lumber is stronger, virtually defect-free and capable of supporting heavy loads over long spans. Since the engineered product requires less lumber, waste is minimized and fewer trees need to be cut down. In addition, by-products from other production processes such as small chips or unusable bits of wood can be recycled and reused in engineered wood products, further minimizing the impact on the environment.

Moisture Management

Managing moisture properly protects the durability of your home and the health of your family. Coventry Homes uses a continuous drainage plane to block water that can infiltrate the wall cladding. Also, proper flashing is installed at all windows and doors to protect against air and moisture leaks.

Verification

Coventry’s homes are certified by the EPA and the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET). Coventry participates in RESNET’s Quality Assurance Program, which certifies homes through third-party inspectors. In addition, Coventry’s homes are built to Masco Corporation’s Environments for Living® Platinum Level energy-efficiency standards, which also meet the Department of Energy’s Builder’s Challenge program.

A Closer Look


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BUILT for the FAMILY STRUCTURE

Our homes are built to Eco Smart standards and fit a broad spectrum of aesthetic tastes and retain their curb appeal while being more energy efficient, healthier and environmentally responsible. The bottom line is, you benefit from long-term savings, protection from rising energy costs, increased resale value and improved home comfort.

Construction/Exterior

Verified and Certified Green Home Building

Environments for Living (EFL) is a recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. This makes our homes an energy efficient and environmentally responsible alternative.

An Eco Smart home provides a healthier indoor living environment, is more cost efficient to operate and maintain, uses natural resources efficiently and is independently inspected for performance. What it comes down to is a CLEANER, HEALTHIER, MORE COST EFFICIENT home for you and your family.

Blower Door Test

Air leakage accounts for 1/3 of a home’s heat loss. Unlike other builders, every home is individually tested to find and correct any air leaks through the use of a third party Blower Door Test.

HVAC Unit and Duct Sizing

We look for every opportunity to incorporate energy efficiency into each of our homes because we know it will result in a quality, healthy home. That’s why each home in our Eco Smart Program has its own AC/Heating blueprint based on the number and size of windows, size of home, and other energy efficiency components such as insulation, ventilation and equipment efficiency ratings. Based on all components working together as a system, we properly size the HVAC equipment using the acceptable industry standard Manual J according to the Air Conditioning Contractors of America and EPA standards.

Water Efficiency PEX Plumbing System

Your home features water efficient fixtures and a PEX plumbing system with manifold configuration that dedicates hot water lines to bathrooms to maintain peak efficiency of water usage. In fact, according to a study by the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH), this solution enables hot water to reach the fixtures twice as quickly as compared to copper at any run distance from the hot water heater.

Superior Insulation

R-15 wall insulation and R-38 flat ceiling insulation inspected for proper installation ensures the maximum comfort in your home.

16 SEER A/C System

The A/C system has a higher Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio so it’s more efficient and requires less energy to run. You benefit from lower energy costs, less noise and more effective climate control.

Air Infiltration

To ensure a healthier indoor environment, we seal all plumbing, electrical and other penetrations of walls and floors as well as joints between building material with polyurethane caulk to reduce air infiltration.

Third Party Energy Inspections

You not only have our word that your home is energy efficient, but the word of an objective third-party too. Outside inspection firms will conduct an inspection of the building envelope for any penetrations to assure your home meets all energy efficiency and quality standards. Finally, every home receives a third party final inspection to ensure that the critical HERS Index has been met.