Nikles to build eco-friendly “green” houses

MILFORD — “Going green” is definitely in. This is true in many aspects of purchasing today, and now it’s the thing to be sure to look for in a new home as well. Ed Nikles Custom Builder of Pike County, PA recently started a new trend in “green” homes, starting from the ground up and keeping each aspect of the home energy efficient. These new green homes break away from all conventions of the past. When searching for the perfect home for your family, you can be sure that Nikles’ green homes will be just the thing to provide comfort and security, less maintenance and lower utility bills, while also helping you to do your part to save the environment. A buyer can’t go wrong with these “Green Country Homes.” Not only do these green homes benefit the environment by being 30 percent or more energy efficient, they also directly benefit the homeowners in a variety of other ways. Due to greater efficiency in water and energy usage, homeowners can also enjoy lower utility bills. Temperatures in the home will be more even due to better environmental control and a tighter building wrap. A healthier indoor environment is another plus thanks to eco-friendly materials and better air filtration systems. Homeowners will also have to do less maintenance over time; Nikles green homes lead to increased durability of materials and less upkeep throughout the years. Nikles, the first custom builder in Pike County to “Go Green,” says his inspiration is to reduce the environmental impact that building has on our natural landscape. Nikles new “Green Country Homes” are built incorporating environmental considerations in every phase of the home building process. “We cannot avoid having an impact on our environment when we build a home” says Nikles. “However, we can minimize that impact.” That’s why Nikles incorporated the National Association Home Builders (NAHB) green home building guidelines into each of these four eco-friendly designed homes. His four designs are the Farmhouse, the Brookside, the Country Cottage and the Country Manor. Building a “Green home” is a process that combines concern for the efficiency of a home and its operation, along with a desire for low environmental impact. Energy, water consumption, building design and materials, and indoor air quality are all taken into consideration during the design, construction and operation of a home. Many eco-friendly options are chosen throughout the construction and operation processes to ensure that energy and resource efficient homes are built. Essentially the building process can be divided into six parts: lot design and preparation, resource efficiency, energy efficiency, water efficiency, indoor air quality, and operation and maintenance. Nikles’ custom “Green Country Homes” begin with lot design and preparation, which incorporate resource efficient site-design and development to help save trees, provide proper outdoor drainage, and when possible build the house to maximize on passive solar energy to reduce utility bills. For more, visit www.ednikles.com or call 570-296-9200 with questions and inquiries.