Designing Green/Solar & Rain water harvesting
Building/Designing Green — A Working Definition
As construction professionals and researchers continue to discover more
energy efficient ways of accomplishing tasks, producing materials, and building
homes in general, what constitutes “green” will most certainly fluctuate. At
this point, though, a home that is energy efficient, has a low carbon footprint,
and utilizes sustainable materials in the building process can be considered a
green home. The National Association of Home Builders has developed a list of
guidelines regarding that which constitutes an environmentally friendly home.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a environmentally
friendly building organization that provides third party verification on things
like water and energy conservation, CO2 emission reductions, and general
stewardship of both renewable and non-renewable resources. These guidelines are
helpful in coming up with a tangible understanding for what makes a home
green.
The Advantages of Designing Green
As you begin to consider the various features of your home, several
advantages accompany an eco-friendly, sustainably-built home. Even if
you can incorporate a few features that favor the environment, you will reap the
benefits listed below.
air quality, consider incorporating several green features into the home you
design.
As construction professionals and researchers continue to discover more
energy efficient ways of accomplishing tasks, producing materials, and building
homes in general, what constitutes “green” will most certainly fluctuate. At
this point, though, a home that is energy efficient, has a low carbon footprint,
and utilizes sustainable materials in the building process can be considered a
green home. The National Association of Home Builders has developed a list of
guidelines regarding that which constitutes an environmentally friendly home.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a environmentally
friendly building organization that provides third party verification on things
like water and energy conservation, CO2 emission reductions, and general
stewardship of both renewable and non-renewable resources. These guidelines are
helpful in coming up with a tangible understanding for what makes a home
green.
The Advantages of Designing Green
As you begin to consider the various features of your home, several
advantages accompany an eco-friendly, sustainably-built home. Even if
you can incorporate a few features that favor the environment, you will reap the
benefits listed below.
- Energy Savings.
Heating and cooling homes constitutes 20% of energy costs in the U.S.
Considering lights, washer/dryer, electronics, etc., homes are a huge source of
energy usage. Green homes typically use about 40% less energy than those built
without regard to energy usage. - Water
Conservation.Green homes contain plumbing systems that preserve water
through specific types of fixtures, drought-tolerant landscaping, and irrigation
systems that conserve water. - Indoor Air Quality.
Green homes produced with environmentally friendly, sustainable materials have a
higher level of air quality. This air quality can help protect the general
well-being of you and your family members. - Cost
Efficiency.Through energy-use reduction and water conservation alone, a
green home can save you a substantial amount of money each month. Typically,
green homes use 40% less energy and 50% less water. - Resale Value. Green
homes have a greater potential to sell at a higher price because of the demand
for environmentally-friendly features.
air quality, consider incorporating several green features into the home you
design.