Green homes Blog Entry

Green Home designs are home designs that synchronize with nature and the surrounding landscape. Recycled lumber , concrete, rubber and dry wall bricks are some of the many eco sensitive material that form an integral part of a green home design.



Green home designs suggest the use of durable, easy to maintain and fire resistant construction material. Air conditioning and central heating are unnecessary in a green home design because by using proper insulation techniques the interior is warm in winter and cool in summer. Green home designs do not use lead paint or formaldehyde treated particle board for kitchen and other cabinets which are forbidden construction material under law. A green home design is recognized by the power saver usage of compact fluorescent lamps, dimmers and thermostats. Articles



Cool in summer and warm is winter is the hallmark of a green home because it makes maximum use of natural sunlight and fresh air. A green home is designed for low energy usage and in recognition of its value, both the federal and State governments allow tax deductions for green home designs. A home with a green home design can be easily sold because of its low maintenance and low energy consumption record. Click this link for more



What was this about: Building a green house, Go here

Does Europe know something about green home building that the US doesn't

Green home building is all the rage in America today, and many people do not realize that green home building practices have been in play for decades in Europe. We have many technologies that are just emerging in the United States that seem to be new and innovate...they are not. This phrase "green home building" is talked about in such a way that people are astonished by new technologies, but really, these technologies are only new to us.

For example, in Europe, a substance called Autoclave Aerated Concentrate, or AAC for short, has been used in constructing buildings for over two decades. GreenHomeBuilding.com says that this substance is popular in Europe because it is completely fire proof, highly insulating, and very lightweight. It can be easily transported in large quantities, which will conserve fuel. Additionally, AAC is made of water, sand, cement, lime, and aluminum powder. The main ingredient in AAC is air, which makes up over eighty percent of it composition. The most important benefit is the fact that its production does not produce any byproducts. This material has been used by builders in Germany for almost one hundred years, but was only introduced in the United States in 1996, and it is not yet widely accepted.

An additional green home building material that is used widely in Europe but not in the United States is the Wood Fiber Board. This type of board is created from the wood chip waste which is a byproduct of sawmills. According to GreenHomeBuilding.com, these boards are free of allergens and they do not emit any toxins during their manufacture. They are cheap to make, durable, and totally compostable. But, we do not use those very much here in the United States. We prefer cutting more trees, I guess.. It seems as though we prefer not using something we already have, but rather wasting to create new products.

Europe is by far more advanced then we are when it comes to green home building practices. They have been doing these things for about one hundred years, so for Europeans, there is nothing new or innovative about green home building; it is a way of life. We are in the right mind set to become equal in greenness to Europe, but I just hope it is not too late.

Green home designs Entry Today

Green Home Plans are home plans certified by LEED ( Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) which is a voluntary rating system that certifies high performance energy efficient housing. Green home plans are drawn up with a view to use the elements of nature to energize a home without interfering with the surrounding environment.



Green home plans are for modestly sized buildings because the smaller the size, the less energy is required to be used. A green home plan is a daylight friendly pan and all windows will utilize day light without increasing or decreasing the temperature of the interiors of the home. Architects who design houses based on green house plans look for fittings which are given Energy Star certification by the EPA.



Green home plans focus on water recycling and reusing of non potable water for gardening. The healthy atmosphere for the interior in a green home plan is achieved by providing adequate yard space for growing trees which direct fresh air into the home. At first green home plans were regarded as expensive and the preserve of environmentalists but now their popularity has reduced the costs of green construction for all. See this link for more.

Green Home Buildings ... Why The Europeans are Far Ahead | Advancements In Green Home Buildings ... Lessons From Europe | Green Home Buildings and the European Contribution | Is the US Catching Up to Europe in Building Green Homes? | Europe Vs The States In Building Green Homes | Building Green Homes ... Comparing The European and US Standing

The Green home building initiative has its genesis in the Green Movement, which was in its heyday in the 1960s, especially among the Hippies. Thereafter, the Green movement evolved differently in the United States and Europe. The political authority of the green movement gained significantly with the institution of the German Green Party in 1970s. This gave rise to the creation of many more Green politics and following in Europe with an institutional role. Many of these Green parties formed part of coalition governments in Europe thus giving governmental support to green initiatives quite early on. A prime example is the green legislation tax passed in the late 1990s by the German government.

No such legislative activity took place in the States. The Green movement in the nation has continued as an informal initiative with hardly any federal backing. Initially, building green homes was much more costly to build than regular houses. American construction companies, sans the governmental pressures faced by their European counterparts, sought only to augment their profits rather than build green.

One of the popular movements in Europe that has persisted over 30 years is termed Building Biology, and opines that traditional brick and mortar buildings with its ingredients of steel, concrete, plastic foams are unhealthy; it also recommends that naturally occurring local building materials are a better choice. Consequently, over the years, Europeans have been building walls with the help of loam. Contributing to the conservation efforts is also possible by using recycled paper as insulation. Till very recently, Americans considered used bathing water as waste water; instead this is an invaluable resource to be used for landscaping. The LEED norms in vogue in the United States are not legal regulations yet. One may look at the French initiative, to implement its local building green norms in the European Union, as a positive influence on the State.

Houses in the US are usually constructed of wood which is both abundant and economical.\ The swift expansion of the US construction industry raised import of wood and consequently the loss of substantial tropical rainforest areas. The real estate developers did not see it fit to consider the incalculable harm that was being done to the global environment. The Europeans on the other had very early on understood the likely adverse impact on the environment and commenced forest plantation in their own countries as also using bamboo and other quick growing woods instead of tropical rainforest woods. Little surprise as to the reason Europeans seem far ahead in structuring green homes as against Americans.