Green Home Design Primer

Green home design is becoming more and more popular as people begin to realize the effects of wastefulness on the environment. Consider this, just a few years ago (2005), homes incorporating green home design concepts only made up 2% of the total homes being built or remodeled. However, it is estimated that by the year 2010, homes using green home design will approach or exceed 10% of all homes on the market. If you are thinking about making your home a greener living space, there is not a better time to get started than right now.

Using a green home design for your living space accomplishes many things in addition to helping the environment, including saving you money. Since homes incorporating green home design are more energy efficient, you can expect to see a return on your investment in the way savings on your energy bills. Besides saving you money, a home that makes use of green home design is also healthier for everyone living inside the space. These are simple things that you can benefit from immediately.

If you are considering green home design, you will be pleased to know that you do not have to build a completely new home. Green concepts can be incorporated into an already existing home. One of the factors that concerns many people about homes using green home design concepts is cost. Right now, it is quite a bit more expensive to build a or remodel a greener living space.

However, the benefits you gain far outweigh the initial cost. Plus, you do not have to do a complete overhaul of your immediately - think gradual changes. And as time goes on, the cost of green home design will continue to decrease and become less of a prohibitive factor. It is also beneficial to locate a contractor who is familiar with green home design to lower your costs further.

If you decide to incorporate green home design concepts in your home, you can expect to benefit from a home that is cost efficient, healthier for your family, and friendly to the environment as well. Green home design makes use of toxin free building materials which improves the quality of the air inside your home greatly. The air inside of a greener home is filtered via the help of natural and mechanical ventilation systems that purify the air. Homes that use green home design concepts also experience much lower rate of mold and mildew.

While it may be slightly more expensive initially to use green home design, you will definitely reap the benefits over time. By considering building a new home or remodeling your current home using green home design, you have peace of mind that you are doing your part to reduce your footprint on the environment as well as reaping the natural rewards of green home design.

How green home designs have changed since the 70s

The Green movement has seen a considerable evolution since the early 70s. Those momentous years of the Peace Movement, Vietnam War and the twilight zone of hippie culture, building 'Green' was still emerging. Many concept homes were designed in those early years which looked more like cave dwellings or ant hills and one really wondered whether people were actually serious about living in such homes.

Environment, ecology and living with the nature were very much a concept then, but was the domain of few people. That has changed to Green buildings being built by large construction companies with considerable support from the government. A trendy concept of the 70s has now transformed into an 'official mascot' of many a nations.

In the 70s there was no real professional effort at building Green homes. Designs mimicked natural designs of indigenous people without really trying to incorporate the wishes and aspirations of modern day living. There was no concerted effort at scientifically arriving at Green home designs. Today, Green home designs follow strict certification processes in countries the world over. In the US, The Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) is an initiative that sets standards for Green Home designs. The same standards have been incorporated by some countries while others have evolved their own. In the 70s, Green home designs tended to concentrate on 'stand alone' projects. Present day evolution looks at Green Home designs as a full fledged eco system. Now, factors such as recycling, indigenous practices, environment and architecture are examined holistically.

Science too has played an important role in the evolution of Green home designs. In the 70s powerful computers were not available. Computer Aided Designs (CAD) with wind flow computations and solar capture calculations make designing Green homes far more efficient than the 70s. Even 'greening' of construction materials has received an impetus thanks to advances in science. Nature friendly, recycled products, made possible by advances in science are regularly used by construction companies. A typical example is of Fly ash, a waste product which can as well be used in mixed cement with same qualities. The global environmental challenges are forcing countries to understand the need to conserve our resources. Thus Green home designs have traveled from a 'niche' specialization in the 70s to the mainstream of the construction business today.

The New Discipline of Green Home Design

Green home design is the wave of the future. Increasingly, people are paying attention to the environment and are seeking ways to minimize the impact everyday living creates. Over the last 30 years, efforts to develop technology and build more environmentally friendly homes are paying off. New home construction using green home design is expected to increase from 2% in 2005 to 10% in 2010.

Several key factors are integral to green homebuilding. Reduced use of energy, water and natural resources, integration of renewable energy systems, reduced waste and fewer health risks are all requirements of green home design. Building materials are made from natural, toxin-free products and recycled components. Paints and sealants have low VOC (volatile organic compound) content, and wood and insulation products are often made from rapidly renewable sources, such as bamboo, soybeans and cotton. Windows and doors have a high Energy Star rating and electric appliances and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems must be energy efficient. A green home design will use natural light to minimize the use of electricity and position trees and awnings, etc. to shield summer sun. Air quality is freshened and cleaned through use of both natural and mechanical filtering and venting. Many green home designs incorporate the use of renewable energy sources such as solar electric systems. Green homes are often built on previously used parking lots or building sites and wetlands are avoided; existing trees are retained whenever possible.

Green home design has benefits that outweigh the cost of construction. The design and the natural materials lead to reduced internal pollution, and reduction or elimination of mold, mildew, carcinogens, and respiratory pollutants. This creates a healthier environment, reducing risks of respiratory, heart and allergy problems and cancer. The healthier products used and the efficient use of resources cause fewer green house effects and pollution. Besides the health and environmental benefits of green home design, there is approximately 40% reduction in energy and 50% reduction in water use making green homes more economical to run. The cost of building a green home is potentially the same as a conventional home and may even be less. There are also initiatives to provide low cost green homes which will further improve cost containment to the benefit of all consumers.

As the technology improves, contractors gain experience, and probably most importantly, consumers gain increased awareness, we should expect to see an increased growth in the demand for green home design.

Building An Environmentally Green House Has Endless Benefits

Energy and cost efficiency are two perks of building using green architecture and design. Although the initial costs of building a green house may top those of a conventional home, expenditures can be made up in reduced utility bills. In green house design, electricity is used more efficiently.

Building a green house easily allows for new energy sources to be utilized. Using wind turbines can be one way to create electricity in green homes. Another way to access electricity is through the installation of solar panels. Gas and coal power are steadily increasing in price, but it will probably have little effect on those installing green technologies. The only costs in using solar and wind power are the materials and installation costs. Both abundant and constantly renewable, the resources of sunlight and wind are free! Both solar panels and wind turbines are economical and environmentally friendly tools that can be used to tackle energy issues inherent in building a green house.

A gray water system is another design concept that can be used in building a green house. Gray water systems are more efficient because they use water from one area of household and recycle it elsewhere in the dwelling. For instance, using a gray water system could allow green home residents to collect water used while showering for watering a garden or flushing toilets! Since water is being reused throughout the home, less of this precious resource is being unnecessarily wasted in day to day living. Reducing the carbon footprint of a home and saving money on water utilities are two benefits afforded by using state of the art gray water system technologies.

Building materials used and design of the dwelling are also key factors to consider when building a green house. Recycled or salvaged materials are an option in building a green house. Green house designs can incorporate recycled or salvaged materials for almost every need, including flooring, roofing and even insulation! Not only are recycled or salvaged materials often more cost effective for building, they are often more durable than other materials. Using locally salvaged building materials can reduce the carbon footprint of a home even more if they are locally obtained. In building a green house, using building materials obtained locally is better for the environment because they do not require as much energy to manufacture and transport.

Different kinds of architecture can be used in building a green house in order to regulate indoor temperatures. Design which increases exposure to sunlight and heat retention is possible with green architecture and would benefit those building in cold climates. In warmer climates, a comparable principle of design can be used in building a green house. By harnessing biomass from beneath the surface of the Earth as well as limiting sun exposure, those in warmer climates can keep cool. The ways to reduce carbon footprints while saving money are truly endless when building a green house!

Green home bathroom Blog

Green home design is the new hot thing. It's about time that this happen. There have been so many years of debate over global warming, but no action Check this out..

Green homes Entry Today

When many people think of green home design, they think about the cost of such construction. I would actually agree with that statement. I think that many times, people get so wrapped up in going green that they ignore fine structures in order to build "better" structures. Their heart is in the right place, but it doesn't make much sense to me.



In my mind, green home design shouldn't be limited to new construction. Greenness should be promoted in your current home. For example, insulate your home in a better manner to reduce your fuel consumption in the winter and thus reduce your heating costs. I agree with the idea of being green, but not with the idea of being wasteful in the name of greenness. I just think that it is so horrible when stores move into malls or plazas, which are "greener", and the old buildings that they used to be in just sit empty for years and years until they tear them down. Lots of money and land could have been saved had someone modernized the existing building rather than wasting it. Bookmark.



My point here is that it is usually more efficient to improve existing structures than to waste them and build new ones. Green home design doesn't mean building a new home. Green home design means building greenness in your current one. Another site you will like.

What are the considerations of building

Costliness is usually the first word associated with green home building. I would actually have to agree, sort of. Frequently, people neglect perfectly good structures to build better ones in an attempt to go green. Their heart is in the right place, but it doesn't make much sense to me.



I don't think green home building should include only new construction. Greenness should be promoted in your current home. For example, insulate your home in a better manner to reduce your fuel consumption in the winter and thus reduce your heating costs. Yes, we should build any new construction to green specifications, but so many times I see perfectly good buildings wasted to construct "greener" ones. http://greenhomedesigns.bloggytown.net/ For example, in my town, one major supermarket went out of business and a different major supermarket came into town. They had a perfectly fine existing structure, but needed to build a newer, better one right next door and coincidently had to demolish acres of woods to do so. Now, they brag about how their market is so green. Hmm...



My point here is that it is usually more efficient to improve existing structures than to waste them and build new ones. Green home building doesn't mean building a new home. Green home building means building greenness in your current one. http://greenhomedesign.bloginfo411.com/