Building Green

Green Building

(building green)

Green Building

The Green Building movement is picking up steam in the home building arena. Incentives offered by local communities, builders responding to an increasing demand, the wealth of new materials and methods available, as well as increasing awareness among home buyers are all contributing to this trend.

There are several organizations developing guidelines for eco-friendly housing. One Washington DC based group, the US Green Building Council created a set of standards known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for commercial buildings and are set to release a rating system for homes soon. There are thousands of homes currently being constructed to meet these guidelines. City governments are offering incentives to encourage residents to take part by offering reductions on property taxes. Other features in Green Building designs include denser filters for AC ducts and programmable thermostats to conserve energy.

National and local home builders associations are providing resources enabling individual builders to create and execute a plan for Green Building. The NAHB offers a free "Green Building Guidelines" publication that describes this process step-by-step. These steps can be phased in by builders as they go through the learning process from entry-level concepts to more advanced stages.

Some counties are modifying their Green Building rules on subdivisions and land use, allowing developers to cluster homes on smaller lots in exchange for setting aside a percentage of the land are for green space, watersheds and recreation.

Other Green Building concepts include planting vegetation to clean runoff from rain water and paying attention to the home's orientation to get the best use of its solar heating and cooling capacities.

Materials for Green Building

The use of environmentally friendly materials in flooring such as cork or bamboo, insulation (used blue jeans), formaldehyde free crapet, cabinets, furniture, paints free of volatile organic compounds and non-toxic sealers are examples. Recycled products are becoming more popular as well.

Energy Efficiency

Energy Star Labled Windows
Compacft Florescent Light Bulbs
Energy Efficient Appliances
High Efficiency Furnaces/Water Heaters
Low Flow Faucets and Showerheads
Low Flow Toilets to conserve water

Air Ventillation Systems can be installed to improve air quality.

Visit the Green Built Homeä program at www.greenbuilthome.org to learn more. They have a check-list for remodlers with hundreds of ideas and resources.

For paints and finishes, flooring etc visit www.homegreenhome.biz, a Wisconsin distributor.

For the Energy Star qualified lighting products, programmable thermostats, windows, fans and appliances check out www.energystar.gov

A successful green building plan resulting in a home that is energy efficient, environmentally sound and healthier will leave home owners as well as builders happier and more satisfied.

Visit www.thegreenguide.com

For information on which cities rank highest when it comes to environmental issues and green building. National Geographics ranks Eugene, OR #1 for its bike trails, open spaces and its use of hydro-electric and wind which provides 85% of the city's power.

Portland, OR gets 44% of its power from hydro-electric. They also have an excellent recylcling program that goes beyond standard items like glass, metal and plastics to include yard waste and commercial food waste for compost.

For information on other cities that use alternative fuels go to www.sustainlane.us and www.eere.energy.gov/green

For information on states that offer incentives and similar programs visit www.dsireusa.org There are currently 15 states with 20% of their homes qualifying for the Energy Star Label. Visit www.energystar.gov

Air Quality Index www.airnow.gov

A Green home should be appealing in both appearance and performance, however achieving these characteristics are meaningless if the homeowner can’t afford them. If you want to build a home that is more energy efficient or find ways to increase efficiency you can turn to the NAHB’s Research Center to find information about new technologies, advances in building science, materials, windows and other products.

Many Home Builder’s Association are in the process or have already adopted regionally appropriate green building guidelines based on the national standards.

If you want to protect yourself against increasing energy costs – green building is your best defense. It is up to you, the home builder, to make sure you can recoup the initial cost involved with going green. You want to make sure your green building project is cost effective. You don’t want to get ripped off by false claims put out by people who are simply trying to capitalize on the green building movement.

To protect yourselves you need to develop and understand a whole house approach to green building by getting access to training, research and techniques. If you desire energy efficiency, you should be able to determine in advance your direct and measurable payback. If air quality is your desire you can design accordingly. Flexibility in green building allows you to match your priorities with your budget, so the home you design and build is also one you can afford.

Check with your local HBA or the NAHB for more information on green building.

This Site is a complete guide to contracting and building your own home. It also includes a step-by-step set of instructions on how to build your net worth by doing so, and how to take advantage of tax free gains (appreciation) and compounding interest.