Some Basic Tips For Green Home Construction

If you are building a new home, take some time to gather up great ideas for green home construction.  If your first thought is that building green is too expensive or too hard to figure out, think again. Green architects, green contractors, green wholesalers, and green suppliers and salvage yards are popping up everywhere!

Think Green From the Beginning               

Before you even buy the land, be thinking about the solar, wind, water, and geothermal implications.  Find as many ways to respect and capitalize on your natural resources as possible.  Seriously consider buying property that has already been broken as a previous building site.  Keep both the size of your footprint and overall impact on your land small.

Technologically Advanced Energy Methods

There are exciting construction methods that utilize low-energy and sustainable choices.  There are many advantages of solar energy and there are a wide range of solar designs including homemade solar panels, that can be used for both active and passive applications.  There are geothermal heating and cooling systems that tap into the natural heat under the ground by drilling.  Wind power is an energy source that can also create electricity for your home.  These methods are no longer science fiction.  They are affordable and effective.

Highly Efficient Materials

Every aspect of home construction can be made greener.  If you are working without a contractor, look for a green supplier that is committed to selling products like insulation, certified SFC lumber, light colored roofing, flooring, low voc paints, fly ash concrete, and kitchen appliances and fixtures that are highly efficient and safe.  Smaller changes can be made with weatherstripping, caulking, and green cleaners.

Re-use and Recycle

Water usage is an area that can be greatly reduced through common sense methods.  Water lawns with irrigation water, plant drought resistant plants and grass, and plant trees and bushes with thoughtful consideration for shade, insulation and sun needs.  Talk to a plumber about reconfiguring your pipes so that you can easily use your gray (rinse) water for hosing down driveways, flushing toilets and more.

Re-use wood from torn down buildings, or old barns and snow fences that is aged and beautiful.  No growing trees need be harmed!  Find vintage windows, doors, panels, trim, and more at salvage stores to give your home history and character.

Porcelin bathroom fixtures can be crushed to create new tiles, and there are many more creative ways to repurpose items from the past.

Function and Form

The dream of blending rock solid state of the art green technology with the beauty of a natural light filled and comfortable space is more than a possibility.  It is the realistic and responsible way of the future.