Archive for July, 2009

Green home builders Thoughts

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

The new in thing is building green And I have a few thoughts on this topic to share. The ideas behind building green and green architecture have been around for a long long time. But there is serious new interest in the topic today that there wasn’t before. What’s changed is the financial equation on the idea of building green. The real big change is the cost of heating your house. And having the price of gas for your car also go up has also gotten people to think more.

Like I said, this is a good thing. Without the business case, you are just trying to make people change behavior only on their political or ethical views. I’m very much interested to watch how the financial changes impact this entire discussion. In some ways, I’m predicting that we return to the 70’s where building green and saving energy was in the mainstream discussion and media.

Entry Keywords: Building a green house, Submit feed, Building a green home

Green home plans Entry Today

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

So in the news this week is some interesting stuff on climate change policy. The current administration decided to acknowledge that there was evidence of climate change. I see this as very big for the climate change camp. Although, it is less clear what policy is really going to change as a result of this. The reaction from the climate activists was negative because they want to see more action. rssmatic.com
This is understandable. But, this is a step forward. Prior to this week’s statements, the republicans were saying that there is no real consensus on the climate change debate. That was just flat-out wrong. So, in that sense I’m glad to see that the republicans are finally catching up with reality.

The Keywords: Building a green home, Building a green home, Green home design

Benefits Abound in Constructing a Green House

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

Energy and cost efficiency are two perks of building using green architecture and design. At first the cost of building a green house may seem steep compared to a standard home, but the savings on utility bills can compensate handsomely. One way in which building a green house is more efficient than building a standard house is in the reduced consumption of electricity.

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. Installation and materials are the only aspects of solar and wind power that cost the builder anything. Luckily, sunlight and wind are both free resources that are abundant and endlessly renewable! Building green houses with wind turbines and solar panels can be both environmentally friend and economical as sources of power.

Another design concept that can be used in building a green house is the gray water system. Since they reuse water consumed in one area of the home for recycle in other areas, gray water systems are more efficient. Green home residents with gray water systems could use the same water to irrigate a garden that they had previously used to shower. Unnecessary water waste is decreased in recycling water throughout the home from day to day. 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.

When building a green house, design and building materials are main factors to consider. In building a green house, there are many options including recycled materials. From insulation to roofing and even flooring, it is possible to use recycled or salvaged materials for nearly every surface in green house designs! Not only are recycled or salvaged materials often more cost effective for building, they are often more durable than other materials. Locally salvaged building materials are even more beneficial in reducing the carbon footprint of a home. 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.

Temperatures within a green house can be regulated by building with different kinds of architecture. 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. There are many ways to save money while reducing carbon footprints in building a green house.

Green home designs For You

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

To save on energy bills green home construction should be adopted when you construct a building. The EPA gives energy star certification to construction material that reduce energy consumption specifying what can be used in green home construction. All Energy Star certified products reduce water and energy consumption by 10-50% and are the material certified for use in green home construction.

Using low VOC (volatile organic compound ) paints that contain no lead or formaldehyde makes green home construction good for your health. Sealing your home from damp using insulation in green home construction prevents mold from setting in and affecting your lungs. Green homes. Green home construction uses light fixtures that emit light but not heat. Green Home Construction at first was an expensive proposition that promised long term savings because of reduced energy bills.

Increased demand for green home construction has made the cost of green housing material on par with other construction material. Mass production of green home construction material that is fabricated and brought on site and put together has helped reducing the costs of green housing material. Green home construction saves money, saves energy and saves you from bad health. Click.

Blogs For You

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Today homes built with green construction make a statement of being socially correct and socially responsible. One popular method of green construction is using modular ready to build material made in green conscious factories specifically for green buildings. Green construction involves construction of buildings without destroying nature.

Green construction therefore involves using bricks, straw bale and building material that can be replaced or restored. Buildings are constructed to include solar panels and use wind or energy rather than electricity and fossil fuel. Water conservation and water waste prevention are hallmarks of good green construction. Dwindling water resources are conserved by rain harvesting.More details here.

Green construction uses no artificial means of temperature control and fresh air provides ventilation improving the quality of health of those who live or work in the building. The main factors in green construction consist of low operation, equipment and enhanced durability of material. Interiors use low toxic paint and few or no carpets that attract less allergens.

Green construction concentrates on conservation and plastic lumber is used made of recycled plastic and trees are not cut down for lumber. Lumber from fast growing trees that can be easily propagated are used in green construction. Houses built with green construction are all weather houses that can weather any climate change.

Notes: Syndiate rss, Information, Green home decor

Four Rules of Green Home Design

Thursday, July 9th, 2009

The way we humans are currently living isn’t going to be sustainable for long. This is a fact that we’re becoming more and more aware of every day. Because of this, green home design is becoming a more and more mainstream part of the housing market. Some experts predict that green home design will soon make up a huge slice of the real estate industry.

In the United States, homes create 38% of the total carbon emissions. Especially if we want to stop global warming, building our homes with green home designs will have a significant effect on the future. If you’re looking to incorporate a bit of green home design, there are a hundred small things you can do to green-up your home. But if you’re seriously interested in reducing the impact your home has on the environment, there are four basic green home design concepts to follow.

Green Home Design Rule 1: Smaller is Better

There’s something gloriously attractive about large, mansion-like homes. Unfortunately, large home need a huge quantity of fuel for heating and cooling– fuel which is generally in for form of environment-killing fossil fuels. These homes also require more resources for building and create more waste as a result. So if you’re looking to incorporate green home design in your building plans, build small.

Green Home Design Rule 2: Incorporate Passive Solar Design

Passive solar heating is one of the backbones of green home design. The relatively simple concept behind passive solar design is to design a home according to the climate. In warmer climates, homes are designed to absorb less heat. In colder areas, design is used to reduce the amount of heat lost. To do this, green home design is incorporated into the orientation of the building, the location of the windows, the flooring (stone is best), and other elements of the home to reduce the amount of energy wasted.

Rule 3 in Green Home Design: Recycle and Reuse Materials

Almost everything used in a traditional home harms the environment in some way, either by its manufacture (plastics and artificials) or its transport (naturals). The use of renewable or recycled materials which are manufactured locally helps to reduce the damage building can have on the environment. Consider installing bamboo or recycled wood flooring and incorporate a green home design using recycled materials, such as cellulose insulation and lumber composites, throughout the home.

Rule 4 in Green Home Design: Shrink your AC

Heating and cooling a home accounts for the huge majority of its energy consumption. And no matter how tempting a large AC system might sound during the hot summer months, this type of system can ruin your good intentions for a green home. Big air conditioning systems cool the air too much and too quickly, causing them to turn on an off constantly. Because of this, they don’t last nearly as long as smaller systems, creating a huge amount of waste along with energy loss.

Green House Building … How To Survive Without Oil

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

Our Planet is facing dramatic changes owing to the accelerated rate of human development and indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources. Global warming is just one such warning sign that the delicate global ecosystem is very near the ‘tipping’ scale. Therefore, it is incumbent on humanity to find solutions to harmonize their needs in consonance with nature. Building ‘Green’ Houses is one such important initiative.

What does a ‘Green’ house building entail? Simply put, it indicates the method(s) of using resources, needed for building houses, institutions, markets, malls, and other structures conservatively, in an environmentally friendly and cost effective manner.

There are various methods used for building ‘Green’ houses. One method is to use superior architectural layouts so that maximal use can be made of natural resources such as wind and sunlight, thus reducing use of pollution forming air conditioners saving on your electricity bill. Another method is to use solar heaters and photovoltaic cells to save electricity. Using locally available materials and natural materials helps conservation. Rationalizing one’s needs also helps the green initiative; for example, building a house only as large as you actually need. Installation of smaller cisterns for flushing toilets, recycled water for gardening and rain water harvesting are important principles in building ‘green’ houses.

Building ‘green’ houses have many rewards attached. Experts have estimated that a well-planned ‘green’ building consumes upto 30% less energy than a normal building. Greater use of natural air and sunlight make ‘green’ building healthier, increasing human efficiency and yes, mean lesser visits to the doctor!

There is a general misconception that ‘green’ house building is significantly costlier than building normal houses. That is just not true. A well-conceived ‘green’ house project might cost in the range of 0.5% to 6.5% over a normal building in the initial costing. In the long term, those initial costs are recovered.

For ‘green’ buildings to be sustainable it is recommended that one considers incorporation of the ‘green’ features in the initial design itself. Suggested measures include pooling or sharing of resources such as a common swimming pool or investing on a rainwater harvesting plant for the community at large.

‘Green’ is here to stay. In fact more and more people will be opting to live in ‘green’ buildings in the future. Building ‘green’ houses will help in ensuring a bright future to our children and also help in protecting the Earth.