Green Homes
The average person spends up to 80 percent of his time indoors, and a big part of that is in his own home. The problem with that is that indoor air can be more than ten times more polluted than outdoor air. Paint, glue, and all the other chemicals used to build a home can result in toxic fumes filling your indoor air, especially in newly built or newly remodeled homes.
Green homes and green building materials are becoming quite popular and easier than ever to come by. In some areas entire green subdivisions have been created. Houses are being remodeled and put on the green market. Real estate agents are becoming eco-agents specializing in the sale of green homes.
Insulating concrete foam is said to lower energy costs and consumption by as much as 40 percent. A geothermal system also promises to lower heating costs by as much as 50 percent and cooling costs by as much as 60 percent depending on your energy source.
Build It Green
It takes a lot to build any home, but building a green home takes a lot of planning and research. You need to search particularly hard to find the best materials and the best person to do the job. If you are interested in having a green home built, hire experts in the field, not someone who says “Yeah, I think I can do it.” Work closely with the people you do hire to make sure that you all agree on what's green and what isn't.
Many people think that building green is more expensive than building a regular home, but the truth is that if you hire the right people it can actually be cheaper. If you use recycled, reclaimed, or salvaged materials that are located or made locally, you'll cut down on the costly shipping charges and expensive additions that usually come with new products.
If you are in the market to build a green home, Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods by Clarke Snell and Tim Callahan is a very in-depth book that can help you envision and build your green dream home. Some great websites to consult are www.greenhomeguide.org, www.buildinggreen.com, and www.greenhomebuilding.com. All three are full of information about building green homes.
Basic Principles of a Green Home
According to www.greenhomeguide.com, in addition to being environmentally friendly, a green home is cost-efficient and healthier than a regular home. Green homes use up to 40 percent less energy and 50 percent less water than regular homes, and the construction generates 50 to 90 percent less construction waste. Most green homes are constructed using salvaged and recycled materials or rapidly renewable materials such as bamboo, hemp, and soybean products. Green homes are healthier because they are made with nontoxic materials and use natural ventilation.
Make It Green
If you just want to make your existing environment a little more eco-friendly, check out Danny Seo's Conscious Style Home: Eco-Friendly Living for the 21st Century. This is a great book that will help you get simply green. Another very detailed green home book is Eco-Renovation: The Ecological Home Improvement Guide by Edward Harland.
Green guru Danny Seo also has several other books that can be useful in other areas of your life; Simply Green Giving and Simply Green Parties may be helpful to you during your green wedding planning. Some of his simple, sustainable ideas can be modified and used for many different wedding elements.
If you are looking to do a green renovation of your kitchen, check out Good Green Kitchens: The Ultimate Resource for Creating a Beautiful, Healthy, Eco-Friendly Kitchen by Jennifer Roberts. This book has everything — flooring, countertops, cabinets, paint, and energy-efficient lighting and appliances. This book addresses some of the main elements that can turn your kitchen green: tankless water heaters, low- and no-VOC paint, energy efficient appliances, fluorescent lighting, high performance windows, skylights, good insulation, and reclaimed or FSC-certified wood products.
Ways to make an existing home green are:
Insulate, install radiant heat barriers in your attic or under your roof, and caulk all leaks. This will keep heat and air from escaping, making your home energy efficient. Energy efficiency is the number-one attribute of a green home.
Get a programmable thermostat. Try to keep it at 78°F or higher in the summer and 62°F or lower in the winter for maximum energy savings.
Switch to CFLs. On average, if you switch twenty bulbs in your home to CFLs you can save around $270 a year. In addition, the bulbs last a long time and can save you hundreds more dollars over their lifetimes. That may not sound like much, but when you figure in all your other green home improvements like a programmable thermostat and sealing up energy leaks and cracks, you can end up saving a lot.
Install new energy-efficient windows. At the very least, caulk and seal around your existing windows, install screens, and make sure you have no broken windows or cracks. Use good window coverings that offer extra insulation.
Keep heating and cooling systems tuned up and change filters regularly; use HEPA filters for the best air quality.
When it's time to replace appliances, choose Energy Star models for maximum energy conservation.
Reduce your water use by installing aerators on all your sink faucets and switch to low-flow showerheads. Get dual-flush toilets to conserve water.
Switch to green power. Check with your local energy provider about green energy sources.
Go solar. Either passively or actively take advantage of the energy the sun provides.
Plant trees and native plants around your home to provide natural insulation from the outside.
When you do any remodeling projects, opt for low- to no-VOC products: paint, stains, wood finishes, and even carpeting. Switch to healthy, natural cleaning products.
There are many ways to make your home greener, from simple green elements that add a bit of eco-charm to extensive remodeling that takes you to all-out greendom.
Decorate It Green
Whether you are building a new green home or making an existing home more eco-friendly, you'll want to decorate in green ways as well. You wouldn't want to go to all the trouble to make it thoroughly green only to cover it in paint that's filled with harmful VOCs and synthetic carpet filled with formaldehyde, chloroform, and other harmful petrochemicals.
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy estimates that every year in the United States about $13 billion worth of energy escapes through holes and cracks in residential buildings and homes. By properly sealing up energy leaks, a homeowner can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs. Start by sealing up windows, doors, and cracks and installing proper insulation.
Some great green flooring options are:
Reclaimed wood. It can come from a variety of places: old barns, railroads, or salvaged wood floors. This is a great option because it puts the wood to good use without much reprocessing. Reclaimed wood can offer beautiful coloring, aged patinas, and sometimes an antique finish.
FSC-certified wood. The FSC certifies that this wood has been harvested in ecologically sound ways and that old growth forests are left intact.
Cork. Cork is rising in popularity as flooring material because of its natural and renewable qualities. Cork floors are soft yet durable and provide antimicrobial, fire-resistant, and pest-resistant flooring.
Bamboo. Bamboo flooring has become very popular because it is a rapidly renewable resource and naturally beautiful.
Sisal rugs and carpeting. Sisal is a large leafy plant that's grown all over the world. The pulp is turned into fibers that are woven into coarse-textured rugs and carpeting. Sisal is very strong and durable and resistant to natural elements.
Hemp. Industrial hemp can be woven into strong fabric for beautiful and durable rugs.
Jute. Jute has always been a strong and durable product used in the industrial world for burlap bags, cords, ropes, and mats, yet it also is a nice choice for area rugs.
Concrete. Highly renewable and extremely durable, concrete floors have come a long way. Today they can be polished smooth, painted, or acid-treated to give them unique looks. Concrete is energy efficient and long lasting, but it isn't for everyone. Some people find it too cold and much too hard, and it's especially tough for little ones who can and will fall a lot.
Terra cotta. Just like your flower pots, terra cotta can be used to create tile flooring. Terra cotta — baked clay — is commonly used in warmer climates because it naturally stays cool.
Recycled carpet. Today old carpet can be recycled into new carpet, and it can be an economically sound choice. There is also carpeting made from recycled plastic bottles.
Natural, organic carpet. If you live in a colder climate or have children, nothing beats the warmth and softness of carpet, yet you can gladly live without the chemical odors and toxic materials in new carpeting. Choose natural carpeting made from organic cotton and wool and make sure to pair it with eco-friendly carpet padding and a green, no-VOC glue.
Recycled tile. Tile flooring is being made out of many recycled materials, from recycled vinyl to recycled glass. If you are looking for something unusual and eco-friendly, a glass tiled floor may be the thing.
Linoleum. Real linoleum, not vinyl, is considered to be a renewable resource.
The same materials that are used for eco-responsible flooring can be used in other areas of your home as well. Reclaimed and responsible wood can be used for cabinets and furniture; recycled glass, concrete, or terra cotta tiles for countertops; hemp fabrics for curtains, furniture coverings, sheets, and blankets; and bamboo for everything from sheets to kitchen utensils. Visit local stores and check out the many online retailers that offer sustainable furnishings and great green kitchen items such as Real Goods (www.realgoods.com), Greenfeet (www.greenfeet.com), Rawganique (www.rawganique.com), Green Nest (www.greennest.com), and Natural Spaces (www.naturalspaces.com).
