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New Green Home
Building
Energy savings &
lower utility Bills
Because of increased water and
energy efficiency levels homeowners
have the opportunity to save
thousands of dollars over the life
of their home. Given the
astronomical rise in fuel prices in
the past few years, it is no
surprise that energy efficiency is
the top reason consumers choose
green enhancements these days.
More Comfortable
A good green home is a more
comfortable home. It has been
carefully retrofitted or constructed
and well insulated so it does not
overheat in the summer or feel cold
in the winter.
Creating A better
Future
The final reason one may choose
green enhancements is less practical
and more philosophical: One may want
to leave the smallest footprint you
can on the planet. One can also take
pride in the fact that from energy
and water efficiency to healthy
sustainable products and recycled
materials one & apos;s home can
substantially reduce its impact on
the environment.
Healthier
Green homes feature superior indoor
air quality and fewer building
products and materials that may
undermine our health. Chemical
pollutants and mold are reduced.
Good ventilation helps keep the air
fresh.
Peace Of Mind
Green
homes are renovated and constructed
with the environment in mind. From
energy and water efficiency to
reduced construction waste and the
use of renewable materials.
Greater Value
A good
green home provides more for your
money, are built to last, with
quality design and construction that
holds up over time. These homes cost
less to live in and maintain because
they are built to be energy
efficient and durable.
Repairing The World
The
deeper benefits of going green may
be less obvious. Using a low flush
toilet or energy saving CFL light
bulb may not save the world but it
is a small step in the right
direction. We may think of ourselves
as trustees of the planet for the
sake of future generations.
Improving The
Environment
Making
your home more green reduces your
green house gas emissions. It also
contributes to healing the natural
environment.
Green Building Materials
for New Homes
What is a
green building material? The green
marketing we are usually exposed to
relates to reducing consumer waste.
We have all been taught that
recyclable materials are preferable
to products that will wind up in a
landfill after they are thrown away.
But what about something you don't
plan on throwing away? With
increased focus on the environmental
impact of building materials, your
new home can be green from the
inside out.
In
environmental terms, a commonly used
synonym for green is sustainable. To
be considered sustainable, building
materials must be resource
efficient, energy efficient, and
affordable.
Resource
efficiency is a way of evaluating
the origin of a building material.
If the material is produced
responsibly and implemented
efficiently, this contributes to the
sustainability of the house it is
used in. Home insulation may contain
recycled industrial content. Wood
used in the frame of a house might
come from a certified sustainably-managed
forest. Kitchen tile could come from
a company participating in a
resource-efficient manufacturing
program designed to reduce waste and
harmful emissions.
It may be
important not only how a material is
made, but also where it is made.
Locally available materials are
considered more resource-efficient
because energy is conserved in
transporting them to the eventual
building site. All aspects of the
material's use are considered when
evaluating resource-efficiency.
The concept of
energy efficient materials is
familiar to most consumers. Proper
insulation, efficient heating and
air systems, and extras such as
storm windows are popular ways to
keep utility bills in check.
Sustainable building introduces some
additional issues.
Human energy
is valued along with electrical
energy. Many building materials
release chemicals into the air over
long periods of time, and this can
affect the long-term air quality of
the interior of a home. Sustainable
building materials are low-toxic or
non-toxic to begin with, and feature
minimal chemical emissions. Low odor
paint is becoming more popular, and
non-toxic sealants are becoming
common for flooring. This is
believed to increase the quality of
health in the home environment, a
way of conserving energy for the
people living there.
Affordability
is also a consideration in
sustainable building. The
'life-cycle cost' of a material is
measured by considering the initial
cost combined with the cost of
replacing that material if it wears
out. Materials that are durable are
considered more sustainable because
they reduce the effort as well as
the resources necessary for repair
or replacement. Newer,
environment-friendly light bulbs are
noticeably more expensive than
traditional bulbs, but they last
several times longer. The money
saved on replacement bulbs and the
energy saved by not climbing on a
chair to replace them every few
months makes them more affordable in
terms of sustainability.
Green
materials are catching on rapidly.
Suppliers of materials are working
hard to associate their own brand
names with this trend. It is already
common to see advertising related to
eco-friendly features in new homes
and condos. What was previously
considered a niche market has
rapidly taken over the mainstream.
Before long developers may be
advertising the sustainability of
the building's construction as well
as the final, outwardly visible
result.
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