“Green Building” – A Household Word That’s Here To Stay!
Green building has started to become a household and industry word here in Orlando, Florida and elsewhere! People are accepting that it is not only here to stay . . . but it is the way of the future!
Yes, the same green movement that has spurred our schools to discourage brown paper lunch bags, and encourage motorists to trade in their gas guzzling SUV’s for a hybrid has now crept into the housing market as a growing number of builders construct environmentally responsible homes. State and local governments are now offering incentives to help promote the use of eco-friendly materials and methods in green residential building.
A widely accepted definition for a green building is: A building that is sited, designed, constructed and operated to enhance and improve the well being and quality of life of occupants and to minimize negative impacts on the community and natural environment.
Here are just a few innovative ways to build greener homes:
* Install Energy Star efficient appliances
* Use low VOC house paint
* Use recycled content materials
* Use rapidly renewable products such as bamboo flooring
* Install engineered wood
* Landscape with low water drought tolerant plants to minimize irrigation use
* Install energy and water efficient irrigation systems
* Install green seal certified windows and doors
* Foam insulation which can save up to 50% on energy bills
* Solar water heaters
* Compact fluorescent lighting
* Computer controlled vents that pull in fresh air
Though it can take a little more work and research on the part of the builder and homeowner because of all of the new products and technology that is now available, the pay off can be huge. A green building will:
* Provide a healthier and more comfortable environment
* Improve long term economic performance
* Reduce construction and demolition waste
* Bring a higher resale value
* Improve indoor air quality
* Reduce environmental impact
* Are easier to maintain and are built to last
The U.S Green Building Council is a nonprofit organization working very hard to promote environmentally responsible building practices. They are composed of more than 12,000 organizations from across the building industry. Members include building owners and end users, real estate developers, facility managers, architects, designers, engineers, general contractors, subcontractors, building product manufacturers, and government agencies. For more information about this organization you can go to: http://www.usgbc.org. This is just one of many nonprofit agencies that are committed to promoting green building practices for a healthier, more energy efficient environment.
Solar Lighting For Subdivisions – Earth-Friendly Ways To Make Your Community Beautiful
Solar lights solve many challenges for housing subdivisions. This article describes simple applications of solar technology that homeowners’ associations can use to cut costs, increase security, and improve the aesthetics of their community. These applications include:
- Solar sign lights for entrance signs and public buildings.
- Solar-powered security lights to automatically light common areas as people approach.
- Deck lights for use around pool, patio and tennis areas.
- Landscape lights to highlight garden features and pathways.
Generally, solar systems save money in both installation and operation. They don’t need expensive wiring for installation and there is no need to connect to your local electric utility. The sun charges them every evening, and will automatically turn them on each evening.
Solar Sign Lights Most subdivisions have signs at their entrances, but these signs are typically far from the homes and utility connections. Rather than dig trenches and run wires to distant signs, solar sign lighting provides a cost-effective solution. They turn on automatically each evening, eliminating the requirement for a lamp timer. Smaller solar spotlights can even be used to mark street intersections or common buildings.
Motion-Activated Security Lighting Solar-powered floodlights come with motion sensors that automatically turn the light on as someone approaches. This capability can be used to improve security in dark areas around the complex, including entryways and walkways.
Deck Lights Many housing developments include swimming pools, tennis courts and common decks as part of their amenities. Solar deck lighting can be used to highlight these areas at night. Placed around the perimeter of a deck or walkway, these lights help guide residents to their destination and create a more festive atmosphere.
Landscape Lighting A wide range of solar garden lights are available to highlight landscape features around common areas. Most useful are solar pathway lights, which consist of decorative independent lights that emit a soft glow. These typically include an embedded solar panel so no wiring is necessary. All that needs to be done is stick them in the ground.
Help your homeowners’ association create an earth-friendly, low-cost and pleasant environment with solar lighting!
Green Building – New Ways To Beat High Energy Costs
Green building is becoming increasingly more popular with architects, builders and homeowners each year. Consumers’ environmental awareness is growing and they have come to demand more naturally sustainable and recycled materials incorporated in the construction and renovation of their homes and favor homes that utilize construction and design techniques that improve energy efficiency and reduce indoor air pollution. These green building techniques not only let homeowners feel good about leaving a smaller environmental footprint, but can provide long-term savings in utility bills.
Does a greener house have to look like a yurt or geodesic dome like so many of the first-generation eco-houses of the 1970s? On the contrary, green-built homes are often indistinguishable from their traditional counterparts. Green buildings will, however, function much differently. Their heating and cooling costs will be lower if they are sited to maximize wind-sheltering trees and incorporate passive solar design principles.
Green building is a growing segment of the new home and home renovation market. Go to any Homebuilders Expo these days and you’ll find plenty of vendors exhibiting green building products and services, from energy-efficient appliances to roof shingles made of recycled plastic to architecture firms that specialize in sustainable design. The hit television series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has incorporated green building in many of its episodes, in part to help out its financially struggling families with lower energy and maintenance bills for the future, but also in recognition of this progressive trend in the building industry.
Realtors are finding that green architecture components are a good selling point for their listings. Homebuyers in this relaxed housing market can be more selective about their many housing options and the long-term economies of green homes make for an attractive real estate package. Banks and financial lenders are also recognizing the investment value inherent in green construction and are responding by offering more favorable terms for these loan customers.
There is also the social trend of environmentalism as a way of life. Just as consumers are veering away from sport-utility vehicles and snapping up hybrid and more fuel-efficient cars, so too are prospective home buyers thinking twice about the status of traditionally-designed houses and thinking more about building green.
If you are interested in learning more about green design, check out your next home builders fair in your area or contact a local architect to discuss this exciting home building and renovation option. You’ll be happy you did.