Green Building
The key phrase now a days seems to be “going green.” If you are looking to do green home building or green home renovations, simple steps can be taken or entire home designs can be produced.
There are so many green home building ideas and renovations that can be accomplished, if you are new to this arena, the multitude of information can be overwhelming. It is best to start researching green home building and finding out exactly what is available and getting a feel for green building in general.
Once you have a basic understanding, you will want to meet with a contractor that specializes in green home building if you are interested in going in the direction of a green building design. If you are planning on making green home building renovations, some jobs you can do yourself, other jobs will require a professional. Again, you will need to do your research.
Here you will find 5 Green Home Building Ideas:
1. Programmable Thermostat
Installing a programmable thermostat is a great way to save on energy costs, dropping the temperature when no one is home and at night when everyone in the home is sleeping will help save on energy costs and reduce energy usage. A programmable thermostat is an easy start to the green house building project.
2. Install a Ceiling Fan
Simply by installing a ceiling fan can help the home owner save as much as 35% on summer cooling costs and in the winter as much as 10% on heating costs. Ceiling fans are fairly easy to install after a home is built but it much easier to install if the ceiling fans are a part of the green building design.
Window replacement is typically best left for a professional and can come with a hefty price tag. However, the long term benefits definitely out weigh the initial investment. One of the greatest sources of energy loss is defective windows, having energy efficient windows saves the environment and the pocket book.
4. Use Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Replacing incandescent bulbs with Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs will save in energy costs and last 10 times as long as incandescent bulbs. The CFL bulbs are one the easiest and quickest ways to make a step in the direction of a green building.
5. Add Windows and Skylights
Making use of natural light is a great way to go green, windows and skylights are an integral part of the green home building process. Most windows made today are very energy efficient and there is not as much of a worry about heat or cooling loss as it were for the windows or skylights of the past.
Going green is not difficult, it is a matter of research and being an informed consumer. Green home building can be a lot of fun, can save lots of energy and lots of money!
