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Top Ten Reasons To Buy An Eco-Home

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As the popularity of eco friendly housing developments continues to rise, more and more people are looking to the future by purchasing an eco-home. Amongst other things the running costs and environmental impact are far less than that of a conventional home. Check out the list below for ten great reasons to buy an eco-home.

1.    Bills – One of the principle advantages of an eco-home comes in the form of lower utility and water bills. An Eco-home equipped with state of the art energy-efficient appliances throughout the house will noticeably cut the price of your bills. Eco additions such as tank less water heaters means less time, water and energy wasted to warm up water in your sink and shower.

2.    Health – Eco homes built using green materials, such as low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paint, help to protect you and your family’s health. Formaldehyde-free building materials will also help prevent respiratory problems that might have arisen as a result of the use of traditional building materials.

3.    Resale – Buying or building your own eco-home is certainly a good investment. On top of all the other advantages listed here, the market value of your home is increased by its ‘green’ status. As the popularity and financial viability of eco-homes is constantly growing, so does the demand which correlates with a higher resale value.

4.    Maintenance – The materials used in the construction of an eco-home are often far more durable and require less maintenance than conventional building materials. Certain green building materials such as bamboo floors are easy to clean and require less maintenance that traditional carpet flooring.

5.    Wastage – Modular homes are built in factories that recycle the waste generated during the construction process and also leave less waste at the construction site. Many eco-homes often use recycled building materials.

6.    Carbon – Some of you will be familiar with the term ‘food miles’, which refers to the distance food is transported to reach the consumer.  Food miles are one factor used when assessing the environmental impact of food, including the impact on global warming. This principle can also be applied to the construction materials used in the building of eco-homes. By using locally produced materials, eco-homes cut down the carbon emissions necessary to deliver supplies to the build site.

7.    Conservation – By using xeriscaping and native landscaping (landscaping that reduces or eliminates the need for supplemental irrigation in dry areas) helps to enhance and protect biodiversity and the eco-systems around your home. This is beneficial to local wildlife and plants.

8.    Recycle – Harvesting and using gray water by, for example, using a system that fills up your toilets cistern with water collected from the sink next to it, helps you save money on your water bills. Composting saves money ordinarily spent on fertiliser and sends less waste to landfills. Although these are all things that can be implemented into most homes, by buying an eco-home in most cases these systems will already be in place.

9.    Life-cycle – By purchasing a house that is sustainable, meaning that they were built to last and work effectively for generation, you are insuring that the life-cycle of your home has been optimised to a far higher level than most conventional homes.

10.    Environment – In the UK, homes are responsible for 16% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Department of Energy and Climate change. Living in an eco-home means that instead of being part of the problem and contributing to the cause of climate change, you become part of the solution.

As you can see from this list, the benefits of owning an eco-home are many and varied. By purchasing an eco-home you are not only making a sound financial investment but also an investment that could help combat climate change and keep your carbon footprint to a minimum.

Anna Barrington writes for Percy Williams & Sons, builders of innovative environmentally friendly eco homes cornwall. For more information please visit new homes cornwall.
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Have a Simple Green Life – It All Starts With a Green Home

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A house which is green is constructed and run keeping environment in mind. With the danger of global warming becoming more pronounced with every passing day, the average family needs to do their part to make as minor effect as possible. A simple green life should be the first step. The greener your house; the healthier ambience it will posses. You can utilize environment friendly items from paint to curtains and other components which will append to the complete decoration of your house.

The most likely green materials to be utilized:

In case you are willing to construct a brand new house, think about the environment as well. You can utilize renewable resources such as lightweight concrete, manufactured, stone, straw, earth or wood.

What makes a home green? Well it will directly depend upon the amount of usage of these raw materials. Our planet itself is an abundant resource. The dirt beneath our feet is very environment friendly. You can select from earthen sources like cob, adobe, and rammed earth.

Since last 50 years, lightweight concrete has been utilized for construction of buildings. Its potency is not as much as the usual concrete normally used for construction, but you can be definite about the fact that the final product will match the standards. Benefits of using this building material are that it can be utilized for insulation as it has outstanding fire resistant attributes. It also asks for a smaller foundation and there isn’t too much requirement of structural steel. This effects the environment positively.

Manufactured building materials make an impact on those who care for the environment but don’t like living in a home built of dirt, tree parts, straw etc. Mostly a home built with this kind of material once constructed with prove to be an excellent house that is energy efficient with concern to the planet.

If you desire to live a simple green life, wood is amongst the most flexible resource for construction. Earlier it was considered as a sustainable material for building, but with the excessive harvesting of forests throughout the planet, the people’s greed has beaten the capabilities of trees to regenerate. You can construct a green house keeping in view the environment by using timber farmed, log wood and stick farmed if you require wood.

There are numerous models of green homes available. Models can vary from square to rounded, earth-sheltered and organic. Every mode has many styles you can select from to make your home distinct, soothe and environment friendly.

A square mode home often indicated that it will accommodate the usual idea of a home with respect to the opinions of the Western World. Houses that are judged as conventional frequently have vertical walls and rectilinear floor plan. Modes that can be judged as conventional are modern, bungalow, tradition, Victorian or southwestern.
A house which is curved or rounded in outlook is judged as rounded styling. This indicated that the idea foe the home has a major part which is rounded or curvy. This kind of house is an example of simple green living.
Green homes covered with earth can be positioned either partly or completely into the earth. There are many benefits to you and your environment whenever you decide to make your home green with the selection of this style. Whenever you stay six feet below the surface of the earth, you will observe that the temperature only oscillates a few degrees in the whole year. The advantage of this is that it will need much lower energy to warm up and cool your home, setting aside the environment from draining natural resources.

Living a simple green life can help the environment a lot more than you may think. Our planet and its natural resources is something which should be given to our children. If we don’t bother about the future, there will be nothing left of the environment to pass on.

A house which is green is constructed and run keeping environment in mind. With the danger of global warming becoming more pronounced with every passing day, the average family needs to do their part to make as minor effect as possible. A simple green life should be the first step. The greener your house; the healthier ambience it will posses. You can utilize environment friendly items from paint to curtains and other components which will append to the complete decoration of your house.

The most likely green materials to be utilized:

In case you are willing to construct a brand new house, think about the environment as well. You can utilize renewable resources such as lightweight concrete, manufactured, stone, straw, earth or wood.

What makes a home green? Well it will directly depend upon the amount of usage of these raw materials. Our planet itself is an abundant resource. The dirt beneath our feet is very environment friendly. You can select from earthen sources like cob, adobe, and rammed earth.

Since last 50 years, lightweight concrete has been utilized for construction of buildings. Its potency is not as much as the usual concrete normally used for construction, but you can be definite about the fact that the final product will match the standards. Benefits of using this building material are that it can be utilized for insulation as it has outstanding fire resistant attributes. It also asks for a smaller foundation and there isn’t too much requirement of structural steel. This effects the environment positively.

Manufactured building materials make an impact on those who care for the environment but don’t like living in a home built of dirt, tree parts, straw etc. Mostly a home built with this kind of material once constructed with prove to be an excellent house that is energy efficient with concern to the planet.

If you desire to live a simple green life, wood is amongst the most flexible resource for construction. Earlier it was considered as a sustainable material for building, but with the excessive harvesting of forests throughout the planet, the people’s greed has beaten the capabilities of trees to regenerate. You can construct a green house keeping in view the environment by using timber farmed, log wood and stick farmed if you require wood.

There are numerous models of green homes available. Models can vary from square to rounded, earth-sheltered and organic. Every mode has many styles you can select from to make your home distinct, soothe and environment friendly.

A square mode home often indicated that it will accommodate the usual idea of a home with respect to the opinions of the Western World. Houses that are judged as conventional frequently have vertical walls and rectilinear floor plan. Modes that can be judged as conventional are modern, bungalow, tradition, Victorian or southwestern.
A house which is curved or rounded in outlook is judged as rounded styling. This indicated that the idea foe the home has a major part which is rounded or curvy. This kind of house is an example of simple green living.
Green homes covered with earth can be positioned either partly or completely into the earth. There are many benefits to you and your environment whenever you decide to make your home green with the selection of this style. Whenever you stay six feet below the surface of the earth, you will observe that the temperature only oscillates a few degrees in the whole year. The advantage of this is that it will need much lower energy to warm up and cool your home, setting aside the environment from draining natural resources.

Living a simple green life can help the environment a lot more than you may think. Our planet and its natural resources is something which should be given to our children. If we don’t bother about the future, there will be nothing left of the environment to pass on.

Shaye Michaels is the creator of http://www.SimplyGreenlife.com, a blog dedicated to helping people live simple green lives. Our free articles and tips will help you to live life green everyday! Shaye Michaels is the creator of http://www.SimplyGreenlife.com, a blog dedicated to helping people live simple green lives. Our free articles and tips will help you to live life green everyday!


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Building to a Higher Standard

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There has been an explosion of interest in going green. Everything from cars to light bulbs are being pushed to new levels of efficiency. New industries are cropping up, it seems, on a daily basis.

But what about buildings; office buildings and schools in particular. These are the places that we spend most of our waking hours, and where we consume most of the energy.

There is a movement, led by the US Green Building Council, to establish standards to which buildings are designed and constructed by. Affecting more than just the energy consumption, but also the environment of the occupants inside. Buildings are certified, showing that it has met the requirements for a particular level of efficiency.

Not only do buildings get certified, but individuals also become accredited. There are thousands of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professionals in the United States, all of whom had to pass a fairly difficult test covering the details of the “LEED” program. These “APs” act as a guide to design a building for the specific purpose of attaining high levels of efficiency.

Just as hybrid cars are more expensive than their normal, gas powered counterparts, buildings achieving, or attempting to achieve any level of certification will have an increased cost. The cost, if calculated properly, should be offset by the reduction in energy usage, and the increase in productivity of the occupants of the building. And the payback of the additional cost could come in 5 years.

A recent study released from the venture capital firm Good Energies, Inc states that around 50% of non-residential building will be green by 2015. That is five years from now. It must also be noted that these numbers also include buildings that did not obtain LEED certification, but did adhere to the guidelines. This should be recognized as tremendous growth.

Based on the ever increasing number of buildings being submitted for certification and the growing population of accredited professionals, it looks as though green building has only barely gotten started.

If you like this article and have a website, you can link to it, or post it (please include greendesigncommunity.com as the original source).

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Learning More About ICF Construction

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By now, many people of heard of and are intrigued by green building techniques. Vertical ICF construction is one green building method that has seen resurgence thanks to its energy efficiency and environmentally friendly construction and installation process. Traditionally used in commercial building construction, ICF construction is as popular as ever in providing energy-maximizing savings and structural integrity to residential consumers. ICF, or Insulated Concrete Forms, are a type of wall that is generally made from cement-bonded wood fiber (usually made from recycled wood and cement) and polystyrene.

The strength of a building constructed with ICF technology will be unmatched in terms of strength, energy efficiency, noise reduction and comfort when compared to a structure built with typical wood frame construction. Termites and other pests and insects will not be attracted to insulated concrete forms, therefore eliminated the risk of having structural integrity compromised. ICF walls are mold, mildew and allergen resistant as well, so you can rest assured that your home would be a comfortable environment for you and your family.

Vertical ICF walls are ultra efficient when it comes to energy savings. Concrete and foam is the best insulator available for your home. You can save as much as 50% to 80% on your heating and cooling bills when comparing to energy costs of a traditional wood frame house. The high insulation value also makes it an ideal sound barrier, keeping exterior noises out of your home and interior sounds from escaping, allowing for better security and privacy.

Insulated concrete forms can withstand the highest winds that you would encounter with severe weather including hurricanes and tornados. Winds of up to 200mph are no match for ICF construction, and neither is fire. Insulated concrete forms are able to resist fire for up to 3.5 hours. Furthermore, ICF walls will resist mold and will not rot due to excess moisture, so your maintenance and general upkeep will be virtually non-existent.

Installation of insulated concrete forms is relatively easy and can be done quickly with an experienced green building contractor. Many ICF walls are made with recycled and environmentally friendly materials, non-toxic and not manufactured with any harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde. Installation is easy and even the waste products are kept to a minimum. Cleanup will be quick and easy, and the leftover waste products from the construction can be recycled.

It is easy to see why Vertical ICF construction techniques are gaining popularity, especially within residential buildings. The energy efficient, reinforced concrete walls have an unmatched fire tolerance, a high resistance to termites and pests, resistance to mold and mildew, and will result in the maximum amount of energy savings possible. The structural integrity of a home or building constructed with Vertical ICF walls will be much more enhanced to those constructed with traditional wood frames.

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Green Building – Sustainable, Energy Efficient, Quality Construction Under Threat

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In the midst of our recent economic crisis, the US federal government’s interventionist policies have again redeployed finite resources in contravention to market forces. Consumers and many custom builders have been pushing for better quality, sustainable, energy efficient construction. Unfortunately these market forces have been overcome by government intervention. The government has incentives for first time homebuyers who typically purchase cheaper starter homes. As a result almost all new construction is being undertaken by large tract builders who specialize in cheap housing. This end of the market is very price sensitive leading these builders to continued with larger designs that sacrifice quality for size.

Contrary to the belief of the US Congress, capital cannot be created by printing money or authorizing programs intended to create jobs. In a free market capital is deployed efficiently to areas with the best returns. When the government intervenes, it may skew the use of resources to less efficient enterprises. History provides us with numerous examples, but we do not have to look far back to see one of the best.

The deep recession we are experiencing resulted in large part from government interference in the housing market. The American dream has become the American nightmare. Successive governments, both Democrat and Republican, since the Great Depression have done everything they can to encourage privately owned housing. Government bureaucracies like the Federal Housing Administration and government sponsored, now government owned, entities like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac artificially created a market for low interest loans to high risk customers. In a perfect storm, the Federal Reserve artificially depressed interest rates for a short-term economic boost.

Without artificially low rates and low credit standards, it is unlikely that the production of homes would have risen from 1.6M in 2001 to almost 2.1M by 2005. Post deflation the housing starts fell to 554,000 in 2009. At the beginning of the expansion, the Federal Funds Rate in January 2001 stood at 6%. When housing peaked the rate had been lowered to 1%. Not only did the volume of construction increase during that time, but the size of homes increase dramatically as did the price. Consumers were encouraged by lenders to purchase the largest home they could afford to take advantage of a once in a lifetime opportunity. Capital that might otherwise have been used in other areas of the economy was deployed in housing at artificially low rates. The result was catastrophic.

The same government is again intervening through first-time homebuyer tax credits. Coupled with low interest FHA loans having 3% down payments, they are creating some of the previously existing conditions. In addition to risking another bubble, the tax credits funded by all taxpaying Americans are being funneled to large corporate builders that specialize in low-end housing. This is evidenced by the fall in the median sales price in 2009 to $209,000 from a high of $262,000 in 2007.

Some of the larger builders have developed smaller plans, but they have mostly done so to meet the lower price points that the government influenced market demanded. They are not increasing the quality, sustainability or energy efficiency of their new homes. Though not all large home construction has stopped, only the truly wealthy, who tend to build better constructed homes, are still building. Homes of this quality usually include energy efficient systems and last much longer; both qualities of sustainable construction. Much has been written about “McMansion” homes, but generally homes in this market are not included. That is discussion for another day.

While tract home builders dominate the starter home segment, custom builders control the large home market. The real battle will be for the “move up market”. This market will determine the character of American housing for the foreseeable future. Move up consumers will chose between low quality, lower-cost homes built by large corporate builders and high quality, higher-cost homes built by small custom builders. Given the same available dollar for construction, the tradeoff is size for quality.

Assuming market forces determine lending limits, the average price of homes in the move up segment will likely remain much lower than previously experienced. At the peak the move up segment ranged easily into the $1M plus range. Those who grew accustom to the quality of higher priced homes will not likely abandon their affinity for hardwood floors, commercial-grade appliances, custom cabinets and granite tops. To match those features with a lower total budget, consumers will need to build smaller, high quality homes. The skill set to build these homes lies with the custom builder.

If Americans are truly interested reducing dependence on foreign energy and increasing sustainability in the housing market, we will need to decide to build smaller homes to offset the higher cost of quality construction. While it is possible that tract builders may chose to build smaller, their main advantage currently is delivering large size for a low price. Their organizations are not set up to deal with the custom aspects that would make their housing sustainable or more energy efficient. Through builder association programs custom builders have become much more educated in energy efficient, sustainable building to go along with their inherent quality.

The question now is whether the government will continue to incent consumers to continue a behavior pattern contrary to free market forces. If all new construction continues in the low end of the market, it will drive many of the remaining custom builders from the market. Already the number of builders belonging to professional organizations like the National Association of Home Builders has been drastically reduced. Most small custom builders are surviving only through remodel work, but if the market continues much longer many will likely move to other work. Rebuilding the knowledge base and expertise may take years and impact the overall quality negatively for year to come.

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