 If you’re looking for a green home, whether for new construction or as a purchase, you’re not alone: eco friendly building is popular these days as manufacturing improvements and better understanding of energy efficiency has lots of buyers looking at how much money they can save with bio building while preserving the environment and promoting public health.
So what do buyers look for? While there are a lot of factors in making a home green, there are some major aspects to look for first.
Eco Friendly Design and Materials
Green design is so much a part of building that nation groups like LEED have developed to guide builders and other along a sustainable and ecological path. Bio building and design includes adding energy-saving features, making sure a building has correct air handling systems, and using natural power like ambient sunlight.
Green materials also have their own attributes that contribute to the process: in many cases, it has to do with what’s not in the products a green building uses. From ozone depleting compounds to harsh or volatile chemicals or highly manufactured products, lots of traditional building materials take a lot of energy to produce and a lot of time to get rid of: the obsolete “high-manufacturing” tendency produces rigidly static materials that aren’t made for versatility. Green products, on the other hand, are made with an eye toward re-use and dynamic life cycle distribution, features that make them much more useful in today’s world.
Energy Efficiency
From design and materials to the appliances that fill a home, green planners and builders look for the best use of either natural or manufactured products to help maximize the use of utilities. One big way is with eco friendly ENERGY STAR appliances and gear that ensure appropriate use of water and electricity as well as oil or natural gas for heating.
Location
This big factor in green housing should not be overlooked! This principle is simple: living in proximity to the places you go every day will have a huge impact on the environment. So, simply put, high-density, urban, or transit-route based locations will empower green buyers to really make the most of their ideologies on a daily basis. Just like in conventional real estate, with green home buying, it’s all about location, location, location.
Other Green Home Aspects: the Checklist for Buyers
In addition to these principle factors, look to other more specialized areas for a greener home:
• good windows and doors for air handling
• proper ventilation
• good landscaping for outdoor ecology
• mold-resistant ceiling and wall materials
• sustainably produced flooring and paint
• efficient skylights and rainwater installations
• ecological insulation
• low-impact electrical wiring
• high-ecology shower heads and toilets
• auto-controls for electrical appliances
All of this and more will lead to a truly efficient and eco friendly home life for green home buyers who will reap all of the benefits to wallets, bodies and minds, for a brighter future for our world.
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