 When you’re looking to plan a premier green home or building, take a look at this checklist for getting all of your various project features up to speed in promoting cost effective energy conservation, public health, and good stewardship of our world’s resources.
• Energy Efficient Windows – use double-pane technologies and more for a better R-rating, the industry system for identifying high-performance windows (also look for an Energy Star label on home products for better ecology)
• New Eco-Friendly Sustainable Wood Products – use innovative materials like rubberwood, compressed products, bamboo, or other solutions instead of buying timbered old-growth for framing, flooring, etc.
• Natural Insulation and Wall Material – there are a lot of choices for natural eco-friendly wall materials, from straw bales or earth to re-packaged recycled products
• Green Roofing – traditional asphalt roof structures have to be replaced every 10 to 20 years, putting a lot of waste into landfills. Many know about terra cotta or wood alternatives, but now there’s also vinyl and poly-plastics materials for long-term roofing
• Greener Pressed Wood – new particle-board and other greener products have taken volatile elements like formaldehyde out of the equation for use in walls and other home design functions
• Green Tile for Bathrooms, Flooring, or Décor – recycled glass products allows for stylish and eco friendly tile additions to various rooms of the house, and other new products like Perma-Crete or baked earth tiles offer a range of options
• Green Paint – new paint options have less of the stuff that produces caustic fumes and contributes to toxicity in a home. Elements classified as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) have been steadily erased from improved paint products, so get the best and newest stuff for decorating your home
• Recycled or Re-use Outdoor Materials – when shopping for a deck, patio, or other outdoor installation, ask about durable, high-performance materials that will be easier to maintain and better for the environment
• High-Performance Water and Electrical Use Features – from water heaters to piping and tubing, find alternatives for lowering energy costs, including appliances with an Energy Star label that have been proven to save lots of energy
These are just some of the major features you can “green up” with a little consideration of what’s on the market today. Make your home the greenest it can be and benefit from better indoor health, energy savings, and a home you can be proud of right up until the day its desirable conservation features bring a great sale price and similar benefits to new inhabitants.
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