The Green Bandwagon is getting full. Instead of blindly diving onto it, I've decided to take a more contemplative, deliberate and cautious approach. What is Green? Myriad people and organizations define green. The National Association of Home Builders has their Official Guidelines, The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) has their Green Building Rating System™, here in Arizona we have organizations such as AKA Green offering green products and educational resources to the public and the building community, as well as the City of Scottsdale which has put in place a Green Building Program to service both the public and the building industry. And, on top of that, we all have our own opinions and philosophies.
Green can be applied to design and construction of a home in several ways:
Use of Technology such as photovoltaic solar cells, high SEER heating and cooling units, CFLs and thermal pane, low-E windows
Choice of Materials such as permeable material for driveways and e-crete block which is infused with air and insulative materials and can potentially serve as a final finish
Consideration of Resources by using passive solar cells to absorb heat from the sun, water reclamation and gray water irrigation, and use of local materials
Use of Common Sense as applied to structure orientation, placing the return air below ground, installing duct work within the insulated building envelope, allowing for cross ventilation, use of passive heating and natural lighting, and installing natural landscape that requires little or no maintenance.
Over time, we will, as a culture, define and re-define what Green is and how best to implement Green strategies. Technology will change quickly, and the cost of going Green will, most likely, come down. Until then it's wise to become educated consumers so as to best be able to utilize all possible means by which to save our environment. For more, visit my Green Home Design Page.
Dana W. Ball
2 comments:
I just read an article in Money Magazine about a couple who re-did their DC area home green. They really did a great job, but went way over budget. You are right that it makes sense to be cognizent of when it makes sense.
Suzanne
Post a Comment