Green Home Design Benefits

By Thomas B. Chuong

Green home designs are getting popular these days and make use of non toxic and long lasting materials as well as recycling. Green home décor also comprises the use of eco-friendly and reusable furnishings, materials and leftovers.

Generally when green materials are used you try to restore and salvage what you already have. There are many choices available with respect to green flooring also. You can also go in for painting and stenciling without the use of materials containing volatile organic compounds.

Green home designs mostly encompass materials such as bamboo, cork and eucalyptus owing to its earth friendly nature and renewable nature. You can make use of cork safely because there is no destruction of trees during extraction of the cork. You can also go in for hardwood flooring which can last a lifetime. But you have to remember that these woods are not green or eco-friendly and are mostly remnants of rain forest tree growth. While selecting woods you can choose something that has the certification and approval of environmental groups.

You must also pay careful though to the use of glues and finishes used in floor installation as they may have toxic synthetic formaldehyde resins. You can at best use non-toxic low to no VOC sealants apart from polishes, finishes, adhesive products and non-toxic cleaners. This will help you have a healthier environment and better indoor air quality as your home will produce less toxins and will be the best place to reside in.

While making use of green home décor, you can also incorporate many glass windows and wall skylights to allow natural lighting in your home. This will help in providing the green design benefits of avoiding and reducing moisture accumulation in a room and will also help you to conserve energy.

You can also choose from a variety of concrete floorings that come in a range of patterns, textures, colors and polishes. This type of flooring also uses no glue or chemicals and hence is not so harmful to your health.

Green home designs in the kitchen incorporate use of concrete counter tops because of their popularity and natural appeal. These can also impart a modern look and style to your bathrooms kitchen and fireplace. You can also make use of Vertrazzo or recycled glass which is another popular choice for green kitchen counter tops. This material comes in an array of colors and can match your home decor perfectly.

Naturally Cool House Design

Check out this video on basic principles of Green Home Design;

Sustainable Building  With Environmental Value

By Kirthy S

Sustainable building has been in vogue, ever since the green building concept came into existence. Green building means resource efficient and environmentally conscious, sustainable design which is usually dependent on three areas such as conservation, energy, resource conservation and indoor air quality. You can also identify which properties will save you funds when it comes to fuel costs and making repairs.

Make important decisions between one property and another with enough awareness on how carefully has the construction taken into account the weight of environmental protection. However, experts are of the opinion that both green building and sustainable building have some difference between them. But, both consider environmental conservation has its prime aim.

You must look at the various factors for having a sustainable housing:

Environmental factors: We need to consider the conservation of environment in order to improve the biodiversity and ecology.

Water: rain water reuse, minimizing and attenuating surface water run-off to prevent flooding and pollution, make use of water efficient appliances.

Energy: high levels of insulation and reduce energy consumption, make use of energy efficient lighting and appliances, building orientation to maximize solar gains and shelter from prevailing winds.

Materials: make use of materials with longer shelf life, but it should be of lesser environmental impact during extraction, manufacture and usage, use of materials which can be reused / recycled, use of locally produced materials to reduce transportation requirements and avoid using non renewable and unsustainable ONES.

Affordability: reduce the cost of ownership - if it isn’t affordable - it cannot be sustainable, flexibility and adaptability to meet the changing needs of present and future occupiers.

Transport: Your house should be close to public transport routes, access to amenities and place of work should be easy or have some space to work from home itself, to reduce your commuting problem.

Health and wellbeing: make use of non toxic materials, with adequate day lighting, ventilation provided. Private outdoor space, green space, ’sense of place’, integration with the surroundings / landscape.

Sustainable Building Principles

Check out this video on Sustainable Building;

Solar Power Home Solutions - The Way Of The Future

By Cecil Heim

Even though most of us will have the gratification in knowing that we are contributing to the saving of power for our future generations. Most of us are reluctant to install power solutions in our homes. Mostly, it is because we feel that the expense may be too great. To install a power solution is easy and worth the expense, especially when considering the added advantage of savings on our electricity bills this will bring about.

Solar cooker: The solar cooker is a cooking utensil with which you can cook enough food to feed five up to people. And it uses absolutely no electricity. You will be able to boil, roast and even bake whatever you want to prepare. So you need have no fear that you may be restricted in the presentation of a varied menu at the dining table.

The only downside of the solar is that it is not as quick to prepare the food as you are accustomed to with an electric over. But considering the big saving it would have on your electric bill. Not to mention the saving on our limited power. Makes the extra time required negligible.

Solar home lighting: Another great electricity bill savings option. This option uses solar system which converts solar energy into electrical energy. This energy is then stored in solar cells. The result; when you turn on the lights at night. You use the stored power from the cells and not the grid electricity.

Solar heating system: The heating a keeping the geyser water hot in a home uses more electricity then almost all your other electrical needs put together. So, with a solar heating system installed. Not only will you save a bundle on your electrical costs. But also cause a big saving on our natural resources.

Understandably, you may be concerned that by installing solar heating. It may look unsightly on your expensive investment. Or that the installation of the system may be too expensive. You need have no fear. The companies that install solar heating systems do it in such a manner so as to not spoil the aesthetics of your home.

It has been shown that the cost of installing a soar heating system is normally recouped within 3 to 4 years. After this period there are no additional costs involved which in turn means that you are then using free electricity going forward.

A final word; if we apply just one of the above mentioned power solutions at home. We will be contributing to the preservation of our planet’s diminishing natural resources. Also, we would be reducing the personal cost of using those resources.

Solar Powered Green Home

Check out this video about Solar Power Green Home;

Check out more review on Building Green Homes and Sustainable Green Architecture