What Makes a Green Home Green

Description

Before you jump into the lessons, make sure you’ve joined the Everyday Green Home Facebook group to get the most out of the program.

1 – Dream Green Home

Building or finding a dream home is a goal for many people. It is important to understand not only how to pay for a dream home, but how to plan for it as well. It is possible to have a dream home and make it a green home…with a little planning. 

2- Where A Home Lives

A basic premise of green design is the lot and site on which the home sits, or better yet, where a home lives. Homes, even temporary ones, have some type of impact on and interrelationship with the land on which they rest. Knowing about the “lot and site” and how it interacts with and impacts the land provides vital information that can lead to more sustainable and energy efficient choices. 

3- The Art of the Science

Designing and building (or remodeling) is the art of combining construction and design elements with scientific knowledge. Incorporating modern Building Science improves the overall performance of a home, making it a safer, healthier, greener and more comfortable place to live. The Art of the Science, more specifically, Building Science, is key to a home which performs well.

4- Stuff That Makes A House A Home

The stuff our homes are made of has changed over the years. While houses used to be built from whatever local materials were available, materials now come from anywhere and everywhere. Using materials wisely is a key practice of green building and includes practices ranging from optimizing resources to choosing durable materials that will stand the test of time. 

5- Zip the Coat For Your Home

Green homes waste less – of just about everything. Not wasting energy is a key component of green and energy efficient homes….Wasting less energy happens in the structure or building envelope of a home, as well as in choices for heating and cooling systems, lighting and appliances. 

6- Recycling – The 3rd R

Recycling – the 3rd R in “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle,” is a gateway to greener living and often the first action that leads to cultivating a lifestyle of sustainability. 

7- Water Wise

Water. It’s a precious resource and greatly affects daily life. It is also used in nearly every manufacturing process. We can live without energy, we can go weeks without food, but water is crucial to survive. The bad news is, the world’s supply of fresh water is decreasing, and it is a non-renewable resource. The good news is that we can conserve water, and recycle it to be safe to drink again. 

8- Breathe

All of us want to breathe well in our homes. Yet often the indoor air quality or the indoor environment may not be allowing us to breathe as well as we want. 

9- Green Living

The whole idea of green living can be done one choice at a time, as shared in my book Living Green Effortlessly: Simple Choices for a Better Home. Living green is really about everyday choices which positively affect the quality of life for people and the world, and for now and into the future. For some people “going green” may be overwhelming. Where do I start? What do I do first? A “green as you go” approach helps build and implement an incremental green course of action.