IDEAS FOR BUILDING SUSTAINABLE

When most people think of green construction, they often envision big budget, futuristic homes loaded with cutting-edge technologies.  This elaborate style of construction grabs a lot of well deserved attention, but is only one example that has resulted from the new green movement. 

"Going Green" is a multi-layered idea that encompasses a wide variety of Green solutions, products, lifestyle choices, home improvements, etc. 

Whether you desire to go "all-out" eco-friendly in your home or you want to slowly make small improvements and changes, you can develop your own Green style and incorporate the elements you want, at the pace you want.

Sustainable Homes Have Significant Benefits

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY: Do your part to limit your footprint; many of the new eco-friendly options are beneficial to both the environment and to your wallet.  North American society is slowly turning to more sustainable practices and our lifestyle is evolving into a more environmentally-conscious one.  Bit by bit, we are taking strides towards a more accountable belief system in terms of our impact on the world we live in.  One of the major ways we can propel change as individuals is by adjusting how we live our day-to-day lives.  This includes taking on responsibilities such as recycling, using eco-friendly products in our homes, and incorporating Green products and technologies in multiple areas of our home and lifestyle.

TRENDY: Green home design has evolved into a style that exhibits cool and stylish elements that are at the forefront of building technology; not only is Green design intelligent, but it saves you money and has been popular with many tastes.  In particular, Green design appeals to slightly more modern tastes, while retaining a link to the natural world with its consistent use of natural materials and eco-friendly products.

The Green style is typically very clean, with simple lines, beautiful textures, and colours that are found from the natural world around us. 

COST SAVINGS: Although Green products and materials will likely cost more initially, many green sustainable technologies will actually save you money over time.  For example, the popular coil eco-friendly bulbs cost more than regular light bulbs, but save you in the long term; they use far less electricity, saving you money and saving the environment at the same time! 

OVERALL ENJOYMENT: Sustainable design, technologies and building materials will improve quality of life and your enjoyment of your home.  Everyone enjoys saving money, but to save money and feel the reward of helping keep the earth a more sustainable place is a win-win situation.

HIGHER RESALE VALUE: With the emergence of this new Green design and all the Green products that are available, homebuyers are very aware of the potential savings and are on the lookout for homes that show influence from more eco-friendly technologies.  Integrating even a few of these trends will raise the level of interest from buyers and can help your property stand out from other comparable homes.

Things to Consider in Order to Achieve Green Home Building

SIZE OF BUILDING: With green home construction, the square footage of a home should be kept in check.  That said, it is possible to have both a 500sqft and a 5000sqft home that are considered green construction.  Arguably, the most important aspect of building is that the space is efficient with a carefully crafted layout. 

Current trends are moving away from the “bigger is better” mentality and shifting towards practicality and inventive design.  Small spaces that are clever in design and exhibit a more effective layout are becoming highly sought-after. 

Smaller spaces are cheaper to maintain and with the increased popularity in home design, they have the ability to become more efficient, trendy, organized, and loaded with the latest gadgets that help achieve all of these.

LOCATION: Where one buys or builds their home is extremely important; as the old saying goes; “location, location, location”.  As far as Green construction is concerned, it makes sense to live close to where you work, live and play! This will eliminate countless hours of commuting, reducing one’s impact on the environment and allowing more time for the things that are important.

AIR QUALITY: Being conscious of air quality is significant when building or renovating a home.  Air quality is extremely important with a growing number of allergies and sensitivities to “environmental” agents such as dust, mould, animal dander, etc.  It is savvy practice to be aware of the potentially harmful toxins have been used in the manufacturing of products.  Some of these products continue to emit minute levels of these toxins for years after installation.  For better overall health, it is important to at least consider some of the following:

AIR FLOW: Fresh air, adequate air circulation.

FLOORING: Bare floors, such as concrete, tile, laminates and hardwood are better than carpets as they do not trap in possible allergens.

PAINTS: Long gone are the days of toxic lead paints.  Today’s paints are significantly better.  However, it is now possible to use clay-based paints which supposedly eliminate toxins entirely.

HEATING: In-floor heating and cooling can be a good option, as unlike conventional forced air systems, it does not disturb and spread allergens in the home.  Although nothing beats the heat of a wood burning fire on a cool winter’s day, wood fires are not as environmentally friendly and gradually let loose detrimental agents into the home.

GARAGE: It is important to ensure that CO2 fumes from vehicles do not enter the house.  One solution is to build a detached garage.  A detached garage does have some functionality issues and thus might not suit everyone.  The second solution is to ensure one has an adequate vapour barrier and tight seal around the door to the garage. 

HEATING AND COOLING: Over the years, technology has vastly improved the efficiency of heating and cooling in a home.  Green, renewable power sources such as geothermal and solar power are now becoming viable options.  On-demand hot water tanks are beginning to replace old hot water tanks and operate at a fraction of the cost.  A few extra dollars spent on insulation and windows today can go a remarkably long way to reducing heating costs.  Some of the windows available today are more than twice as efficient as those sold only 10 years ago. 

LIGHTING: Lighting can set a house apart.  Lighting is pivotal in the functionality, mood, and appeal of a home.  Today there are many Green options that can be quickly installed to drastically alter the overall functionality of a home’s lighting.  Green construction often makes use of conventional or tubular skylights and careful placed windows to lessen or eliminate the need for lighting during the day.  Many light fixtures today are far more energy efficient and newer technologies such as Halogen coil and LED bulbs significantly reduce the energy consumption.

WATER CONSERVATION: Water conservation in the Okanagan is becoming a way of life with increasing water restrictions during the hot summer months and the cost of water constantly rising.  It is possible to make personal efforts to reduce one’s water consumption by taking shorter showers, or turning off the water while brushing one’s teeth, however simple Green initiatives can be easily incorporated into the home design. 

Low use plumbing fixtures such as showerheads, faucets, low flush toilets, dishwashers, and washing machines can be installed.  Another appealing method of water consumption is the collection and reuse of household gray water and/or rain water.  Adding a collection tank that can later be used to irrigate your yard, plants, trees, etc. can be a simple and affordable upgrade to just about any home. 

Collection tanks should be sealed so that they do not become a breeding ground for insects such as mosquitoes.  In the yard it is wise to plant native or climate-appropriate species that will need little to no water after they become established. 

A popular trend that is quickly gaining popularity in North America is Xeriscaping.  These yards that have been carefully designed to conserves water by using native or drought-tolerant plants, mulch, rock and limited or no irrigation. 

ENVIRONMENTALLY "GREEN" PRODUCTS: Today, it is rather simple to use environmentally “Green” products as green initiatives have become extremely trendy and are readily available in most communities.  There are countless recycled products on the market such as recycled glass counters, carpets made from plastic, recycled pop bottles, or various reclaimed wood products. 

Another category of Green products are those that are created from rapidly renewable resources.  Common examples of these are materials like bamboo, cork and cotton.  It only takes bamboo three to five years to grow before it can be harvested.

BUY LOCAL: Buying locally not only aids the environment but also invigorates your local economy.  By purchasing local materials such as various woods and stones, it requires far less energy to ship as materials need to be transported shorter distances, thus reducing overall pollution and encouraging and supporting local businesses.

GOVERNMENT INCENTIVES: Green incentive programs and rebates are commonly offered by various companies and levels of government.  These programs are provided to homeowners as incentives to improve the efficiency of their homes. 

Such incentives programs are in place to help make various Green upgrades more financially desirable.  For example, you can usually get a CASH REBATE when buying “Energy Star” products and appliances.

ASSESSMENTS: If you own an older home and would like to make it more efficient, you can have someone come in and do an assessment.  Once the assessment is complete, the homeowner will receive a report identifying items that need to be addressed.  Many of the items identified by the assessment qualify for rebates from the Provincial and Federal government.  You may be reimbursed for up to $10,000 for your energy retrofit renovations. 

Verdict

Today, the average person typically can't afford to implement ALL of these “Green” upgrades outlined above and might be turned off building or renovating Green.  However, Green construction is not an “all-or-nothing” proposition; there are many elements and attributes of a home that help to classify it as Green construction.  It is a good idea to start with the basics and with the elements that are most important to your particular situation or property. 

Incorporating green elements when building or renovating helps to create better homes.  These houses are more environmentally aware, healthier to live in, more cost effective to operate, trendy, create higher resale values and perhaps most importantly, are full of conveniences and are a pleasure to call home.

 

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