Building Green: Incorporating Sustainable Design

Why are so many people now building green? Each day, it seems we learn more and more about how we negatively affect our environment-- and our whole planet. Nobody likes to believe that their home and their lifestyle does real damage to the planet. After all, we just want to support our families and have a high quality of life, right?

But our homes do harm the planet. Because of this, its important for homeowners and builders to be knowledgeable about building green (or "sustainable design").

Building green refers to the concept of designing and constructing long-term sustainable buildings that have the lowest possible negative impact on the environment. To do this, green builders must be efficient in the use of resources and use fewer environmentally harmful processes and building materials than traditional builders. How well does green building work? USGBC has published data to confirm that building green uses 35% less energy, far fewer non-renewable materials, and less landfill space for waste. Almost as important, building green makes for both safer and healthier offices and homes.

What are the Main Considerations when Building Green?

When building green, the main goal is to maintain a high quality of life while lowering the impact a home has on the environment. Sustainable designers generally consider the following design features when building green:

Energy Efficiency. Energy is the key "green concern". During the building process, a green buildings should incorporate materials and methods which use less energy. They should also be energy efficient in the long run, incorporating design features such as "passive solar design" (which offers thermal protection) and effective insulation.

Many designers who specialize in building green integrate independent, renewable energy in the homes design. Renewable energy (such as solar energy) significantly lowers a buildings impact on the environment.

Home Design. You'd be surprised to know the impact the size, location, and shape of a home can have on making it energy efficient. Simple home shapes (with less outside surface area) are the most common used in building green.

Another common technique used in building green is Optimum Value Engineering, or OVE. This framing method reduces the quantity of wood used to build a home, and it also leaves more room inside the walls for insulation.
Materials with Lower Environmental Impact. Building green means using non-toxic materials which are recycled or sustainably produced. These materials should need less energy to process than traditional building materials.

Long-Term Durability. Quality building materials will need to be replaced less frequently. Using quality materials reduces landfill waste and reduces the need for producing replacements, which has a significant impact on the environment. -Elise Fendmeyer