With so much focus on creating a more eco friendly living environment, more and more homeowners building a new home are considering green house design. An eco friendly home for a healthier lifestyle that helps to protect Earth’s precious natural resource commodities.
Eco Friendly Home

In keeping with the environmental movement, there has been a dramatic increase in new materials and products available for green building. Natural, specialized building materials for a healthier indoor environment, in-step with Environmental Protection Agency EPA rating and guidelines. With the added bonus of helping homeowners save a considerable amount of money in energy costs.

How to Build a Green House

A green house is one that is sustainable. A durable, environmentally friendly building using non-toxic materials; reducing indoor air pollution. Designed to create an effective building envelope; a tightly sealed structure with controlled ventilation and cost effective heating and cooling.

A green house helps conserve energy and has high levels of “RRD:” renew-ability, reusability, and durability. With less negative indoor and outdoor environment impact, using the following 5 basic principles:

1. Optimized use of the sun; whether active or passive solar energy
2. Improvement of indoor air quality
3. Responsible use of land
4. High performance, moisture-resistant housing
5. Wise natural resource management of the Earth’s offerings

A green house layout might be narrow – facilitating cross ventilation in all rooms. With strategic window placement for maximized natural ventilation and increased solar benefits. Other aspects of a green house, energy efficient home include:

• Minimal construction waste
• House design and orientation that minimizes solar loss in winter; solar gain in the summer.
• Sloped roof for solar energy panel installation; creating natural light and heat.
• Use of eco friendly building materials such as a structural insulated panel system, resistant to mold; and borate pressure treated wood – resistant to fungal decay and termite damage.
• Floors such as a bamboo wood floor, which is 27-percent harder than northern red oak, is durable, fast growing, and naturally mildew, insect and water resistant. Cork – a surprising but excellent choice; hypo-allergenic and fire resistant - providing thermal and acoustic insulation, durability, and comfort. And any one of hundreds of different types of wood floor choices that uphold environmental ethics. Such as those from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forests; where trees are regenerated, air and water quality preserved, and biodiversity conserved.

A Word About Carpets and Rugs

Research by EPA reveals that levels of indoor pollution can be 2 to 5 times greater than they are outside. One major source of indoor pollution is carpeting and rugs.

Many conventional carpet and carpet padding options contain plastics made from petroleum. Toxic materials and chemicals – such as mothproofing and products to repel or retard soil and moisture pose an additional health risk. And new carpet and rug installation can fill the air with volatile organic compounds, such as formaldehyde and benzene.

Carpets and rugs are also notorious for trapping toxic lawn chemicals, allergens, and other contaminations tracked in from outside; including dust, dirt, pollen, and bacteria.

Preserve indoor environmental health and safety by using carpeting made only from recycled and eco friendly materials. Durable and often less expensive than more conventional choices, these options are a more responsible, healthy way to enhance room décor.
Other Eco-Friendly, Energy Efficient Product Choices

While affordable eco friendly alternative carpets and rugs can be purchased and installed, the most eco-friendly flooring option is usually to avoid their use altogether.

Better flooring choices include the aforementioned cork or bamboo, hardwood from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forests, recycled glass tiles, and natural, hypo-allergenic, biodegradable linoleum.

There are other interior product options that qualify as green material, too. Better for house occupant’s health and their pocketbooks; enhancing the home’s eco-friendly design, positively impacting the environment.

Including:

• Lightweight concrete countertops, made from recycled newspaper and fly ash
• Walls finished using non-toxic eco friendly paint
• Energy efficient lighting – such as fluorescent lighting or the use of solar energy (note: in some provinces a solar energy rebate or else solar energy grants might be available)
• Energy smart appliances – such as an energy efficient water heater or refrigerator
• Kitchen cabinets and furnishings free of formaldehyde – a toxic chemical that causes off-gassing, widely used to manufacture building materials and various household products
• The use of an exhaust fan over the stove, to remove carbon monoxide and other gases
• The use of bathroom fans and ventilation – to remove water vapors, reducing the risk of mold and mildew
• The installation of properly filtered ventilation systems to remove dirt, dust, pollen, and other pollutants.

It might also be well worth the expense to hire a building envelope consultant or indoor air quality consultant to assess your home and help find ways to conserve energy and make your home more eco-friendly.

Whether building, remodeling, or updating décor; equipping your home with green material and products creates a more eco friendly house. One that helps preserve natural resources; saving you money while creating a healthier indoor environment.