Going Green: Building A House With Sustainable House Plans

Years ago the idea of building a home with green principles seemed a bold investment. Now that everyone and every organization in the world unites to find ways to lessen global warming, the same idea has made a great impact on the Home Building Industry especially in Australia. Thus, almost all home builders including Melbourne home builders are now building a sustainable home.

Presently, Urbanedge Homes is recognized as one of the top eco builders known for building a house with sustainable long term modern home designs and green principles without compromising style and architecture.

Their GreenSmart Homes have already attracted the fantasies of new home buyer’s dream of building an eco friendly home while at the same time offers timeless elegance and sophistication. On top of these features, Urbanedge GreenSmart Homes are built in sustainable modern home designs and green principle house plans which can reduce water and energy usage.

Thus, these Eco friendly homes demonstrate improved energy, resource and water efficiency, which in turn reduces household running costs and greenhouse gas emissions into the environment. By building a GreenSmart new home, home owners can reap long-term benefits such as lower energy and water bills, for years to come.

With the rising cost of energy and the need to conserve our precious resources, a sustainable home is becoming a highly favorable and more economical option when it comes to building a new home. With GreenSmart home buyers will not only achieve an environmentally responsible home that is cleaner and healthier for their family to live in. They will also be able to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle with cheaper running costs.

To know more about GreenSmart homes, visit Urbanedge Homes display homes and display centres throughout Melbourne. Or log on to http://www.urbanedgehomes.com.au/greensmart.aspx for more information.

About the Author:
A computer professional who works on the internet helping Urbanedge Homes increase its viewers through optimization. For world class Eco builders visit us online at www.urbanedgehomes.com.au

Green Home Building Is Gaining Momentum

Green homes are expected to make up to ten percent of new home construction over the next several years, according to a study done by McGraw-Hill Construction. Homeowners are interested in purchasing green homes because of the benefits they offer -- from healthier indoor air to energy savings.

What are some of the primary benefits of a green home? Such a home is constructed with much thought given to the materials used in construction. Building materials are expected to be toxin-free, sustainable and energy-efficient. The use of toxin-free building materials helps combat indoor air pollution. Since we are exposed to the air in our homes as much or more often than outside air, indoor pollution can pose serious health risks to residents. A healthier home means fewer visits to the doctor and hopefully fewer respiratory problems.

Besides potential health savings, the net cost of owning a green home is typically comparable to, if not cheaper than a standard home. People who live in green homes save money by consuming less energy and fewer resources than standard homes. The savings add up over the years in decreased energy and water bills.

Insurance companies are becoming convinced that green may be the way to go. More and more insurance companies are offering discounts on policies covering green homes. Similarly, there are even a few mortgage companies offering discounted loan rates for home buyers buying green.

Here are some of the reasons for the heightened interest and discounts offered by the business community:

A green home is often more durable than standard homes because of its high-quality building materials and construction processes, requiring fewer repairs.

The value of a green home is often higher than that of a comparable standard home, and the market demand for green homes is expected to rise. A green housing development in New York has demonstrated the ability to command ten to fifteen percent higher rental rates than comparable units in the surrounding area.

And local, state and federal governments are increasingly offering tax breaks and incentives for building a green home or adding green features to an existing home.

What are some of the features of a green home? Efficient plumbing and bathing fixtures, drought-tolerant landscaping and water-conserving irrigation systems help green homes use less water than standard homes. This feature will become increasingly important as the prospect of water shortages loom in some parts of the country.

Because many green building materials incorporate significant recycled content, they require the use of fewer natural resources. The amount of excess building materials dumped in landfills is significantly less than the amount generated by traditional practices.

Some green homes incorporate carpets and floor tiles from recycled tires and bottles. Other homes use salvaged materials or renewable and sustainable products, such as bamboo, hemp and soybean. Homeowners can choose countertops made from recycled street lights and other recycled glass.

Low-volatile organic compound paints and finishes inside the home reduce exposure to toxic chemicals. Formaldehyde-free insulation also insures fewer dangerous chemicals are released into the atmosphere.

Energy-efficient appliances, insulation, roofing materials, doors and windows lower heating and cooling bills.

In many cases, builders are also including universal design elements into green homes. These designs, which include wider doorways, no stairs, flat entries and accessible bathrooms, sinks and showers, assure that people with varying abilities can live in and age in their homes and their neighborhoods.

Preston Sandlin is a home inspector and real estate investor in Charlotte NC. He has been performing home inspections and buying real estate in Charlotte NC for over 12 years. He is a member of the North Carolina Home Inspector's Association, the Charlotte Regional Realtors Association, and the BBB.

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Aesthetic And Sustainable Architecture

I recently attended a global eco design conference. Whilst the basic principles of a sustainable house such as insulation, ventilation and orientation to suit the climate were good - the resulting houses seemed to lack something. They didn't seem to have much intrinsic beauty or elegance.

The only principle that was mentioned that excited me was "bio-mimicry" - copying nature. Although the concept has been around for some time, it has been brought to prominence recently by by Janine Benyus in her book ""Biomimicry, Innovation Inspired by Nature". It was mentioned at the conference by Ray Anderson - an American manufacturer of commercial carpet tiles who is trying to make his company more sustainable and it was also touched on by Dr David Suzuki - the famous environmentalist - who also spoke at the conference. It seems to be the latest buzz word.

Perhaps it is the fact that Vedic houses - those based on ancient Sthapatya Vedic principles - are also based on natural design that makes them have a better feeling and which makes them look more appealing.

I have had a house built according to these principles. It faces true East and is aligned to the cardinal points. This design in accordance with natural laws is called "Vastu". You enter from the East and North sides only. One of the main guiding principles is that everything good comes from the East. But this doesn't mean that you can't also design your house to suit the climate (in my case the tropics) and filter the light if necessary and have large eves.

So the design corresponds to the effect of light on the earth - to the effect of the sun. In fact you can work out what true North is simply by observing what the sun does to the shadows it creates at different times of day. You can also use a GPS to confirm it.

In Vedic architecture the placement and dimensions of the rooms, as well as the length, width and elevation of the building are individually calculated. The measurements are based on ancient mathematical formulas. These formulas take into consideration, among other factors, the relationship of the house owner with the planets according to Jyotish (Indian Astrology). So the design relates to the people - it isn't based on some man-made notions of what would be good.

According to Vedic principles, the nourishing aspects of the house are placed on the East side of the house just as the rising sun coming from the East provides nourishment. So the meditation room is placed in the North East corner to nourish the spiritual aspects of the individuals in the house. The kitchen which nourishes the physiology is placed in the South-East. The North is considered the best side of the house in which to pursue creative activities and so that is where the study is located. The Western side of the house embodies the qualities of the setting sun - that being relaxation, calmness and restful sleep. So it is the best side on which to locate bedrooms and relaxation rooms. So in this sense, they are also mimicking nature.

I think that a lot of houses these days lack the fine details (see http://www.newhousebuilding.com). We used to have the beauty of ornate cornices and ceilings shaped like flowers and so on. When Ray Anderson talked about bio-mimicry he gave the example of his carpet tile designers going into the forest. They found that every part of it was different and that no two leaves or other parts of it were the same and yet the overall effect was one of unity. So he decided to make a range of tiles where no one tile was the same as the other. They were very popular. This also explains the beauty of marble tiles - no one tile is ever the same as all the others.

Vedic houses have this attention to detail and their aesthetic beauty arises as a result of it. For example, the house is elevated on a plinth which makes it appear more grand and stately and the roof is adorned with an intricately shaped and curved kalash. Modern sustainable houses need to learn some of these principles so that they too will be satisfying on all levels and not just functional.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephanie_Chambers

Sustainable Building And Construction - All You Need To Know

Sustainable energy is one of the most widely developed forms of energy on the planet. With concerns that non renewable resources, such as fossil fuels, will be completely depleted, research and development has gone into sustainable energy in hopes of protecting the environment and having a viable source of electricity for future generations.

Sustainable energy comes in many forms. Solar power, wind power, and wave power are among the three most commonly pursued types. Geothermal energy, which is only available in some parts of the world, is also a very successful source of sustainable energy.

If you wish to help the environment and lower your costs of electricity, investing in sustainable energy may be for you. There are many ways that you can get involved in the sustainable energy movement, if you are willing to make lifestyle changes. One way is to invest in solar powering for your sustainable homes. While not all locations are suitable for solar power, installing solar panels in your home can help lower the amount of energy you pull from major power grids. With the proper system and enough space, you can even feed energy back into the power grid, resulting in energy companies paying you for the energy that you provide. Unfortunately, wind and water based sustainable energy is out of the reach of most home owners. However, if you live on a country property with fast moving streams, you may be able to install a water wheel or a small windmill to help generate energy for your sustainable homes.

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to thrive on only sustainable energy. While there is efforts to make electric and hybrid cars, as well as cars that can function on high percentages of ethanol, thee vehicles are still extremely expensive and the technology is still in development. However, purchasing a car with a high mileage rate can significantly lower the amount of energy you consume. If you do a lot of short distance driving, a pure electric car coupled with solar power can nullify the amount of non renewable energy you consume. However, electric cars still do not have sufficient battery life to handle more than short distance driving.

There is a great deal that needs to be learned about sustainable energy, and how transitional energies can be used while good sustainable options are under development. If everyone does their part, a solution can be found before the future generations suffer from the decisions made by the current generation.

Timothy Greensland
sustainable building and design

About the Author:
You can find detailed reviews and information on {a http://www.eco-friendly-product.info/Sustainable.php}sustainable homes by Timothy Greensland.

Sustainable Home - Green Building For The New Era

More and more people are realizing how important it is to lead a life that makes a minimal impact on the environment. Every person making their own individual contribution can lead to substantial difference for the future and protection of our planet. A big step that you can take is to use sustainable materials when constructing your home or commercial business. Appreciating how these green materials can be included into your life can go a long way to lessening your impact on the environment.

The best place to start when trying to understand what sustainable materials are-is to first understand what the term "sustainable" refers to. Sustainability means consuming quantities and categories of resources in such a manner that will make sure that the resource will be there for generations to come. Another way to think about this is as resources that renew themselves. This concept can be better understood through illustrations. Building with wood is an excellent example of sustainability. By Planting trees, a forest can be re-grown. Then wood can once again be used as a building material. A counter example would be the use of steel for a building. Although steel cannot be replenished, it can at least be recycled.

The other aspect to sustainability is recyclable materials. Many metals are recyclable. You can use these materials for areas like floors, walls and countertops. You can also get recycled stone to use as a material as well.

As you pick and choose materials for your home, if you are going for sustainability, an aspect of the issue is understanding how much energy is used to get materials to you. Try to locate materials that have taken less energy to transport. For instance, if you fancy granite for a countertop, then go with the local manufacturer rather than purchasing it from a far-off provider such as Malaysia. Much more energy will be consumed getting that material from the Malaysia to your home than from the local supplier.

Using sustainable materials is just one step on the path of having an eco-friendly property. You also want to bring all of the other elements together, such as the architecture, materials, and the construction methods. Map out your plans for things like your water usage, energy usage, and make sure that the building site blends in with the natural locale of the home. You want to take as little as possible from nature and be mindful of your consumption.

Converting your home to a sustainable household is not something that you have to do all at once. Instead, you can convert your home over the course of time. When you have occasion to renovate or improve, pick sustainable materials. In place of of paint, use natural fibers that will make your home's air quality better. Rather than tile, use bamboo as a floor covering. For countertops, give cork a try in place of granite. Each of these changes will help make a difference.

About the Author:
Locate your next home in Southern California: Gated Santaluz Real Estate and View Santee Real Estate and Condos for Sale in Scripps Ranch.

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Basics Of Energy Efficient Home Design

Good house design takes its form in part from the forces that act on it. Climate and weather are two of the strongest form-makers (there are no igloos in the tropics) since houses must be designed and built to repel the damaging effects of the world we live in. Mother Nature is always trying to tear our buildings down.

Climate and weather also affect the comfort of our homes, and cause us to seek out ways to maintain the temperature and humidity of our homes within tolerable levels. A great deal of design effort is devoted to keeping the heat in or keeping the heat out, depending on the climate and season.


This Old House

At times throughout American history, the forms of our homes have reflected – to greater or lesser extents – our ingenuity in making our homes’ internal climates more comfortable.

Settlers in the Deep South built deep porches around their low-slung homes to shade them from the harsh sun and to create a reservoir of cooler air that could be drawn into the house.

New Englanders built compact homes with small windows to shield them from winter winds and to hold in as much heat as possible. And prairie homes, often built of stacked sod, were half-buried in the earth to even out the temperature swings and to protect them from the frequent violent storms that sweep the plains each summer.

Simple and effective strategies like these were necessary because fuel for heating homes was limited. We created houses that conserved resources; we didn’t know how not to.

That changed with the era of cheap and plentiful electricity and natural gas for home heating, and with the introduction of the first air conditioners for private homes in 1928. Suddenly, houses didn’t need to respond to their environment; any home could easily be kept as warm or as cool as desired using mechanical means regardless of the weather outside. Little thought was given to energy conservation strategies until the early 1970s, when the cheap energy we’d taken for granted became suddenly very expensive, and the climate-ignorant houses we’d built for decades became expensive to heat and cool.


That 70’s Show

But then a very cool thing happened. Architects and builders across the country began to revive the “lost art” of designing homes that responded to climate and weather. Ancient ideas like earth-sheltering and thermal massing were used again. New passive-cooling strategies and unique ideas like the Trombe wall were invented.

And most interestingly, the houses using low-energy techniques took on new, exciting forms. Suddenly there was something else out there beside Old World inspired design. It was a fun time full of invention and experimentation.

But that era was short-lived. By the mid-1980s fuel was cheap again and energy-efficient unique home design was all but forgotten.


Back To The Future

So it’s no surprise that we now find ourselves having come full circle, with rising energy prices and a revised interest in home energy efficiency. It’s a critical concern in a time when some studies show residential buildings consuming up to 21% of the nation’s energy.

Today’s home energy efficient strategies are different than they were 30 years ago, however. Today the focus is on technology rather than on design. New materials are techniques have been developed that make otherwise climate-insensitive home designs (and there are plenty) better stewards of the energy they need to maintain human comfort.

Technical solutions can be expensive, however, since they demand that common building materials perform at a higher level. Windows have “high-tech” glass with low-emissivity coatings, Argon gas-filled spaces, and up to three sheets of glazing. Heating systems are running at higher efficiencies, and may come equipped with programmable thermostats and insulated ductwork. Solutions like these do conserve energy and are important components in any home but the technology crutch shouldn’t be leaned on too heavily. We also need better design.


Designer’s Challenge

What if, instead of spending hundreds of additional dollars on high-tech glazing to keep the sun’s heat out, we more carefully located our windows to avoid direct sunlight in the first place? What if we used elements of the house itself to shade those windows from heat radiation and UV rays?

Suppose we took better advantage of the ground’s relatively stable temperature to stabilize the temperatures in our houses, rather than exposing every square foot of a home’s exterior surface to the elements? Instead of constant mechanical air conditioning to remove heat and humidity, why not try opening windows onto shady porches and let the breeze cool the house?

And what if we opened our minds a bit – stopped thinking so much about fashion and resale value – and allowed the forms of our houses to be shaped more by how they respond to the climate and the environment we live in?

The surprising result might be interesting and beautiful homes that cost very little to heat and cool – just like the old days.

About the Author:

I have over 20 years’ experience in the field of architecture and have designed homes and buildings across the country.

I see my work as much more than just designing homes - I see residential architecture as an expression of a social art; an art with a strong responsibility to culture and environment, expressed in its enrichment of family life and by its contribution to community.

I truly love my work, and look forward to sharing the excitement of the custom design process with you.


Richard Taylor, AIA
President
Richard Taylor Architects, LLC
Residential Architects

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Basics of Energy Efficient Home Design

Buy An Eco House With A Wise Decision

Buying an eco friendly house will be a great idea. As it has more aesthetic value and has a positive appeal, enhancing our spiritual self too. It is said that eco friendly houses have a positive impact on our health to, a cooling effect and is environment friendly. It basically works on the concept of sustainable building designs and green building. Utilise eco friendly products which are energy or water efficient; such products use healthy, non-toxic materials. Finite sources of energy and materials are being depleted, and much of our environment is being polluted or spoiled.

Consider eco friendly products too, when you are looking out for eco homes. It gives an added value to your house. Makes more sense to have eco friendly products to decorate your house too. Isn’t it? Consider carpet tiles, instead of carpeting as it is well known for harboring dust mites, pet dander, and mildew, all of which are hard to get out even with steam cleaning. Make use of alternatives to such practices.

Avert any harmful effect which would have other wise affected the human health and environment and thus makes use of eco friendly materials. Conserve your environment and buy an eco house! Such eco friendly buildings aims to repair the damage that less sustainable building methods have had on our environment. Such carpet tiles for your eco friendly houses are considered quite beneficial as it is a recyclable material and is very easy to install as well as clean. It is definitely a wise choice over your carpeting plans. Balconies and roof top decks can also make use of carpet tiles, this way you can use it outdoor. And cork flooring is another good option that can be considered for eco homes. Kitchen composters, garden composters, water saving products are also made use of as part of eco products.

Use your own eco products in a different style! These are typically created from recyclable materials and are very easy to install as well as clean. This makes them a beautiful choice as well as a simple option for carpet across an entire room. Whether or not you support the global warming theory, one thing you can't dispute is the obvious savings, both in the environment and your finances, that making some simple and if you're willing, not so simple, green improvements to your condo or house. Not only will this benefit you as long as you live there, but it will also make your home more attractive to potential buyers if you should decide to sell.

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Sustainable Houses - The Things We Can All Do To Live A Little Greener

In a consumer driven society we are frequently confronted with life style decisions that can impact on our environment and one of the largest decisions that any of us will make is the kind of house that we choose to live in. The twin fangs of global warming and rising energy costs has seen in a shift in emphasis in recent years away from "environment be damned, show me the plasma!" to looking at ways in which we can live in greater harmony with our surroundings. As such "sustainability" has become a guiding principle in all manner of decision making.

Sustainability is about using resources in an environmentally friendly and healthy manner that provide for the long term needs of the community. A sustainable home will emphasize two broad themes: it will be constructed of and furnished with environmentally sound materials and it will utilize energy as efficiently as possible. Sustainable houses seek to be an extension of their environment rather than an imposition, or more importantly a drain on it.

A person wishing to live in a sustainable house is going to be faced with one of two choices: building a sustainable house from scratch or retro-fitting their existing home to make it more green.

There are things that all of us can do, regardless from which materials our home is built, to live more greenly. These measures are largely centered around more efficient use of energy and water. By utilizing energy efficient technologies, expertise, and common sense, homeowners can dramatically cut their home energy costs and the pollution associated with energy use and production. The first place to begin is with electrical appliances. If you need to purchase a new refrigerator, washer, dryer, air conditioner, or other large power consuming item, then do your research to find the most energy efficient option. By the same token if you have old heating and/or air conditioning equipment, you might want to look at replacing them. The energy savings will see that they will be paid for in a few years. You can also save energy and money by using efficient lighting. Compact fluorescent light bulbs are a good option for homes where lights are on for a few hours a day. They can reduce energy usage by as much as 80 percent and go for years without replacement.

The way we conduct ourselves around the house will also have an impact on energy and water usage. Simple measures such as taking re-usable bags when we go shopping, having shorter showers, switching appliances off at the power point whenever possible, starting a compost heap and installing or topping up ceiling insulation will all have a positive impact on the environment and go some way to helping us live more sustainably.

For those who are looking to build houses from scratch however, there is even greater scope to adhere to the tenets of sustainability. A house that is being designed with sustainability in mind can make use of solar power for heating and electricity, as well as the sun (via skylights and sun pipes) for natural daylighting. Greywater systems can be installed to ensure the most efficient use of water, and the house can be constructed with non-toxic and sustainably harvested materials.

About the Author:

For more information on
sustainable home design go to
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Sustainable Building With Environmental Value

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.

Viewed as new-age in construction circles, sustainable design looks at homes holistically, and not just a bunch of unrelated systems thrown together. Natural forms of energy, such as wind, solar, and geo-thermal if available on-site are maximized. 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. And if you plan to put up additional buildings or extensions to your property, you'll know how to go about it in a responsible way. 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. Viewed as new-age in construction circles, sustainable design looks at homes holistically, and not just a bunch of unrelated systems thrown together.

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, minimising 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 maximise 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 us, 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.

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