Green Home Construction Tips

A well-designed green home construction requires consideration of several factors, which must be incorporated in the initial structuring stages. Using eco-friendly raw materials is an important management measure in the construction of green homes. Cement high on fly ash content could be one of these alternatives. Salvage of reusable material from landfills, such as using re-engineered wood or ancient wooden beams retrieved from old houses are other aspects of using recycled materials. Green features work better when included in the initial construction phase. Installation of a drip irrigation system instead of a sprinkler system is one such measure. A rainwater harvesting plant is best effective when installed in the initial design stage. Pathways, drive ways should be made of permeable paving so that rainwater can seep through the soil.

Using Forest Stewardship Council (SFC) certified wood for all wooden fittings in the house is favorable to a green house construction. Green home constructions aim at cleaner indoor environment by making use of no/low formaldehyde interior paints. Harnessing the power of the sun by fitting solar heaters and photovoltaic cells helps reduce electricity consumption and lower bills. It is better to fit light colored roofs than dark colored roofs because they are more reflective and thus reduce buildup of heat inside the house. Light colored roofs do not undergo as much thermal expansion as dark colored roofs and hence last longer.

Green home construction need to also address the inside fittings of the house, both static as well as movable. It is best to use recycled wood furniture for the house interiors. Various companies advertise recycled plastic furniture for the garden. A green initiative gaining popularity is using cork or bamboo flooring instead of the usual hardwood flooring. Avoid using vinyl linoleum, natural linoleum is a better choice. Make sure that the ducting in the house is leak proof. It has been estimated that leaks in ducting cause a loss over 10% of the energy used. Using low volume flush toilets and fitting flow reducers to faucets and shower heads helps cut down 40% of the water volume and nobody will even notice the difference. Use on insulation which does not contain formaldehyde helps prevent sickness. One good material for insulation is cellulose insulation made out of recycled paper.

Double paned windows with low emission are very good green concepts. The advantages of double paned windows are that they help in providing insulation as well as reduction of noise. Insulation can further be enhanced using wooden frames for housing windows. The piping of the house should have a jacket to reduce loss of heat. These guidelines should come in handy if you are planning to build a green home.

Renewable And Alternative Energy Resources: http://www.alternativeenergybase.com

For more related to green home, go to GreenHomeGuide.org.

Green Building Concepts For The Garage

Everybody talks about green homes and green design but many a time people forget about their garages. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found that an attached garage creates a large amount of in-house pollution and affects the health of the occupants. This happens because the interface between the house and the garage is not properly designed reducing the indoor quality of air. Thus, you may have all the green features incorporated in the house, but if you neglect the garage, those green features come to naught.

Car exhaust contains poisonous gases, which are the primary source of indoor air pollution. It is important to use proper low-formaldehyde sealing agents to ensure that garages do not leak their toxic fumes into the house. Other materials found commonly in garages too give off poisonous vapors. The list includes turpentine oil, benzene used by lawn mowers, cleaning agents, and pesticides used for gardening. Investing in a garage exhaust fan that can suck out noxious air is a good option.

Installing a green roof for your garage is a good green innovation. A green roof can be completely or partially covered by grass, plants or other vegetation. Several US companies offer the services of building a green garage roof. The roof is first waterproofed with Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO), which is an environmentally friendly and recyclable roofing product. On top of the TPO layer, water retention and filter layers are put. Next comes the top most layer, the growing medium, which is a light weight mixture of rock and soil. Drought resistant plants with shallow roots are the ideal choice for this type of roof. The environmental advantages of a green roof are many. Green roofs help reduce noise pollution, filter rainwater and reduce the cost of cooling your house. Respiration of plants helps reduce ambient heat in the surroundings. The plants absorb sunlight and reduce the heat from reaching the roof surface thereby increasing the life of the roof. According to a recent study, a green roofed garage can produce enough oxygen for 25 people and also remove eight kg of pollutants annually. A green thatched garage not only improves aesthetics but also attracts birds, which increases the biodiversity of your area.

Renewable And Alternative Energy Resources: http://www.alternativeenergybase.com

Earthship Homes And Sustainable Development

"An Earthship is a type of passive solar home made of natural and recycled materials. The homes are primarily constructed to work autonomously and are generally made of earth-filled tires, utilising thermal mass construction to naturally regulate indoor temperature. They also usually have their own special natural ventilation system. Earthships are generally Off-the-grid homes,minimizing their reliance on public utilities and fossil fuels.

Earthships are built to utilize the available local resources, especially energy from the sun. For example, windows on the sunny side admit light and heat, and the buildings are often horseshoe-shaped to maximize natural light and solar-gain during winter months. Likewise, the thick, dense outer walls provide effective insulation against summer heat.

Internal, non-load-bearing walls are often made of a honeycomb of recycled cans joined by concrete and are referred to as tin can walls. These walls are usually thickly plastered with stucco.

The roof of an Earthship is heavily insulated - often with earth or adobe - for added energy efficiency."

- Source

Earthships Books
Earthship: How to Build Your Own - Volumes 1-3