The World's Most Luxurious Eco Homes

With energy efficiency and green technologies at the forefront of everyone's minds we're all thinking about how we can improve the green performance of our homes. The usual methods of improving heat retention with double glazing and insulation as well as the possibility of utilising some green technologies such as boilers are something we can all do. However when it comes to building a new home, take a look at these magnificent green design masterpieces. Combining such luxury with such energy consciousness is a real achievement.

Crossway: Kent, England
This magnificent four bedroom family home is essentially one large timbrel vault and is situated in the lush Kent countryside. It was built with minimising the need for gas, water & electricity in mind whilst being light, airy and spacious at the same time. As well as using local materials and tradesmen to benefit the immediate area, it was ensured that green targets were met through the use of the highest quality insulation, triple glazing and total air tightness. Its design really is unique, the interior is magnificent and it's totally carbon neutral!

Lux et Tepidus: Toronto, Canada
This stunning 3500 square foot home is even aligned slightly out of joint with the passing street for better solar energy alignment, the exterior is constructed of structural insulated panels and all interior partitions made of wood-stud. A south facing, massively glazed wall maximises light and solar heat entering the house straight onto a slate covered masonry wall which provides thermal mass as well as looking stunning! This is a truly striking & luxurious property both inside and out and the eco features are engrained perfectly within the design.

Woods End: Norfolk, England
Set in two acres of woodland in the Norfolk countryside, this impressive 3000 square foot eco-home was the 2009 winner of TV competition 'I Own Britain's Best Home'. Built from the ground up by Amanda Barrington, the home costs only £500 a year to heat and fully utilises solar gain as well as the stunning woodland landscape and passing stream to do so. The simple & modern yet homely style of both the build and the interior fit the surroundings perfectly and it has won many design, architectural and green awards. This luxurious yet energy efficient project works seamlessly and is definitely worth the title of Britain's best home.

Heather's Home: Weatherford, Texas, USA
This amazing eco-build was the first home in the state of Texas to receive LEED for Homes Platinum Certification and amazingly for Texas the heating/cooling bill averages only $20 to $30 a month! Built at around $117 per square foot, the house features numerous green technologies including a rainwater collection system and a water heater that needs no tank and is powered by rooftop solar panels. Again the interior is stunning and all the eco-features are seamlessly engrained, another perfect example of luxury and sustainability working hand in hand.

The Costa Mesa Green Home: Orange County, California, USA
Another home to be the first to receive Platinum Certification, this time it's a first for Orange County in California. At a massive 5000 square foot it is the largest and possibly most luxurious of those featured and exceeds the local energy efficiency targets by a massive 40%! This stunning green project has optimised solar orientation and is built with sustainable materials throughout. It also features numerous energy efficient technologies including intelligent ventilation, a state-of-the-art green HVAC (heating, ventilation & air conditioning) system and energy star lighting. Creating energy efficiency in such a massive, contemporary and luxurious property is definitely a remarkable achievement.

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Building A New Home? Go Green!

With the rising cost of energy and the need to conserve the planet’s precious resources, a sustainable home is becoming a highly favorable and more economical option.

So, if you are planning on building a home, incorporate sustainable principles on your home designs and house plans. There are many reliable home builders in Melbourne who will be pleased to assist you in achieving that goal. One of the most recognized green Melbourne home builders in Australia is Urbanedge homes.

Urbanedge Homes features Green homes which are known to demonstrate improved energy, resource and water efficiency which in turn reduces your household running costs and greenhouse gas emissions into the environment.

These eco friendly homes are designed to minimize the use of heating and cooling. Through careful solar orientation on the site, the sun’s energy is maximized throughout the year and natural ventilation methods are used to circulate air in and around the home. Effective insulation is used to prevent heat loss and heat gain through walls, roofs, and floors, whilst heat loss through windows is reduced through high-performance glazing.

As for your house interior and exterior designs, Urbanedge home builders guarantee that you will love your home and will stand out in your neighborhood. Their team of professional architects and designers will create modern home designs and house plans that fit your neighborhood block, lifestyle and budget.

If you also have ideas or designs you want to include in your home, Urbanedge will be happy to guide you through the process and assist you with the many things that need to be taken into consideration. They will help you select the exterior bricks, render and roof colors; doors and windows; flooring and all internal and external features as well as your home’s finishing touches.

Building a house with sustainable designs will not only help you achieve an environmentally responsible home that is cleaner and healthier for your family to live in, you will also be able to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle with cheaper running costs.

Know more about Urbanedge green and affordable homes at http://www.urbanedgehomes.com.au/greensmart.aspx or visit Urbanedge display homes in Melbourne.

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A computer professional who works on the internet helping Urbanedgehomes increase its viewers through optimization. For world class Home builders visit us online at www.urbanedgehomes.com.au

Harvesting Ground Heat Through Geothermal Heating Technology

Just below our feet lies an energy source that can easily help us warm both our homes and hot water tanks. This energy source is known as thermal energy and can be harvested using specifically designed geothermal heating technology. This article will give you a better idea of how this natural energy source has come into existence and how geothermal heating systems actually harvest this energy.

But how does this energy under the earths surface occur? Thermal energy is caused by a number of contributors. For example, heat radiates out from the earths core and warms the ground. The earth also absorbs energy from the heat of the sun. The strength of this heat energy trapped beneath the surface of the ground will of course depend where you are in the world. It does not really matter where you are in the world though as geothermal heating technologies are able to extract heat from the ground however weak that heat is.

The concept of harvesting heat energy that is present beneath our feet is far from new. In the Roman Empire water heated naturally underground by geothermal energy was put to use to keep their spas hot. In effect this was the start of basic geothermal heating systems. This harvesting of naturally occurring geothermally heated hot water is still used today in some parts of the world. Iceland, for example, makes full use of this naturally occurring energy source using geothermal power plants.

Geothermal heating systems such as the Ground Source heat pump are now used across the world with much success. As the name suggests the Ground Source heat pump collects heat from the beneath the ground and literally pumps this heat around a home or property. Ground source heat pumps use a series of pipes that are laid underneath the surface of the ground. The loop of pipes are filled with a solution has properties to absorb geothermal heat energy directly from the ground. The solution is pumped through the loop of pipes, and gathers heat as it travels. The solution eventually passes through the heat pumps the heat exchanger part of the system where the heat is extracted and refined. This harvested heat is then used to directly warm living spaces and heat hot water tanks.

Geothermal heating systems are forecast to become even more popular with households across the globe. In general many people want to become more environmentally friendly and do their bit to help save the planet. Most people are also becoming increasingly frustrated at the incredibly high prices they are paying for fossil fuels such as gas and coal. Alternative ways to heat homes that are eco-friendly and cheaper to run, such as Ground Source heat pumps and other geothermal heating technology, are the ideal answer.

Would you like to discover more about geothermal heating technology and the benefits of investing in a heat pump system for your home? A good starting point is to visit one of the companies that specialized in geothermal heating and renewable heating systems. One reputable and well established company is called EcoVision. You can easily find their website. EcoVision specializes in all types of environmentally friendly technologies, including geothermal heating. The EcoVision website is probably the best next step for you to discover more information.

About the Author
Rich Stevens writes articles for EcoVision. Discover more information about Heat Pump technology and how Heat Pumps work on the EcoVision website.