Ways to Build Your Own Green Home

Lately there is a big fuzz going on every where regarding Water Consumption, Environmental Causes, Protecting the Earth from toxics, Recycling & Going Green. But most of us forget that we can do our part of “BEING GREEN” from our home itself. Saving Energy means saving money. But if the right ways are not known while building ones Green Home, it can turn out to be your worst nightmare. Rather it gets more complicated when you already have a house and building another house seems out of the question. So some of the basic ways to build your own house greener are below:

Window Orientation:-The first thought while remodeling the house is about the windows. Window size plays a major impact on the energy efficiency of a building. The most important orientation aspect to consider is the direction your house and windows face and their solar access. Window safety should also be kept in mind. Accident prone areas of the house should be fitted with GRADE” A” safety glass.

Water saving: - Fixing the loose faucet, toilet leeks and replacing the old fixtures and shower heads. People having lawn and outdoor plants should water them in the early morning or evening hours to reduce evaporation. Watering the lawn on windy days should be avoided.
• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean the driveway or sidewalks. Use a mug of water when brushing your teeth, shaving or washing your hands and face. Instead of a shower or tub bath, use a bucket.
• Consumption of rain water also helps in saving water.

Electricity saving:-Turning off the electronic appliances when you’re not using them helps you in saving thousands of kilograms of carbon dioxide a year.
• Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents (CFLs).
• Buy a laptop instead of a desktop.If you buy a desktop, get an LCD screen.
• Sunlight can be used in many different ways to save energy. Use a solar water heater.

Natural and Recycled Material:-For truly green house natural, local or recycled materials as the main ingredient in your building.Use cheap and readily available materials like earth and straw. Likewise Cob is a simple, labor-intensive method of building with earth. If you want to build a house then high-end finishing materials should be avoided.
Consider building a house without a pitched roof. Choose at least one or two walls of your home as a green building project when possible, like earth-bag walls or recycled cordwood walls. Use less wood.