A sustainable house is a home that has the least possible negative impact on our environment. Energy efficiency, the avoidance of environmental toxins, and responsibly using materials and resources while having a positive physical and psychological effect on its inhabitants are all in its blueprints. There is a lot that goes into this process. It’s not easy plus it incorporates what seems like myriad touchpoints that need to be addressed. But once it’s finished? It’s worth the effort.
The first step in building this future home is choosing a good location. This translates to finding a spot that incorporates transportation and infrastructure needs while avoiding hazardous areas. Building a home within walking distance of public transportation is a must. Also, the area must have close by shops and restaurants and have high biking and walking scores. The availability of utilities and infrastructure will vary. If you can use existing infrastructure, you’re off to a good start in reducing your environmental impact. Finally, it’s important to avoid hazardous areas like flood zones. If you build in a high-risk zone, ensure the home is designed to withstand the hazard.
Then, there’s the question of size. Smaller houses are far more efficient. Building a smaller home will reduce your material use and energy needs, whereas a larger space will use more materials and require more energy for heating and cooling. Think about your needs and try not to go overboard with the size of your house. Smaller houses are inherently more efficient and less wasteful.
Along with the size comes the home’s orientation. This aspect is important for sustainable homes. If you live in a cold climate in the Northern Hemisphere, you can take advantage of the sun by having more windows facing south. If you build a long wall with windows facing south, you’ll maximize direct sunlight in the winter. The sun will not only help heat your home but bring in natural light. You want to avoid too many windows facing west, which will give lots of glare and provide heat in the summer. If you have windows facing west, consider planting a large tree to block some uncomfortable sunlight.
And don’t forget about the home’s surface area either. It’s interesting to note that one of the most energy-efficient house designs is the igloo. Yes, the igloo. Why? An igloo is built in a cold climate with a shape that minimizes surface area. The reduced surface area reduces interior heat loss. Building a very wide and spread out house will experience more heat loss and be less efficient than a compact house. And, building taller can also be more efficient than building wider in many cases. A compact design is better than a spread-out one.
The importance of using local materials cannot be understated. They reduce the need for shipping. It’s more green to buy locally milled wood than to order it from across the country. However, this is tough because you may have fewer options based on your location. The availability of materials will vary depending on where you build your house. If there’s a local stone quarry, inquire if you can purchase their stone. Purchasing local kitchen cabinets, rather than importing European designer ones, is a win-win-win. You are staying eco-friendly, supporting local businesses, and reducing your overall costs.
And, of course, recycling. Recycling is very important, but it will have to be balanced with availability. Depending on where you are, easily available materials will vary. However, many materials are recycled, reclaimed, and reused. And you may be in luck. Some recycled elements to look for are reclaimed wood (which can be beautiful), reclaimed bricks and pavers, roof shingles that have recycled content, and drywall materials that have been recycled.
Super important for green homes is efficient air sealing. Air sealing, also known as draft stopping, is one of the lesser-known energy-efficient home design ideas and one that people often forget about. Proper sealing prevents air from leaking through your house. You want to make sure your house isn’t leaking conditioned air. Air sealing is necessary around windows, doors, vents, electrical conduits, and other holes or penetrations. It’s one aspect that relies heavily on quality construction. Using good construction contractors is essential for building sustainable homes. In addition, when building a green home, efficient windows and doors must be utilized.
Of course, using energy-efficient appliances and equipment is the easiest of these energy-efficient home ideas to achieve. As a minimum requirement, use Energy Star-rated appliances. And, in terms of water efficiency, green homes are packed with toilets and other plumbing fixtures that have dual flush and reduced or low-flow water usage (including faucets and shower heads). These fixtures are becoming very popular. There’s no trouble finding plumbing fixtures that use water at lower flow rates.
Heating and air conditioning? We can’t live without them. Neither can a green house. The trick here is, of course, controlling consumption. Using smart thermostats is one of the easiest tips to implement. They can reduce your energy consumption by learning your patterns and optimizing around your comfort level. Also, zones. Breaking the house into zones allows you to set independent temperatures by room. Also, you do not need to run the HVAC in rooms that are not often used, like the basement or laundry room.
And those are the basics for building your green home. Of course, there are other opportunities to go greener that go beyond the basics. Collecting rainwater (that can be purified and used), using renewable energies as a primary energy source, smart planting of vegetable species, the list goes on and on. But the key to building a sustainable house is to build it to last. Renovations and demolitions are not green-friendly.
