Pat Trainor asked:


Environmentally friendly homes are defined as having little impact on the planet during the planning, construction, and life of the home. This includes the energy required to manufacture and transport materials to the construction site. According to one study, our homes account for over 40% of carbon dioxide emissions, which is why it’s imperative that we all work to build more sustainable and earth-friendly residences.

Classic log homes are one type of property that has a much smaller carbon footprint than traditionally-built houses. One reason that log homes are an excellent choice for environmentally aware buyers is the fact that log homes are made out of a naturally renewable resource. If we require loggers to use responsible logging methods such as re-planting where they cut, then we will have a steady reserve of logs for the future, without damaging the environment.

Another benefit is that in many areas of the country, logs can be locally harvested unlike steel or concrete, which require transport. Delivering materials around the country can be very expensive, emits a high amount of carbon dioxide into the air, and uses up a great deal of oil and gas. By shopping locally, you can reduce the impact your home has on the environment -during all its stages of building.

Another benefit to wood structures is that unlike common building materials, log homes do not require manufacturing or substantial processing, which involves chemicals and energy expenditure. The chemicals that go into making popular building materials are emitted in your home, which can pose a serious health risk for your family. These volatile organic compounds, or VOC’s are breathed into our lungs and can get into our bloodstream. Studies are still being done to examine the long term effects of being surrounded by these toxins, but it’s a good idea to avoid them at all costs.

In addition to be a non-toxic choice, log homes are also an extremely energy efficient alternative to other building materials. Owners of log cabins have long known the benefits of these types of structures in terms of how cozy there are in the wintertime and cool in the summertime. Wood has a natural ability to absorb heat and then release it, which is what enables cabins to stay comfortable all year long.

Log homes are also biodegradable and recyclable -far more so than other building materials. Log cabins can be torn down, and the logs used for other structures. These logs have a long life cycle, as they can be reborn with each new project. And when the log is past its usefulness, it easily bio degrades back into the earth.

By being mindful of what we use to build our homes, we can have a huge impact on improving the health of this planet. In addition, we can lower our energy costs and reduce the amount of indoor toxins that our families breathe in. If we’re conscious of the choices we make and look into better alternatives like the log home, we’ll all benefit in the long run.



environmentally friendly

Sadhana Dhanyal asked:


Climatic changes that are taking place are affecting nature adversely. There is an urgent need to tackle this problem lest it gets out of hand. Melting ice glaciers and monsoon delay is affecting everyone. Environmental pollution has caused immense damage to the nature. It has created an imbalance and also affected the climate. The only way to dealing with the problem is by using environmental friendly products for the construction of house. Eco friendly construction is not a difficult thing. With little guidance and direction, this can be made a possibility.

There are many environmental construction companies that use environmental friendly products. They can give suggestions on eco friendly construction, energy conservation & innovative ideas. Eco friendly construction methods and materials that are used can prove to be beneficial for the cause of nature.

Constructing eco friendly building is an effective means of building nature friendly houses. The climatic changes must be addressed immediately. An eco friendly house will help do your might for the cause. The rising resource depletion, pollution, is an indication of the ill effects of pollution. Such issues are all accelerating rapidly. If everyone opts for eco friendly houses, then we can surely minimize the drastic effects. Over a period of time, it will also help bring about significant changes.

Using natural products will prove helpful in the long run. You can follow some of the suggestions mentioned below while constructing house:  

•  Recycled glass counter tops are not only stylish but also eco friendly

•  Bamboo can be used in the construction of house. It is durable than hardwood

•  Eco friendly furniture can be replaced with leather sofas. These materials can be recycled.

•  Solar water heaters will help save electricity

•  Using energy saving appliances and light fixtures too can minimize the ill effects of climatic changes

•  Available sources of energy such as solar and wind power can be used to generate energy

The effects of climatic changes are felt badly. The building industry depends heavily on cheap oil, from the manufacture and transportation of its materials. Vast quantities of fossil fuels, which account to over half of total carbon emission lead to climatic changes. This has is an alarming situation that must be tackled immediately. Eco friendly construction can help build houses that are safe and nature friendly. The products that are used for construction are biodegradable and harmless. Not only do they give an earthy look but are also cool to reside. It must be noted that earlier, natural and renewable products were used to construct houses. These products not only lent a natural look but also withstood all kinds of weather. Monuments and palaces and even houses that were constructed many decades are standing tall. The architecture and the design of the house were such that it was viable from every aspect.



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Sadhana Dhanyal asked:


Green homes have become the trend of today’s life. They are less expensive and eco friendly. The materials used in the construction of such homes are natural. Green homes are long lasting and don’t cause environmental pollution. There are many builders who can guide in building green homes. These kinds of homes are very natural.

Green homes are also available for rent and sale these days. Approaching green home builders can help get the best deal. It will help the cause of nature too. Environmental friendly houses will help bring down pollution level to a large extent. These kinds of homes are ideal from every point of view. The houses can be designed to suit the needs of every person. Various aspects that go into the construction of a house are explored. Green design, from ecological point of view and economical benefits all help in the environmental cause.

While building a house, one must take into consideration various factors such as choosing right type of materials, how much energy will go into construction of the house, the long term utility of the products, and so on. Solar energy can also be used for various purposes. There are many green home consultants who can guide you to get the required details on construction of houses.

You can also get related information online. You can get the latest eco news about various issues affecting global warming, climatic change, latest eco-friendly technology as well as the initiatives taken by the government on climatic changes. This will help make a right decision on the types of houses that should be built. You can build environmental friendly houses.

How much money goes into construction of a green home depends on the size of the house. Not all the green homes are alike. The materials used in the construction vary to a large extent. Each of the green homes contains different levels of green characteristics. If you plan to have a house that is fully solar powered, with an underground rainwater system, bamboo flooring, solar water heater, and sustainable harvested products - you can surely find such kind of a house. The design of the house, the type of materials used, house and site layout, all play a crucial role in deciding the cost involved in building a house.



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John Harris asked:


Environmentally friendly residential real estate has been around for a long time, but it was confined to a niche market of custom and small niche builders. With the success of former Vice President Al Gore’s movie “Inconvenient Truth”, the public eye is again turning to the environment. That includes homebuyers of residential real estate.

With this increase of “green” public interest, many giants within the home construction industry are now building environmentally friendly homes, but they have encountered a paradox — homebuyers want green residential real estate, but they do not wish to pay the upfront cost of having it. With the serious slowdown in new home sales, residential real estate builders are caught in the middle of the issue. It is easier for them to persuade a potential buyer to upgrade to granite countertops than to pay the upfront costs for solar panels or an energy-efficient furnace. Thus, the residential real estate builders are trying to balance between what they see as their “social obligation” to the environment and the obligation they owe their shareholders.

Jeffrey Mezger, CEO of KB Home (one of the nation’s largest homebuilders), underscores this sentiment. He points out that homebuilders cannot give away their profits. They would not be in business for long, if they did.

Some environmentally friendly features being built into some residential real estate are:

• Wood that is harvested in an environmentally friendly manner, using the Forest Stewardship Council guidelines. This can add $3,500 in cost to a $700,000 home, according to a BusinessWeek article in its February 12, 2007, issue.

• Environmentally friendly bamboo can be used for flooring.

• Front loading washers use 60 percent less water and electricity than top loading washers, though most homebuyers of residential real estate purchase such appliances themselves.

• Solar panels pay for themselves within a matter of years, but homebuilders are finding them a hard sell. The upfront costs are about $25,000 on average.

• Satellite-controlled sprinkler systems for the lawn conserves a lot more water than conventional systems.

• Decks can be made of recycled materials.

Though such features add to the upfront price of residential real estate, which most current buyers are not willing to pay, the installation of solar-electric panels by homeowners is on the rise. According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, use of solar panels increased last year by 75 percent. This 8,512 increase, however, represents only a fraction of the one million new homes sold across the nation in 2006.

Help for environmentally friendly residential real estate may be coming shortly from three separate sources — federal, state and local governments. It is expected that the federal and state governments will soon make subsidies available to homeowners who install solar panels. The subsidies could cut the upfront costs by half. Additionally, the building codes of many local governments are much more environmentally friendly than in the past, forcing homebuilders to include green features in their new residential real estate.

Another plus for green residential real estate are the firms that supply the construction industry. Many now offer environmentally friendly products to the homebuilding industry in volume prices, making the use of green products more cost competitive. These efforts on the part of suppliers has decreased energy consumption in new residential real estate by 30 percent per square foot since 1970.

With all of these sources encouraging environmentally friendly residential real estate, green features may soon be standard in all new homes at a fraction of current costs.



FRAN

Jake Marsh asked:


1. Bicycle or Walk

I realize that in North American culture, the car reigns supreme. Unfortunately, so do the gas prices. If you can do something without driving, do it! Cycling and walking are much lower-cost and healthy ways of traveling short distances. If you outfit your bike with baskets or panniers and reusable shopping bags, you will be able to do small shopping trips. The same goes if you get a decent backpack (or bribe your kids to come along to carry grocery bags). The money you save can be put back into your home by purchasing energy-efficient appliances and equipment.

2. Buy ENERGY STAR approved appliances and equipment.

ENERGY STAR is a program sponsored by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Act and the U.S. Department of Energy, which identifies energy-efficient products and encourages energy-efficient practices and buildings. You not only help reduce the demand for resources, you will also save money. Go to www.energystar.gov for more information.

3. Choose the simplest solution first for cleaning.

For cleaning up stains and spills, often plain water will do the trick. Saturate the area with water and place a towel or newspaper over it with a heavy object on top to draw stains out of carpets. For tougher stains, try a combination of baking soda and water. Baking soda is also an excellent scouring product. For drains, a combination of 4 tablespoons of baking soda and hot water every week will keep them from getting clogged.

4. Put a coat on your hot water heater

Insulating your hot water heater can make it heat water easier and faster. Not only will you be able to have a hot shower sooner, your money won’t be going to fund the extra energy your heater will otherwise need to get water to the right temperature. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations before you go shopping for a cover.

5. Put on a sweater, already!

Many heating bills can be saved by lowering the temperature on the thermostat and shrugging on an extra layer or two. Also, turning off the heat and opening windows can bring in fresh air, which is better for you. An interesting fact: A cooler room is easier for you to fall asleep in, because it allows your temperature to drop, which is a natural part of sleep.

6. You see all that free sunlight out there? Use it!

Solar energy is getting more attention than ever these days and a lot of people are reaping the benefits of installing solar panels on their roofs. The initial cost is returned relatively quickly, as solar energy can take a significant chunk out of the electric and/or heating bills. An added bonus is that you can look into the U.S. Energy Policy Act, which allows homeowners a 30% tax credit for installing solar water heating systems.

7. Try repairing first.

In this day and age, many people automatically throw things out instead of trying to fix them. Try repairing tools and toys and equipment before you buy something new. It is often cheaper and doesn’t consign a usable item to the landfill. If you do have to throw something out, check to see if you can give it to an organization that can get some use out of it instead of automatically tossing it in the trash.

8. Garden!

Gardening can give you fresh, non-pesticide in-season fruits and vegetables for pennies and you don’t even need a patch of ground to do it in. Many plants are happy living in pots out on your windowsill or balcony. If you like cooking, keep in mind that many herbs are best used fresh and are attractive window decorations.

9. Eat healthy.

No, this doesn’t mean that you can never have another milkshake; it just means that you should refrain from having milkshakes for breakfast 5 out of every 7 days. There are a lot of resources on healthy eating and portion sizes; a study of this will help keep you healthy and avoid medical bills. Feed your kids more home-cooked, healthy meals than not and stay away from the Lunchables.

10. Encourage active habits in your family.

When families and children are accustomed to looking outdoors for their entertainment, such as bicycling, walking, swimming, fishing, canoing, kayaking and outdoor sports, they are less likely to need expensive medical treatments for health-related problems. Right now, obesity and health problems related to lack of exercise are growing problems in North America. Many outdoor sports require a relatively small outlay of money for equipment or facility use, but will pay dividends in health that keeps you and your family out of the hospital.



THERESE

Lee Keadle asked:


As more and more buyers are wanting energy-efficient and green homes, builders and sellers are trying to meet this growing demand.  In the past few months, the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) has incorporated a green features section on every MLS report where builders and sellers can list whether the home has Energy Star appliances, solar panels, bamboo floors, and rain collection systems already in place.

If you’re looking to buy an environmentally friendly home, the drawback is that most of the homes you’ll find are new construction.  This is great if you’re wanting a newer home anyway, but a lot of green buyers don’t want new construction because of the trees that are cut down and the idea that there are already enough homes on the market right now without having to build more!

The best advice for these buyers looking for older homes is to search the MLS using the new green features option.  Find a home that already has some of the features you want, and then use the money you’ll save by buying now to go towards other features that you add in either now or along and along.  Earth friendly materials are starting to make their way into mainstream stores, like Lowe’s and Home Depot.  So, it’s becoming much easier to find these materials.  Sure, you won’t find items such as reclaimed wood in a Lowe’s, but you will in specialty stores around the area.  So, why not take a home you love and make it as green as you want it to be?

For newer homes in Charleston that are geared to be energy-efficient, you’ll find a few neighborhoods to choose from.  All of the homes in Summertrees were built to EarthCraft standards.  This neighborhood is on Johns Island, and the builder was Brentwood Homes.  EarthCraft is a program with guidelines ensuring that homes reduce energy by using tighter building construction, air sealing, controlled ventilation, as well as more efficient duct work, HVACs, and vents.  Water usage is also reduced, which cuts down on utility bills.  Last, the interior and exterior paint is low VOC.  These homes are also supposed to have better indoor air quality for an overall healthier lifestyle for the owners. 

Another builder, David Weekley Homes, is also starting to build green homes.  This builder uses a different program called Environments for Living, which is a national program with three levels of green-ness.  David Weekley’s new homes are classified in the highest level of requirements, which is the Diamond level.  These homes are fifty percent more energy efficient than comparable homes built to the standard codes in 2004.  And, for a better comparison, we’ll compare these homes with the Energy Star standards, which people are more familiar with.  Energy Star requirements are only fifteen percent better than the standard 2004 building codes.  So, these David Weekley homes are significantly better than Energy Star.  Buyers are also guaranteed that their new home will not use more than a certain amount of energy from heating and air conditioning.  If the buyer finds that the home exceeds this amount, he or she will be reimbursed the difference in cost.  Of course, this reimbursement does not account for the energy wasted during that time, but at least builders are trying to hold their homes accountable for energy standards.  And, this is a step in the right direction, I think.

For more information about these builders, check out their websites.  And, if you want to buy a pre-owned home and green it up yourself, check out the MLS with the new search feature!



SHANNA

Mark Hostetler asked:


According to wikipedia, the continually updated free on-line encyclopedia, “luxury real estate” is defined as a home with an appraised value estimated above $1 million. But, what makes a luxury home retain its luxury appeal today, goes beyond appraised value. Homeowners are becoming increasingly aware of the inevitable effect of our consumer lifestyles. The 2001 California blackouts, the Northeast blackout of 2003, and the hurricanes that left some Florida residents without power for weeks, have all been wake-up calls for homeowners dependant on our obviously fallible power grids. So, let it be known that, “bigger is better” is not always equated with luxury these days. There is a new breed of luxury that touts high tech, energy efficiency as the ‘it’ thing.

With technologies that help recycle rain water, provide solar-powered heating and building techniques that better insulate homes, it is possible to get a beautiful, luxurious home that is technologically advanced and environmentally friendly. Many of these sustainable options may save money in the long run with reduced energy consumption, but their installation can carry a substantial price tag. For luxury and custom homeowners wanting to keep up with global trends, “green” improvements will keep your home competitive in the US and world markets.

Custom homeowners are in the perfect position to make a difference in the way their houses are built — to lead by example and take measures to ensure that their homes are comfortable and responsible.

Here are some environmental upgrades that the new luxury homes are boasting:

- Site designs that are permeable so that the amount of storm water run-off from hard surfaces can be limited.

- Since luxury homes are usually built for the long term, owners may choose to take things a step further by setting up more extensive water systems. Gray water use, high efficiency fixtures, and rain water collection systems are available and often come with rebates from local water providers. Systems for collecting and reusing water can be implemented for irrigation purposes.

- With a larger budget choices become more accessible. Renewable energy sources such as solar power and geothermal heating and cooling have become popular in luxury and custom homes.

- In addition to maximizing natural light and ventilation, intelligent lighting and room-conditioning are wise additions. With smart lighting controls, energy loads and costs will be significantly reduced.

After all, it is impossible to have luxury when you have yet to contend with necessity. These new luxury homes provide great comfort and extravagance and will continue to do so, off the grid and on their own terms.



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