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As a people, our current wasteful lifestyles wont be sustainable for long. This is something we become more aware of as we see its effects. Because of this, green home design is becoming a more and more mainstream part of the housing market. Some experts predict that green home design will soon make up a huge slice of the real estate industry. In the U.S., housing accounts for 38% of the countrys carbon emissions. So in the fight on global warming, how we choose to build our homes (with green home design or without it) is going to have a huge effect on our future. For those who want to give their houses a bit of green home design, there are many little steps that can be taken. But for those into truly lowering their homes impact on the environment, there are four basic green home design rules to follow. Rule 1 in Green Home Design: Go Small Theres something gloriously attractive about large, mansion-like homes. Unfortunately, large home need a huge quantity of fuel for heating and cooling-- fuel which is generally in for form of environment-killing fossil fuels. These homes also require more resources for building and create more waste as a result. So if youre looking to incorporate green home design in your building plans, build small. Rule 2 in Green Home Design: Use Passive Solar Planning Passive solar cooling and heating is one of the most important elements of green home design. The relatively simple concept behind passive solar design is to design a home according to the climate. In warm climates, design is used to reduce the amount of heat absorbed by the home. In colder areas, design is used to reduce the amount of heat lost. To do this, green home design is incorporated into the orientation of the building, the location of the windows, the flooring (stone is best), and other elements of the home to reduce the amount of energy wasted. Green Home Design Rule 3: Use Recyclable or Renewable Materials Almost everything used in a traditional home harms the environment in some way, either by its manufacture (plastics and artificials) or its transport (naturals). Using locally produced renewable materials can help reduce the amount of damage your building can do. Consider installing bamboo or recycled wood flooring and incorporate a green home design using recycled materials, such as cellulose insulation and lumber composites, throughout the home. Rule 4 in Green Home Design: Shrink your AC Heat and AC systems are the most energy-consuming elements in almost any home. And no matter how tempting a large AC system might sound during the hot summer months, this type of system can ruin your good intentions for a green home. Large AC systems overcool the air, and tend to cycle on and off too frequently. This constant on-and-off cycle gives large AC systems a short lifespan, making them create extra waste along with using up extra fuel.
Article Source: http://www.pr2work.com
For more related to building a green home, goto greenhomeguide.org.
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