Picture from Cover of book " Your Green Home: A Guide to Planning a Healthy, Environmentally Friendly New Home (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series) (Paperback)
This blog is in response to the Pink Challenge Contest going on at the Eco-All Stars groups. The basic premise is this: If money were no object what 5 Green Home features would you include in the design of your new or existing home. I only read a couple of entries before writing this because I did not want to be unduly influenced by what others were putting in the green homes. This 1800 square foot home would be located near Asheville, North Carolina in the mountains on a south facing parcel of land, with a year round creek on at least 100 acres. The majority of land would be in conservation easement. An alternative site would be on a small lot close to the downtown area, with easy access to shopping and public transportation. So here goes...
Number one Green Home Element would be a Green Roof In the Asheville area storm water management is becoming a serious concern as more homes are being built on the sides of mountains. Some of the other benefits of a green roof besides reduced storm water runoff include: longer life span for roof, reduced cooling and heating expenses, decrease in the levels of water borne pollutants , and improved air quality Plus I just like the way they look!
Number two would be Radiant Floor Heating(RFH). RFH is much more efficient than baseboard heating and usually more efficient than forced-air heating because no energy is lost through ducts. The lack of moving air can also be advantageous to people with severe allergies. The water based systems use little electricity, which is a benefit for owners of homes off the grid or considering it. This system can also be heated with a wide variety of energy sources, including standard gas- or oil-fired boilers, wood-fired boilers, solar water heaters, or some combination of all these heat sources. And of course, it feels wonderful walking on these floors during the winter season.
Number three is Pervious Paving System like Turfstone in order to increase the amount of pervious surface for water drainage and runoff. Aside from cutting down trees and I think one of the most environmentally damaging aspects of building new homes is the amount of impervious surface we create with driveways and roofs. Minimizing this condition is a great benefit for storm water management while also cutting down on soil erosion. These two issues are increasing prominent in the our area with many homeowners in lower elevations experiencing damage to their property and homes form improper development in the mountains directly above them
The fourth element I would incorporate into my green home would be decking and flooring made from Sustainable Building Materials or Recycled Materials. I would use recycled wood either from older buildings (i.e. reclaimed wormy red oak) that have been demolished, pallets(i.e oak), or wood that has been found submerged in water (i.e heart pine, cypress). I would also use cork floors in certain areas like bathrooms. I know there are special design concerns using radiant floor heating with wood floors but the research seems to be out there to handle this issue.
And last I would use an array of Solar Energy Technologies that would include a: solar photovoltaic system for electricity, solar collectors for heating of water and air, and solar lighting technology (remember money is not a concern).
There are, of course, many other features I would also want in this home, but this was a good exercise to help me prioritize what are my most highly valued green features. Thanks Janeanne and Dena!
. .
;)
;)
