Are you the GREEN agent or consumer?

There are many ways to impact our world some are positive and some are negative.  What we leave behind will be for the next generation to enjoy or clean up....depending on your perspective and impact of your surroundings.

Being GREEN isn't the incredible Hulk or being green with lack of knowledge as some might suspect.  Being green is doing what is right for our environment.

There are guidelines to be green when it comes to building homes.  Lot design, efficiency in resources, energy efficiency, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, operation, maintenance and homeowner education, global impact.

Here is a quick overview.

• Lot design, saving trees, on site waste retention and filtration, orienting the structure to take advantage of passive solar heating and cooling
• Resource efficiency, using advanced framing techniques, material selection, reducing maintenance costs and job site waste.  Looking at flooring and wall materials and designs can impact the overall comfort of the home while being environmentally friendly at the same time.
• Energy efficiency, the cost of heating and cooling a home is obviously one of the more important factors but doing it right is what green means.  Using "STAR" rated windows, appliances, lighting and HVAC is a key to energy efficient designs that have tested to meet the standards.
• Water efficiency, water usage is critical and should be a nationwide concern.  Here in the Great Lakes we have water some of the other states are looking at us for resources.  Using a on demand water heater, locating the hot water heater higher than the bathrooms.  Many advances have been made in this area.  Quality, indoor pollution exacerbates allergies and causes respiratory problems.
• Providing heating and water heating equipment with an outdoor source of air.  Sealed chamber fireplaces rather than conventional fireplaces or wood-stoves.
• Ducted rather than ductless range hoods to promote air quality.
• Insulating vapor barriers to prevent moisture build up.

You get the idea and you can find out more about being green at Green Built^TM Michigan that was originally founded by the Home & Building Association of Greater Grand Rapids and is recognized by the Michigan Association of Home Builders.  (MAHB) here is the link www.greenbuiltmichigan.org check it out it we can change our world with one green home at a time!