Blue Skies for Green Architecture

Kermit the Frog may not have thought being green was easy, but more and more homebuilders are starting to think it is the right choice. Environmentally friendly - or "green" - architecture is rapidly emerging as a smart alternative to traditional construction.

The U.S. Green Building Council defines green architecture as structural design that is energy-efficient, water-conserving, and built to minimize environmental impact and protect indoor air quality. It is banked on four systems:

- Water: Collection, use, and reuse.

- Energy: Source, use, and reuse.

- Materials: Source, content, composition, and manufacturing processes used to create them.

- Waste: Disposal, recyclability, and resource efficiency.

Though the concept of green building dates back to Earth Day 1970, only within recent years has it begun to take a stronghold amongst more mainstream builders. In August, the USGBC kicked off its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Homes program, an set of official guidelines for green residential building.

Known as LEED-H, the program offers a flexible checklist of standards for homes built to use less energy, less water, and fewer materials. It is a follow-up to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification system for commercial buildings. Slightly fewer than 200 buildings nationwide have been certified as green since the program launched at the beginning of the century, with 1,800 having registered for certification.

LEED-H certification rates a building's "green" performance in terms of efficient energy, water, and land use, indoor air quality, and efficient use of construction resources. The program also includes measures that encourage building near mass transit, an increase in home density, and downsizing homes.

And the program also promotes homeowner education, which not only involves making people aware of the importance of environment-friendly construction, but letting them know that it's not as costly as they may think. According to green-architecture advocates, competition will rise among builders and prices will drop as the movement goes more mainstream. What's more, they say, homeowners who go green can cut their utility bills in half by putting more energy-efficient systems into place.

Green building can take shape in all areas of the house. Kitchens are seeing more energy-efficient appliances, bathrooms are featuring heightened ventilation and sanitation systems, and indoor lighting systems will be more environmentally friendly, with fewer toxic materials. Window design is also taking on elements of green architecture, with new designs offering changes from clear to opaque to offer light control and privacy.

So our beloved froggy had best think again, because going green is easier and healthier than ever before.