What Makes a Home a Green Home?

Over the last couple of years the term "Going Green" has become more popular. What does it mean to go green, and how cam I apply the principles when considering the construction of my new home?

To date the term "going green" does not have a universal definition. With that being said, how does a potential homeowner know when the home that they are looking to purchase or build is actually being built and an eco-friendly focus in mind?

Most of the standards for an ecologically friendly home include an increased amount of insulation in the home in order to make the home as energy efficient as possible. To be considered a really energy efficient home, it needs to be insulated beyond the minimum local requirements. This includes everything from the floor insulation to the walls, ceilings and windows. As a result of this, double paned or vinyl windows are becoming the "green standard."

But we can't stop there. The energy efficiency must be carried out and implemented throughout the whole home with other improvements like low water use toilets, especially those that use different flush options, which allow for a greater conservation of water. In addition washing machines, shower heads, faucets and dishwashers should also be outfitted in a manner that allows them to be used in a manner that is efficient, but doesn't compromise their function.

We must also pay attention to other improvements in the home such as the air conditioners, refrigerators, and heaters, as well as the other appliances in the home. They should be of the highest standards and energy efficiency. Other items that must be considered are fluorescent lights, which should be used throughout the home or at the least replaced by LED lights whenever possible.

Bamboo or cork flooring is also popular among many of the eco friendly homes of today. Bamboo flooring is popular because it grows quickly, usually taking only about 5 years to grow to the proper length required to make bamboo flooring. Bamboo is also versatile and comes in a variety of styles and colors.

Cork is another option, which is easily harvested and does not damage the cork tree during harvesting because, the cork tree replenishes its cork bark every year or so. Cork can be made into a soft, springy floor, which is naturally warmer than many other flooring options.

The outside of the home should leave a multitude of options for "going green." Xeriscaping is a popular options which, allows landscapers to utilize plants which are native to the area in which the home is being built. Most of the plants are naturally resistant to drought because they are acclimated to the local environment. As a result they use less water than lawns or flowerbeds using beds containing foreign flowers.

Green homes are a great way for people who are really concerned about the environment and the future of the children and grandchildren to purchase a new home without making as much of a demand on the Planet's natural resources.