What is a green building and why should you care? Why are people building efficient green homes? What is the number one reason for the increased demand for eco friendly houses? The answers may surprise you!
What is a Green Building? A green building (the noun) is a building that has been specifically designed to save energy, promote healthy indoor air and have much less impact on the environment.
Green building (the verb) is mainly a construction term used to describe whole house system design and techniques that use eco friendly, or green building, materials and components.
The following terms are pretty much interchangeable when talking about houses: eco friendly houses, eco friendly home, eco home, eco house, green house, green building a house, green home designs, or building efficient green homes.
Here are some great examples of using green materials for the home:
1. recycled glass counter tops - stylish and eco friendly
2. bamboo flooring - grows quickly (sustainable) with durability comparable to hardwood
3. eco friendly furniture - made from sustainable or recycled materials, or certified wood
4. tankless water heaters - water is heated on demand, saving energy
5. low flow shower heads and LED faucets that turn on and off automatically
6. energy saving appliances and light fixtures
7. renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power
Why are people building efficient green homes? Why eco friendly houses? As I mentioned, the answer may surprise you. Most people think the number one reason to "go green" is for the environment or to save energy...but, according to a recent survey done by the folks at Building Green TV and RCLCO, the number one reason people are building eco friendly houses is for health reasons! In fact, a full 42% of those surveyed replied that health was the number one reason to build a green home. Only 17% said they would be motivated by energy savings, and only 12% for the environment!
What do eco friendly houses have to do with health? According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the list below contains just some of the things that may be causing your family health problems inside your home:
Radon, Environmental Tobacco Smoke, Biologicals, Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, Organic Gases, Respirable Particles, Formaldehyde, Pesticides, Asbestos, Lead, and Chlorine.
In fact, the EPA estimates that the pollution levels inside your home could be 3-70 times the outdoor pollution levels in major cities - yuk!
Makes you want to open a window now, doesn't it?
Want to know more about eco friendly houses?
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Isabella R. Green is a full time internet publisher, writing articles and ebooks that help people create eco friendly houses.
