Real Estate Green Living Tips: Save Money With a Sustainable Home

Reducing the amount of materials and energy required to build or maintain a home can help to substantially reduce your carbon footprint. At the same time, a green approach to home ownership ensures greater peace of mind, physical comfort, and preservation of a sustainable investment over the lifetime of the home.

Save money while living a more responsible green lifestyle - whether buying a condo, remodeling a home, planning new construction, or just wanting to take simple environmentally conscious steps forward. Here are some of the many interesting paths to a greener home:

Construction Methods

The use of recycled materials; formaldehyde-free insulation, nontoxic paint, and intelligent energy-aware construction methods are just a few of the ways to create a more Earth-friendly home.

• Optimum Value Engineering (OVE) techniques are those design and framing strategies for wood or "stick-built" construction that were developed by the Forest Products Laboratory in collaboration with the National Association of Home Builders. Buildings employing OVE practices use less lumber and achieve higher insulation values without compromising structural integrity.

• That translates into lower construction costs and less energy consumption over the life of the home. The amount of lumber bought, transported, wasted due to overage, and transported away from the site as trash is greatly reduced, while thermal and acoustic insulation is boosted.

• A study conducted by the National Association of Home Builders Research Center (NAHBRC) found that OVE framing techniques can potentially save as much as $1.20 per square foot when compared with conventional wood framing methods.

• Pre-fabricated architecture is also making progressive strides forward. An entire generation of green designers is offering aesthetically award-winning houses and condos that can be built quickly in a modular manner, because much of the work is done off-site. That not only reduces environmental impact but also saves the homebuyer substantial expense.

Systems and Appliances

There are a variety of ways to harness green energy as a homeowner, and one of the best is to install appliances rated with the Energy Star designation. Some states even offer "healthy home" certification for energy efficiency that can qualify the homeowner for tax rebates or other perks.

• Passive heating and cooling techniques can be also employed by almost any homeowner to capture or deflect solar heat with a reflective roof, intensive insulation, or just strategically placed old-fashioned ceiling fans. An open floor plan with good cross-ventilation, in fact, can actually reduce energy bills significantly by making a home easier to cool in summer - so green options do not necessarily have to be radically futuristic.

• For those who decide to install solar panels or wind turbines, there is an increasing amount of government support being offered. Both state and federal tax incentives are available, depending upon where you live, and many local utility companies also provide assistance.

• The utility company may, for example, help install the equipment or share the cost of the system. Homeowners who tie their panels and turbines into a public grid can also "run the meter backwards" by selling the excess energy that they produce back to the utility company. Then the power will be redistributed so it can be used by other customers who share the grid.

Green Products for the Home

Homeowners can also choose more environmentally safe and beneficial products such as "on-demand" water heaters, energy efficient light bulbs, low-VOC paints, and flooring or counter top products made from renewable materials like bamboo, cork, and recycled plastic or glass.

• Conventional house paints contain toxic Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). But low or zero-VOC paints and finishes perform just as well and they are more pleasant to use because they do not have the strong odors associated with high-VOC paints.

• Cork bark can be sustainably harvested without damaging the health of the cork tree. Then it grows back within a year or two. Cork is a great insulator and is unusually resilient - making it exceptionally comfortable underfoot. It also cleans up easily and is acoustically superior, so it is a quiet choice for any room in the house.

• Bamboo is harder and more durable than many varieties of hardwood, yet it also happens to be the fastest growing plant on the planet. As one of the most rapidly renewable sources of potential building materials on Earth, it is also beautiful to look at and gives off a warmth and glow that will enhance any ambience at a highly competitive price.

If you decide to build an outdoor deck, check out the newer decking materials made from recycled plastics. They look and perform like wood but have none of the harsh chemicals and annoying splinters that are found in conventional pressure-treated lumber. Maintain a healthy canopy of trees outside to shade the home and reduce air conditioning costs, keeping in mind that trees and plants clean the air - making the environment better for everyone.

Codes for Sustainable Homes

The Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) launched the Code for Sustainable Homes on 13th December 2006. They are a national standard when constructing new homes so that sustainable design can be incorporated. The whole home is measured through the Code and it assesses its sustainability through nine separate categories.

1. Energy/CO2
2. Health and Well-Being
3. Water
4. Pollution
5. Materials
6. Water
7. Management
8. Ecology
9. Surface water run-off.

The Code intends to signal how Building Regulations will be directed in the future in regards to home carbon emissions and energy use. The Codes are rated between 1 to 6 star rating and it shows the overall sustainability rating of any new home. Minimum standards are set in regards to energy and water use and allow both builders and homeowners' access to valuable information in terms of sustainability.

The Code Levels for energy efficiency are:-

· Code Level 1= 10%
· 2= 18%
· 3= 25%
· 4= 44%
· 5= 100%
· 6= Zero Carbon

Guidance for solutions to meeting the energy efficiency requirements for level 3 and above are below:

As of 2010 code levels 1 and 2 were made redundant as the Code Level 3 was made mandatory for new builds in both the public and private sectors, this includes both house and flats. Code Levels of 4 and above are voluntary but in the future increases in each step will take place, some landowners and agents are already selling certain sites asking for a certain Code Level. All new homes need to have an Energy Performance Certificate so a new home will have a rating against the Code anyway. This gives builders and developers an incentive to reach higher ratings. If no assessment is done on the new build then the new build is given a zero rating.

Many Housing Associations now require a Code Level 4 as a minimum standard for their houses, the reason that they require a high level is that the end product is suited to their tenants. Energy efficient homes will not only be kinder to the environment but more importantly for their tenants they will have low energy bills.

What Is Sustainable Architecture?

Sustainable architecture is the idea of using environmentally conscious techniques and materials in the field of architecture. This green building and living technique is intent on creating as little waste as possible, using renewable and clean energy, and building with materials that are not damaging to living things or the earth's environment.

Energy Use
Perhaps the largest component of sustainable architecture is how energy is used to provide power for the structure that is being built. Excellent insulation is important in a structure that is built with conserving energy in mind. Passive solar energy such as that gathered from strategically placed windows is also an important component in conserving energy and using sustainable energy sources. Awnings, shades, and shutters are considered green in that they use no electricity but can serve as passive building cooling devices.

Renewable Energy
Solar panels are utilised to capture renewable energy for use in an environmentally conscious home or building. Active and passive solar hot water heaters are another component of creating sustainable and renewable energy.

While small wind turbines may also be utilized as a way of harnessing wind power to create energy, they are not useful until winds reach at least eight-miles-per hour.

Air source heat pumps act much like an air conditioner but in reverse. These pumps can absorb heat from cold outside air and deliver it to inside the home or building. Geothermal heat pumps can also utilize warmth from deep in the ground to heat a building or home.

Building materials
Sustainable building materials may include: rock, straw, bamboo, trass (a type of volcanic rock), linoleum, sustainably harvested wood, sheep wool, concrete, clay, sisal, cork, coconut, and vermiculite. Recycled materials are also an important component of sustainable architecture and may include: denim, glass, and reclaimed, or re-used, lumber. Re-used doors, windows and other recycled architectural components are also a part of sustainable architecture.

Using green building materials that create as little environmental hazard as possible is an important, these materials include cellulose insulation, organic or milk-based paints, and treating lumber with boric acid to prevent insect damage.

Waste Management
There is often also a focus on on-site waste management in terms of solid waste, building and construction waste, and on any by-products of on-site industry. Composting toilets, kitchen waste composting, and off-site recycling are all taken into account when considering green building and sustainable architecture.

Sustainable architecture is a multi-faceted field of green living that continues to grow as more people become environmentally conscious.

If you are looking for Perth Architects who can work creatively and efficiently on your project, contact Cameron Chisholm & Nicol for an architecture company with expertise in sustainable architecture retail, hospitality, offices, education and residential architectural projects.

Sustainable Architect - Making the World a Better Place to Live, One Structure at a Time

We hear the phrase sustainable architecture thrown around, but what is it? What are we sustaining? Is "GREEN" related? What are the benefits of it? What does a sustainable architect do? I wish the answer was simple, and indeed it is.

Sustainable means to build or develop in a way that will let us keep doing it for a long period of time without adverse effects. If we overuse a material that is in short supply, it could cause us irreparable problems. For example, if our construction is heavily dependent on materials that use large amounts of water in their manufacturing and are being made in a region with a short supply of water, that could be a problem. If we design a tropical garden that requires constant and large amounts of water for it's upkeep in a desert environment, that could also be a big problem.

Now that we have an ideal of what the problems are, lets take a look at how we can adjust the way we do things to be sustainable. Sustainable is not a concept that deals with individual aspects, but rather in a holistic way. If it makes common sense, it is generally sustainable. If you live in an area where masonry products are readily produced and available from local resources, it would probably make sense to use it in construction. It would also make sense to use local plants and groundcover materials instead of having them transported from China to the US. It would also make sense to use the local climate to your advantage. If you live in a cold climate, then maximizing natural solar heating through light would make sense. If you live in a very hot environment, then shading from hot sunlight would make sense to use in order to cool the structure and provide comfort and energy savings.

Sustainable also involves urban planning. Ask yourself: Would it make more sense to build a structure in a already developed area with existing roads and utilities, or perhaps even re-use an existing structure of start from scratch? Certainly most people with a functioning brain would say that starting with something is better then starting with nothing, yet we commonly see communities of so called "cookie cutter" homes which are utterly artificial and lifeless. If the development would focus on making the best with what already exists, re-using or adapting existing structures and neighborhoods, certainly the results would be amazing.

Abhay is a young entrepreneur architect with a passion for logical sustainable architecture. He would consider himself a sustainable architect, so the articles you'll read will be about sustainability. The filter that will always be used is: does it make sense? You'll find out that being sustainable absolutely does make financial sense.

Tips on Sustainable Architecture

One of the breakthrough concepts which emerged from the green construction is the idea of sustainable architecture. This simply means using Eco-friendly techniques and materials in the architectural field. The green building and green living techniques aims to create as little waste as possible. Sustainable architecture also promotes the use of clean and renewable energy with the use of building materials that do not damage the earth's environment.

Sustainable architecture focuses largely on how energy will be used to provide the much needed power for the entire structure being built. To effectively conserve energy, the building must have an excellent insulation. Shutters, shades and awning are widely used in green building because these require no electricity for its operation and yet, they can be used as passive building coolers. Passive solar energy which is collected from windows which are strategically located is valuable in conserving energy as well. In terms of using renewable energy, solar panels can be used to capture energy from the sun. Solar energy can be used in providing energy for the home or structures.

Air source heat pumps absorb heat from cold outside air, and it delivers it inside the building or the house. These work like air conditioners in reverse. On the other hand, geothermal heat pumps can also use the warmth from underground to provide heat to a home or a building.

When it comes to sustainable building, the proponents and experts recommend some earth-friendly materials like coconut, concrete, harvested wood, rock, bamboo, linoleum, sheep wool, clay, cork, vermiculite, straw and other natural-based objects. One of the most important components of sustainable architecture is the use of recycled materials such as glass, lumber and denim. You may also reuse doors, windows, flooring and other recycled architectural components to build a sustainable structure. In addition to these, cellulose insulation, lumbers treated with Boric acid, and organic or milk-based paints are used to complete a green building. These materials do not damage the environment to the same extent as the non-Eco-friendly materials.

Another important component of sustainable architecture is waste management. The proponents of green construction require construction companies to design and build their structures based on an Eco-friendly method. The focus is on on-site waste management especially in terms of solid waste, construction waste, and all the by-products of the construction process. Composting and off-site recycling are taken into consideration when carrying out green building. This is also done to ensure that the health of the people working in the site and on the surrounding communities is protected from all the harmful effects of the wastes.

How Technology Is Really Helping Us Become More Sustainable

I'm a technology lover like many people are. I love my smart phone and laptop and just about anything else that has technology and is useful. Everybody has that inner Geek in them to some level. You might have noticed that technology products have become more efficient in their energy use. Companies brag and advertise about how their product uses less energy and has a longer battery life because they are aware that consumers are looking for that, not necessarily because its "green", but because it makes sense financially and is more convenient to use. Who would want a product that uses more energy instead of one that uses less?

Solar panels area a great examples of how technology has helped us be more sustainable. With the improved technology and with the help of sustainable architects, they have been specified more frequently, have become more efficient, and have also become far cheaper than they used to be. Clear glass can even be used a solar panel with advances in technology. Some cars even have an optional solar panel on the roof that operates a fan when your car is parked in order to prevent it from getting too hot inside. Who wouldn't want that technology and convenience in their car?

One invention that Sustainable Architect is really impressed with is the BloomBox. We are in no way whatsoever affiliated with BloomBox or its manufacturer, however it is the product that we feel is closest to being ready for mass production. A fuel cell of this kind, which can be as small as a stack of DVD cases can actually power a whole house and keep it off of the grid, saving the homeowner money and also making them less dependent. When this becomes popular, it could actually be the end for coal-burning power plants, which pollute a tremendous amount. Energy could be provided to homes wherever they are located, independent of their proximity to the electricity grid. We believe that as products like these become more marketable, hundreds of similar products will be developed. This will increase availability, reduce the price and make society as a whole more sustainable. It will also create an incredible amount of job and financial opportunities.

At one point in time, people proclaimed that we would put a man on the moon and they were mocked and ridiculed. With a lot of technology and determination, it happened. If we can put a man on the moon, just imagine what we can do with technology? We can have all of the gadgets, convenience and comfort we want and be very sustainable.

Sustainable Architect is a public blog and source for Sustainable Architecture information created and maintained by Teche, an architecture firm based in San Diego.

Sustainable Building for Education

Sustainable building is now high on the agenda. There is currently social, political, and legislative pressure to ensure that any new school buildings are seen as "sustainable". This is a part of your drive to be an Eco-School. This includes any shelters and gazebos, as well as new classrooms.

With so much to think about whilst primarily focused on budget and deadlines, how can you ensure that your school building is truly sustainable, and causes minimum impact on the environment through manufacture, construction, life span; and, at the very end of its life, demolition. Our recommendation would be to choose timber for sustainability, and off-site manufacture for budget and speed of delivery.

Timber is the planet's only natural, renewable, recyclable construction material: it has been used in construction for many thousands of years. Now with FSC or PEFC certification you can be confident in its sourcing as well.

In order to keep the focus on the budget at the same time as sustainability, we would suggest you look at off-site manufacture: buildings which are factory prepared prior to delivery to site, and consequently provide large savings on construction costs through reduced build periods and site disruption: systems such as Cabinco's MPL shell buildings. The logs are precision factory engineered and then delivered to site ready for speedy, accurate, construction of an individually designed sustainable building.

The larger the proportion of timber in your new school building, the more chance of a fully recyclable building envelope. Timber does not have to be restricted to just the outer skin which gives the appearance of sustainability, but can extend to the inner walls, floors, windows, doors, roof structure and even the final roofing material through such options as cedar shingles. A solid wood solution.

Checklist for Sustainable Buildings

Sustainable sourcing of materialsNoise, Odour & dust during constructionWaste to landfill during manufacture and constructionMaintenance and energy required during use of the buildingRecyclability after the end of the building's natural life.Overall Carbon Footprint

Carbon Footprint

The carbon footprint is an assessment of the impact of the school building on the environment. It looks at all aspects of the processes involved in delivering your built solution in great detail, and includes such things as the energy used in manufacture, where that energy comes from, whether it is renewable energy; energy used in transportation of materials, including the fuels used; construction phase energy and waste; in service energy consumption; and, finally, end of life energy use - or NOT in the case of timber, which can be reused as fuel.

Research shows that timber buildings have the lowest whole life carbon footprints of all.

A company with a real focus on supplying sustainable buildings will provide all this information on its website. Cabinco is award winning expert in designing and constructing sustainable school buildings and eco-schools throughout the UK. Visit the website for more details.

Sustainable architect - make the world a place better to live, a Structure at a time

We hear thrown around expression, but what is sustainable architecture - this? What we support us? Is "Green" linked? What are the benefits of it? What does a sustainable architect do? I wish the answer was simple, and in fact it is.

Sustainable means build or develop in a way that will let us continue to make it during a long period of time without adverse effects. If we abuse a material that is insufficient, could cause us irreparable problems. For example, if our construction is heavily dependent on which uses large quantities of water in their manufacturing and materials is made in an area with a shortage of water, which may be a problem. If we design a tropical garden which requires a constants and large quantities of water for its maintenance in a desert environment, which could also be a big problem.

Now that we have an ideal of what are the problems, lets take a look at how we can adjust the way in which we be sustainable. Sustainable is not a concept dealing with individual aspects, but rather in a holistic manner. If it's common sense, it is generally sustainable. If you live in a region where masonry products are easily produced and available from local resources, it would probably make sense to use in the construction. It also makes sense to use local plants and materials cover instead of having their transported from China to the United States. It also makes sense to use the local climate to your advantage. If you live in a cold climate, and natural solar heating maximization through light would make sense. If you live in a very hot environment, then the hot rays of the sun shading would be logical to use to cool the structure and comfort and energy savings.

Sustainable also involves urban planning. Ask yourself the question: would it make more sense to build a structure in an area already developed with existing roads and utilities, or perhaps even to reuse an existing structure to start from scratch? Certainly most of the people with a brain works would say that something is better then to start from nothing, and yet often see us communities called houses "cookie cutter" which are completely artificial and without life. If the development would be better to do with what already exists, by reusing or adapting existing structures and areas, certainly the results would be incredible.

Abhay is an architect of a young entrepreneur with a passion for logical sustainable architecture. It would consider him a sustainable architect, so articles that you will read will be on sustainabilitx. The filter that will always be used is: is it meaningful? You will discover that being absolutely sustainable makes financial sense.

Sustainable construction for education

Sustainable construction is now one of the agenda. There is currently the social, political and legislative pressure to ensure that new school buildings are considered "sustainable". It is a part of your disk for an eco-school. This includes any shelters and viewpoints, so that new classrooms.

With so many things to think about everything mainly focused on the budget and on time, how can you ensure that your school building is truly sustainable and causes minimal impact on the manufacturing, construction, life environment; and, at the end of his life, demolition. Our recommendation would be to choose wood for sustainability and the site of manufacture of the budget and the speed of delivery.

Wood is the material of construction only natural, renewable, recyclable in the world: it has been used in the construction of several thousand years. Now with the FSC or PEFC certification you can be confident in its way of sourcing.

To keep the focus on the budget with sustainability, we suggest that you look at off-site manufacturing: buildings that are prepared before delivery to the site, factory and provide large savings on the costs of construction during the periods of build reduced and disruption of the site: systems such as shell's Cabinco MPL buildings. Newspapers are factory of precision designed and then delivered to the site ready for fast and precise, to an individually designed sustainable building construction.

More the proportion of wood in your new school building, most likely a fully recyclable building envelope. Wood does not have to be restricted to just the outer skin which gives the appearance of sustainability, but may extend to interior walls, floors, Windows, doors, roof and same structure the final roofing material through such options as the Cedar shingles. A solution of solid wood.

Checklist for sustainable buildings

Materials Noise sustainable supply, odor & dust in the construction Waste to landfill sites in the course of manufacture and construction Maintenance and energy required in the use of the building Recyc lability after the end of life of the building.Global carbon footprint

Carbon footprint

Carbon footprint is an assessment of the impact of the building on the school environment. It focuses on all aspects of the processes involved in the delivery of your solution built in detail and includes such things as the energy used in manufacturing, where this energy source, if it is renewable; energy used in the transport of materials, including used fuel; energy of phase of construction and waste; energy service; and, finally, the end of the energy of life - or step in the case of wood that can be reused as fuel.

Research shows that wooden buildings have the lowest carbon footprint of the life of all.

A company with a real focus on providing sustainable buildings will provide all the information on its Web site.

What is sustainable architecture?

Sustainable architecture is the idea of using materials and techniques of the environment in the field of architecture. This green building and living technical is intended to create as little waste as possible, using clean and renewable energies and the construction materials which is not harmful to human beings live or the environment.

Energy use
Perhaps the most important component of sustainable architecture is how energy is used to provide the energy for the structure under construction. Excellent insulation is important in a structure that is constructed with energy in mind. Such passive solar energy collected from strategically placed windows is also an important element in the use of sustainable energy sources and energy savings. Awnings, nuances, and the components are considered green they use no electricity but can serve as a passive construction of cooling devices.

Renewable energy
Solar panels are used to capture renewable energy for use in a conscious domestic environment or construction. Passive and active solar hot water heater is another component of the creation of sustainable and renewable energy.

While small wind turbines can also be used as a way to take advantage of wind power to create energy, they are not useful until winds reach at least eight-miles-per hour.

Air heat pumps act much like an air conditioner, but in the opposite direction. These pumps can absorb heat from the cold outside air and deliver within the home or buildings. Geothermal heat pumps can also use heat from deep in the ground to heat a building or at home.

Construction materials
Sustainable construction materials may include: rock, straw, bamboo, (a type of volcanic rock) trass, linoleum, wood harvested sustainably, wool of sheep, concrete, clay, sisal, Cork, coconut and vermiculite. Recycled materials are also an important element of sustainable architecture and can include: denim, glass and wood recovered or re-used. Reused doors, Windows and other architectural components recycled are also part of sustainable architecture.

By using building materials that create as little environmental danger that possible is an important ecological, these materials include cellulose insulation, paints based organic or milk and treatment of wood with boric acid to prevent damage from insects.

Waste management
It is often also focusing on the management of waste on site in terms of solid waste, construction and the construction of waste and by-products of the industry on the spot. Composting in the kitchen waste composting and recycling toilet off-site, are all taken into account when considering the ecological construction and sustainable architecture.

Sustainable architecture is a field of many facets of living green which continues to grow as more people become conscious of the environment.

If you are looking for Perth architects who can work creatively and on your project efficiently, contact Cameron Chisholm & Nicol for an architectural firm with expertise in the retail of sustainable architecture, of home, offices, educational and residential architects projects.