What to Look for in Green Buildings
Green building, also often referred to (somewhat inaccurately) as sustainable development, is a movement where office buildings and residential structures are made to have as little an impact on the environment as possible. This generally means using materials that are not harmful to the environment or are recycled/recyclable, installing a furnace and appliances that are energy efficient, and building a community that encourages walking and biking rather than driving a car.
If you are really serious about wanting to live green and do your part for the environment, here are some things to look for in a truly green home.
- Efficient use of recycled materials. You’d be surprised what recycled materials can be used for. For instance, composite windows such as the Andersen Renewal line of windows can utilize recycled materials in their manufacture. These windows can be custom ordered for hard-to-find window styles and sizes, such as casement windows. Even the Anderson patio door uses an eco-friendly frame.
- Efficient appliances. Energy Star makes some great energy efficient appliances for your home, such as refrigerators and dishwashers. Clothes washers can also be made more efficient by making them front-load — they use less water this way. There are also more energy efficient types of hot water heaters and furnaces available on the market. Do your research and make sure the homes you are considering have reasonably efficient appliances in them.
- Location, location, location. No matter how green your home is, your life isn’t very green if you have to commute a long ways to work in your car every day. Make sure any green home you are interested in is either close to work, or close to public transit so that you don’t have to drive regularly in order to get there.
It can be a good feeling to know that you are reducing your impact on the environment as much as humanly possible. If everyone did this, can you imagine how much cleaner and healthier our environment could be?
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