Advantages of Building Green

The availability of eco-friendly homes has risen steadily over the past few years. The research and implementation of environmentally sound building practices and green materials have become important considerations in the minds of landowners looking to build. So why should you build an eco-friendly greenhouse plan?

What does building green mean?

As construction professionals and researchers continue to discover more energy-efficient ways of accomplishing tasks, producing materials, and building homes in general, what constitutes “green building” fluctuates. At this point, though, a home that is energy efficient has a low carbon footprint and utilizes sustainable materials in the building process can be considered a green home.

The National Association of Home Builders has developed a list of guidelines regarding what constitutes an environmentally friendly home. The National Green Building Standard™ certification verifies “that a home, apartment building, or land development is designed and built to achieve high performance in six key areas: Site Design, Resource Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Building Operation & Maintenance.”  These guidelines are helpful in coming up with a tangible understanding of what makes an energy-efficient, eco-friendly, green home.https://www.homeinnovation.com/services/certification/green_homes

Eco-friendly building materials are the foundation of a green home. Many greenhouse plans call for sustainable supplies that are created with a smaller carbon footprint than traditional building materials, like cotton insulation, Kirei board, natural coatings, bamboo flooring, or recycled glass countertops. Nearly every conventional building material now has a more sustainable, eco-friendly alternative.

Why build green?

As you begin to consider the various features of your home, several advantages accompany an eco-friendly, sustainably-built home. If you can incorporate a few of the features that favor the environment, you will reap the benefits listed below.

• Energy Savings. Heating and cooling homes constitute 48% of energy costs in the U.S (https://www.energy.gov/heating-cooling). Green homes typically use about 30 to 60% less energy than those built without regard to energy usage (https://www.usgbc.org/articles/benefits-green-homebuilding).
• Water Conservation. Green homes contain plumbing systems that preserve and conserve water through specific types of fixtures, drought-tolerant landscaping, and irrigation systems.
• Indoor Air Quality. Green homes produced with environmentally friendly, sustainable materials have a higher level of air quality. This air quality can help protect the general well-being of you and your family members.
• Cost Efficiency. Through energy-use reduction and water conservation alone, a green home can save you a substantial amount of money each month. Energy efficient homes, while at times may involve a higher initial investment during the process of building, offer significant savings over the life of the home.
• Resale Value. Green homes have a greater potential to sell at a higher price because of the demand for environmentally-friendly features. The building materials usually last longer which is a high selling point for green homes.

To save money, protect the environment, and provide support for indoor air quality, consider building a green, energy efficient home or at least incorporating some green features into your home.
 
Green House Plans

Today’s green house plans are used to build elegant homes that combine style and comfort with energy efficiency. At America’s Best House Plans, we offer a variety of energy-efficient house plans, greenhouse plans, and passive solar house plans, with a majority of the plans offering Energy Star approval. Each plan purchased includes a comprehensive 122-page guide that details conservation guidelines, features, and methods for your contractors and builders. Each individual guide for each of our Green House Plans describes the energy saving features included in the house plan.

Explore our green, passive solar, and energy efficient house plans here and take a look at some of our favorite ones: