| Today, everybody is talking about the energy crisis, | | | | To create a more environmentally sustainable home, |
| and just about everyone is trying to solve the | | | | you can select from a growing number of healthy, |
| problem. Every country in the world is facing some | | | | green building materials. The term "Green building |
| kind of energy problem, shortages, rising cost, | | | | materials" encompasses a wide variety of products, |
| pollution and every one of them is looking for less | | | | some with low embodied energy, others |
| expensive, less polluting, alternative energy sources. | | | | manufactured from recycled scrap, and others made |
| Fortunately, there are simple and highly affordable | | | | from natural materials such as cotton or wool. Still |
| ways of ensuring comfortable living spaces that | | | | others are designed for low toxicity. Fortunately, |
| enhance humankind's long-term possibilities and avoid | | | | hundreds of green buildings materials are on the |
| damaging the life-support systems of the planet. | | | | market today, green building products are cost |
| A home must be comfortable in summer as well as | | | | competitive. If a product does cost more, however |
| winter. When designing a solar home, carefully plan to | | | | don't dismiss it. The price difference may be offset |
| accommodate and benefit from the sun's shifting | | | | by savings on another product or by reductions in |
| patterns and other natural, seasonal cycles. Before | | | | energy costs. Also, don't let builders who are |
| finalizing a building plan, spend time at the site at | | | | unfamiliar with the wide array of environmentally |
| different times of the day, and pay attention to the | | | | friendly materials dissuade you. Do your own |
| sun, wind and weather. Incorporate enough windows | | | | research, check out the materials. |
| to provide plenty of daylight, but do not make the | | | | Approach your home building project in this matter. |
| mistake of assuming that solar heating requires | | | | Try to utilize all of the elements that are there to |
| extraordinary allocations of wall space to glass. An | | | | work with, in the best possible for a given location |
| over glazed building will probably overheat. A highly | | | | and set of circumstances. Try to think positively |
| insulated and well constructed home with proper | | | | about each aspect of your home, your design, and |
| number and distribution of high quality windows does | | | | your alternative energy options. Remember that the |
| not need much energy to maintain comfortable | | | | sun is everywhere, and with careful planning you can |
| temperatures year-round. | | | | build a home that harmonizes with solar energy. |