When the U.S. Green Building Council was founded in 1993 it didn’t appear that it would be just an environmental movement. The Council (known as USGBC) sought a marketable approach to green building as a way to transform the built environment.

Out of this idea came the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, launched in 2000.

According to Richard Fedrizzi, who became USGBC’s CEO in 2003, LEED was meant to “transform the marketplace towards sustainable building.”

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Architect, Sarah Susanka, has helped reduced the popularity of McMansions by introducing a quainter lifestyle, beginning with our homes.

Her book, ‘The Not So Big House,’ embraces the idea that less is more and that luxury does not have to mean excess. So what does this have to do with green and energy efficient homes? How can a smaller home work for you?

A small, modest home means less heat, less air-conditioning, and less lighting. A home with fewer square feet is more efficient because a smaller amount of energy is needed to run the A/C, provide hot water, and perform other energy consuming activities.

So what can we do to make the most of the space we have?

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Your yard has always been an important part of your home, whether cooking on the grill in the summer or enjoying a fall fire. Making these spaces an extension of your home has become popular and almost expected in today’s market. But how can our outdoor living space become part of our green home?

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Green homes can look modern and sleek, but what if you want a more traditional looking home? Like a craftsmen or a cape. Holistic Homes is building four green and energy efficient craftsman style homes in Woodstown, New Jersey that are big on style and luxury and small on cost and energy.

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Love that new car smell?

That smell actually comes from the upholstery and plastics in your brand new car. Many new materials and everyday products contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which enter the atmosphere and can affect our health and the environment.

So what exactly are VOCs, where can they be found and what can we do to avoid them? VOCs stands for volatile organic compounds and are typically human-made chemicals. According to the USGS, the word organic, though typically associated with healthy and natural products, actually means that the compound contains carbon.

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Ditching your commute for a home office may seem like a great way to save money, but working from home isn’t entirely free. Running computers, office equipment, heating/cooling equipment, and lighting all day as opposed to just the few morning and evening hours in a day will increase your utility bills.

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Changing out your old water fixtures for low-flow ones is easy and fairly inexpensive. But if you have been avoiding this task because you are afraid of losing precious water pressure, don’t worry, low-flow fixtures have come a long way.

How Much Can I Possibly Save?

Taking a quick 5 minute shower can use up to 40 gallons of water, according to FlexYourPower.org . Replacing your showerhead with a low-flow fixture can save up to 80% of that water per shower!

So the answer seems easy: replace your water-wasting fixtures with low-flow fixtures. But most of us are still reluctant to do so because a low-flow shower suggests low pressure, which doesn’t sound too attractive in the morning. However, manufacturers have recognized this and have developed low-flow showerheads that feel just like their less-efficient, conventional counterparts.

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Almost 20 million people in America suffer from asthma according to the Environmental Protection Agency . Indoor air pollutants are a large part of the problem for asthma sufferers. What does building a green home have to do with the fight against asthma?

The amount of time we spend indoors might have something to do with it: most of us spend as much as 90% of our time indoors. With various indoor-air pollutants lingering in our homes, indoor-air quality can become a major factor for people with asthma. The impact can be reduced by taking a few simple steps, many of which are practiced in healthy green homes already.

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Is Radiant Floor Heating For You?

Radiant Floor Heating seems all the rage lately, but how does it work? Why is it used in green and energy efficient homes? And is it a better choice than a Forced Hot Air system?

Radiant Floor Heating can be installed under any type of floor but slab, tile, and masonry floors are the best because they store heat most efficiently. Hardwood floors also work well with a Radiant Floor Heating System, but carpet should be avoided because it essentially insulates the floor, reducing the heat that enters the room.

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