Making Your Home Green

When used in reference to buildings, green is not a color – it is a statement that the structure is ecologically friendly. That means that it makes, preferably, a positive impact on the environment or, at least creates only a minimal negative impact. There is no set standard on what makes a building green. Generally speaking for a building to be truly green, it must have been designed and built with the environmental factors in mind.

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What It Means

However, that does not mean that older buildings, especially homes, cannot be made greener. These are a few of things that can be done. Remember, going green means reducing resource consumption, so utility bills reduce saving significant amounts of money. Over time, the green changes that are made will pay for themselves.

• Install Daylighting Systems: Tubular Daylighting Devices (TDDs) collect light from the roof and use high tech piping to carry the light through walls and floors to even the most interior parts of a home. This eliminates the need to use electric lights during the day, reduces power consumption and brings down electricity bills.

• Install A Whole House Fan: These attic mounted fans run at a fraction of the cost of air conditioning. They suck warm stale air out of the home and replace it with cooler fresh air drawn in through open windows. The cool air, drawn in during the mornings and evenings when the exterior temperatures are low, can keep the home pleasant for many hours. A whole house fan may eliminate the need for air conditioning. If the ambient temperature is very high, air conditioning may still be required, but the load will be greatly reduced so the power consumption will come down and that means lower electricity bills.

• Upgrade the Insulation: The warmer the home is in winter and the cooler in summer, the less power consumed to heat or cool it.

• Be Water Efficient: Install sanitary fittings and appliances that use a minimum amount of water.

• Use Energy Efficient Appliances: Replacing older fridges, washing machines and so on with new energy efficient ones will have a major impact on the amount of power the home uses.

• Use Solar Energy: If viable, consider installing solar panels to provide electricity and heat to the home.

These few upgrades can turn any home into a green, energy efficient one.

Make Your Home A Greener and Healthier Place

Of all the modifications, installing TDDS and whole house fans are the easiest and among the most cost-effective. Unlike windows and skylights, TDDs are quick to install and can carry light to even the most interior parts of a home. No structural changes have to be made. The same is true of whole house fans. The attic installation does not affect the rest of the home or the building structure in any way. With both these in a home, it becomes a greener, more comfortable and healthier place. 

Purchasing the best quality products is not as expensive as people may presume and it will ensure many years of trouble-free service and money saving. Contact the dealer of a reputed manufacturer to now more about daylighting systems and whole house fans and how they can change your home environment.