Ecofriendly Design & Construction - Improving Home Design

The way that buildings are designed and constructed has much to do with how much water and energy they use. Thus, utilizing ecofriendly design & construction can minimize a house's effect on the environment and can make it eco-friendly. Designing homes to be sustainable can significantly help the environment. Proper architectural drawings are needed.

The way that a building is shaded can significantly affect its energy usage. If a house is faced north, it can have maximum shading during summer and more sunlight during winter. Also, utilizing shades over windows can help keep heat and glare from coming into a home. This can reduce the energy used for heating and cooling a house, as the home will have a more stable temperature. Drafting can help reduce temperatures during summer.

If you use solar panels for your home's energy source you can significantly reduce your impact on the environment. Solar power does not create harmful emissions and it is entirely sustainable. There are ways to utilize both solar power and other forms of energy so that a home has power throughout the year.

There are new types of windows that help to trap heat within a building. Heat-trapping windows often utilize a special type of glazing that reduces the heat of a home in the summer and increases it in the winter. These windows, when sealed properly, help to reduce your home's energy costs indirectly by making it so that you do not need to utilize your heater or air conditioning as much.

An eco-friendly home is always designed to have water-efficient appliances. Many people have negative opinions of water conservation appliances because they have been faulty in the past. However, today water-efficient appliances are very effective; shower heads have good pressure and toilets do not need to be flushed twice.

In a house, insulation serves a purpose similar to heat-trapping windows. It keeps a house warm in the winter and cool in the summer by keeping outdoor weather from seeping into the house. Without insulation a home is prone to the elements, which can significantly drive up energy costs for heating and cooling. Thus, insulation is a great investment for an eco-friendly development.

Xeriscaping is a type of landscaping that should be used for every new, eco-friendly garden. It utilizes plants that are appropriate for the region. This means that they work well with their natural surroundings. Also, plants used for xeriscaping are often plants that do not need much water. Traditional lawns are rarely part of xeriscaped gardens, as they are very "thirsty." If a home must have a lawn, native grasses that require less water should be chosen above non-native grasses.

One last tip is to utilize rainwater harvesting, which basically captures rainwater. It can then be used for gardening. Because landscapes do not need filtered, pure water, the use of rainwater is perfectly fine for gardens. Thus, harvesting rainwater instead of using hose water can help to save a significant amount of water. The water collected in rainwater tanks is both convenient and free; the tanks are thus a wise investment for any serious landscaper.