Green Architecture and Interior Design

A Growing Point of View...

Image Courtesy of Lorena Checa

In case you haven't noticed, it's now cool to use green architecture and interior design elements. Earth-friendly elements including countertops, fireplace surrounds, floors, fixtures and HVAC systems are moving quickly into the mainstream. In many cases these materials are just as beautiful and durable as their not-so-green counterparts. It may surprise you to learn that they are also priced comparatively with other high-quality home improvement items. In other words, even though they are made from recycled materials, they are not cheap.

Many strategies for being eco-conscious are plain old common sense including using windows and doors that use the sun to provide natural light. This is called "daylighting." Using natural light means you don't have to use light fixtures in the home thus you save electricity. The house you see above won an award from the AIA for it's effective use of daylighting.

The tricky part is controlling the amount of light coming into a space to regulate heat gain and loss. The cutting edge of this concept can be seen in the houses built by college students for the Solar Decathlon an event sponsored every two years by the US Department of Energy.

The other way big way to make your house more green is to seal your "building envelope." This refers to your home's doors, windows, walls and roof. The better insulated your space is, the less energy is required to heat and cool it. One of the best ways to insulate a space is by using high quality doors and windows and well insulated walls. The extreme example for mega-insulated walls are houses made from straw bales. Yes, bales of straw.

Although these are extreme examples, you can also be a more responsible consumer by buying local materials whenever available and trying to reuse anything that you're demolishing to make room for that new kitchen or master suite. Don't freak out if what you're doing results in un-recyclable waste, it's better to do something than nothing.

As the price of energy increases solar power is finding it's way into the mainstream. Using the sun to generate electricity and heat water is no longer the stuff of science fiction or the realm of hippies living off the grid. Here's a piece on solar is coming to the suburbs and the inner city in Washington DC. Check it out.

Here's a feature about a row house renovation that shows how you can remodel and be green.

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