Before the green movement gained ground in this country, being green was solely motivated by the effort of individuals who wanted to benefit from the environmental and financial perks of implementing green strategies for their homes. Although there is no governmental entity that sets forth guidelines for green building, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) is the official institution to provide building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.
The USGBC developed the LEED program, …

Imagine somebody came to your house to audit energy consumption in your home and offered concrete ideas and suggestions to make improvements to lower your energy bills with upgrades that don’t require up front cash. Not only that, this quality service is guaranteed and comes to you at no cost. This is exactly what an Energy Alliance does. An energy alliance does not use taxpayer money but a revolving loan pool made up of private funds from which users can borrow without incurring monthly payments; savings from …

Rainy days are perfect days to stay at home and stay dry while snuggled comfortably under a blanket with a nice, warm cup of hot chocolate. Better yet, if, while you are relaxing, all that rain can help you save water and lower your energy consumption and therefore the utility bills for your small house. Capturing and reusing rainwater is easy and requires minimal initial investment and set-up.
Capturing rainwater is generally encouraged and often the installation of such a system is even rewarded with tax breaks; however, check your local …

Using the sun’s energy to heat a home naturally and lower energy costs is becoming a goal for many home owners. Solar panels are growing in popularity, but the extensive initial cost can be quite substantial and is a turn off for many home owners trying to build or become more eco friendly on a budget.
A Trombe wall is another option for collecting the sun’s heat in a new home. A Trombe wall is built from stone, concrete, metal or other material that acts as a thermal mass that collects …

Building a green home has traditionally been seen as being out of reach due to the costs associated with green building products. Today’s green homes don’t have to cost astronomically more than traditional homes, and the energy savings outweigh any costs that may be higher than non-green options.
Initial Costs
When buying or building a new home, you will have your downpayment and then your monthly mortgage payments. As you are putting your building plans together or considering different house plans with green elements, you will need to not only consider the …