Use
Renewable Energy and Rapidly Renewable Materials:
Renewable
energy comes from sources that are self-renewing, such as the sun or wind,
or managed with planned renewal upon use, such as managed forests. These
sources are generally not depleted when used in a responsible fashion or are
managed in such a way that they are carefully recreated when used.
Solar
based – solar panels & photovoltaic cells can be used to create your own
energy. Depending on location and orientation, solar energy can provide a
portion of the energy used in your home. These systems are just coming into
their own and the costs to install them vs. the energy gained and the time
required to recuperate the costs must still be carefully balanced.
Wind –
Wind farms have been built in many areas of the country to provide energy
based on windmills.
Geothermal – systems that use the temperature below the earth’s surface to
heat or cool a liquid circulated through it. Geothermal energy systems are
becoming used to heat commercial, as well as residential buildings. The U.S.
Dept. of Energy says that almost everywhere, the upper 10 feet of the
Earth’s surface maintains a nearly constant temperature between 50 and 60º
(10 and 16ºC). A geothermal heat pump system consists of pipes buried in the
shallow ground near the building, a heat exchanger and ductwork into the
building. In winter, heat from the relatively warmer ground goes through
the heat exchanger into the house. In summer, hot air from the house is
pulled through the heat exchanger into the relatively cooler ground. Heat
removed during the summer can be used a no-cost energy to heat water. For
more information please visit the U.S. Dept. of Energy and search for
Geothermal Basics.
Wood
Products – These days standards have been developed to create “sustainable
forest management.” According to Metafore, a non-profit organization dealing
with environmentally preferable wood products, “With forest certification,
an independent organization develops standards of good forest management,
and independent auditors issue certificates to forest operations that comply
with those standards.” Issues from the size of the clear-cuts to the length
of time between harvests are determined in order to protect the viability of
a forest. There are several different organizations that certify forest
products and there are some differences in forest management standards, but
all are looking to prevent stripping the trees from the land and destroying
the environment.
Use
Energy Efficient Products:
ENERGY STAR
qualified products and practices help you save money and reduce greenhouse
gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S.
EPA and U.S. DOE. The ENERGY STAR label also designates superior energy
performance in homes and buildings. For more info please visit:
www.energystar.gov.
Recommendations from the Energy Star program include:
Sealing
and insulating the "envelope" or "shell" of your home — its outer walls,
ceiling, windows, doors, and floors — is often the most cost effective way
to improve energy efficiency and comfort. ENERGY STAR estimates that a
knowledgeable homeowner or skilled contractor can save up to 20% on heating
and cooling costs or up to 10% on their annual energy bill by sealing and
insulating. New energy efficient window coatings and installations can work
with the sun to block or allow heat to pass through, as well as preventing
drafts and easing window maintenance. Films are also available to be placed
on existing windows where heat from the sun is a major issue.
Lighting:
Use energy efficient lightbulbs. It really can make a big difference when
you switch to compact fluorescent bulbs. A standard lightbulb used for 4
hours a day produces 63 kg of CO2 a year. A low energy lightbulb used for
the same period only produces 11 kg of CO2 a year. Multiply the difference
by the number of lightbulbs in your house and you can see the difference
both in Carbon Dioxide production and energy used.
ENERGY
STAR qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies that use 10–50%
less energy and water than standard models. Look for energy efficient
refrigerators, clothes washers, room air conditioners, dehumidifiers and
dishwashers.
New
plumbing fixtures and shower heads are designed to perform the same way and
give the same satisfaction with significantly lower use of water
Passive
Energy Use
Landscaping
Techniques
Using
native plants usually requires less water and maintenance with higher
survival rates.
You don’t
have to pave everything in site. Paving large areas as development has
increased in cities and suburbs (making surfaces impervious), means that
rainwater has to run off and collect in larger pools, without the ability to
be absorbed by the ground. Inadequate measures of drainage to account for
these increased amounts of water has dramatically increased flooding
problems in many parts of the country as large quantities of water from
storms have nowhere to go and cause streams to overflow, pond on roadways
making travel hazardous, or seep into basements and destroy possessions and
often mechanical equipment. Allowing rain water to penetrate into the
ground, or collecting it for reuse in landscaping, or designing roof gardens
which can absorb water, instead of having if run off hard surfaces is highly
beneficial in every instance. If you need to pave, create a pond or dry
stream bed in your yard, which can accommodate water from a storm and be
attractive in all seasons. There are now paving materials with fine holes
built into them, so that water can seep through and be absorbed by the
ground. Rain barrels from gutters collect water that can then be used for
gardens, car washing, and other outdoor uses.
When
designing landscaping for your yard, think about site orientation and the
impact of the sun during different seasons. Deciduous trees, if oriented
properly, are excellent for shielding a house from sun during the summer and
allowing the sun’s warmth to come in during the winter. Evergreen trees can
provide windbreaks in exposed situations or privacy when surrounded by
neighbors. Plants can prevent runoff and erosion from slopes during
rainstorms and certain types of trees, such as willows, really like water
and are good in wet situations, although shallow rooted and can creep around
pipes if planted too close. If you’re lucky enough to have a damp area,
think about plants typically used in water gardening, which will absorb
water and provide beauty.
Orienting
windows to take advantage of light reduces the need for artificial lighting
at certain times of the day, although it can increase heat load.
Use
Simple Energy Efficient Methods and Safe Products
Programmable Thermostat: If you’re out during the day, why pay to heat an
empty house. Programmable Themostat’s can turn down the heat when you’re
away and warm up the house shortly before your return.
Turn
lights on and off, don’t leave them on. Unplug anything that is not in use.
“Phantom electricity”, electricity used by things that are just plugged in,
phone, computer and camera chargers, small appliances, leftover modems, tvs
and other miscellaneous items actually use electricity and add up.
There are
now motion sensor devices which can turn on lights in hallways and rooms
when someone enters or is moving about.
Use water
restrictors in showheads and be mindful of shower lengths and leaving water
running when washing dishes. Fill the dishwasher before using. Don’t fill
pots and boil any more water then you need.
If your
windows are leaky, use the clear plastic film in the winter. Even if you
have a screen door with no storm door, use the clear plastic film to seal it
up. The film shrinks with a hair dryer and is virtually invisible. The other
option is clear weatherseal tapes, which you can run along places where you
can feel a draft.
Put foam
insulation around your doors or storm doors or double hung windows.
If your
attic is reachable, increase the insulation, either on the floor if it’s not
a walkable space, or between the rafters.
Even
electric outlets on exterior walls let in cold air, and there are little
foam attachements available at hardware stores which can seal those spaces.
Spray
foam insulation is available for wide cracks or openings. Just be careful
not to put too much in because it does expand quite a bit.
Turn down
your heat by a degree or two. Every little bit helps.
Combine
your errands and shopping to minimize driving.
Health
and Safety Suggestions
VOCs -
VOCs are Volatile Organic Compounds.
The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency talks about VOCs in the following manner:
Volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or
liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short-
and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are
consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors.
VOCs are
emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands. Examples
include: paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies,
pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment such as
copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper, graphics
and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers, and
photographic solutions. All of these products can release organic compounds
while you are using them, and, to some degree, when they are stored.
Benzene is a known human
carcinogen. The main indoor sources of this chemical are environmental
tobacco smoke, stored fuels and paint supplies, and automobile emissions in
attached garages. Actions that will reduce benzene exposure include
eliminating smoking within the home, providing for maximum ventilation
during painting, and discarding paint supplies and special fuels that will
not be used immediately.
Perchloroethylene is the chemical
most widely used in dry cleaning. If dry-cleaned goods have a strong
chemical odor when you pick them up, do not accept them until they have been
properly dried. If goods with a chemical odor are returned to you on
subsequent visits, try a different dry cleaner.
Solutions:
These days
there are a number of low or no VOC paints, finishes and home products.
Since paint can give off VOCs years after installation, it’s probably a good
idea to look into these products even if their cost is higher.
Throw out
old products. No point endangering anyone with stuff that is no longer
used.
Store
materials that contain VOCs in well ventilated areas and make sure tops are
tightly closed.
Carbon
Footprint Reduction – A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact of our
activities on the environment and how that impacts climate change. Our
carbon footprint relates to the amount of greenhouses gases that are
produced in our everyday life through the fossil fuels that we use for
electricity, heating & transportation. It measures all the greenhouse gases
we individually produce and is measure in “tonnes” (or kg) of carbon dioxide
equivalent. One of the goals of “Going Green” is to reduce our carbon
footprints, by reducing our use of fossil fuels wherever we can. To test
your carbon footprint or for more info visit carbonfootprint on the web.
Some of the following well-known suggestions just add to the list.
Walk or
bike when possible
Carpool
Take bags
to the market, recycle newspaper, plastic, metal & glass. Reuse when
possible. Many counties have recycling days for all kinds of products,
including refrigerators and air conditioners, which insures that dangerous
materials will be properly handled and disposed of.
Buy
products produced locally to reduce costs involved in shipping and storage.
Change is possible.
CFC’s – Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), were developed in the early 1930s and
were used in a variety of industrial, commercial, and household
applications. One use, commonly known as “Freon”, was widely used as a
refrigerant. In 1973 chlorine was found to be a catalytic agent in ozone
destruction. The initial concern about the ozone layer in the 1970s led to a
ban on the use of CFCs as aerosol propellants in several countries,
including the U.S. However, production of CFCs and other ozone-depleting
substances grew rapidly afterward as new uses were discovered. By the
beginning of 1996, production of CFCs was halted and the good news is that
(according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) the natural ozone
production process will heal the ozone layer in about 50 years. It might
seem like a long time, but it proves that change is possible when we work
together to make a difference. And that’s “Going Green” to me.
To try your own home interior design,
please visit
www.3dhomedecorator.com . This is a user friendly, online 3d home
interior design site, where you can create a room, put in furniture, art,
rugs, home offices, storage, kitchens, baths, paint and wallpaper, and see all in 3d renderings.
About the Author:
Susan Rosenstadt-Bresler is an architect, with a
master in business administration from a well-known eastern business
school. She works in real estate development, architectural
visualization, 3d model creation, and website and software development.
Her software and website can be found at
http://www.3dhomedecorator.com/ and her renderings and architectural
visualizations can be seen at
http://www.3dhomedecorator.com/render.htm