The push towards green housing has taken off in the last few years, but what is a green home? There are 4 major topics I want to discuss in what makes a green home: sustainability, energy efficiency, healthy environment, and carbon footprint. Learn more about green housing here.
If a home is built sustainably, it means that the products and practices used in construction can be maintained and used again and again over the long-term, i.e. “renewable”. The products need to be recyclable like steel, or re-grown quickly enough to support demand (i.e. bamboo & hemp grow so quickly that they can be harvested yearly as opposed to large trees which require tens of years to re-grow). If the machines used in the homes construction run on gas, that is not sustainable because our earth has a limited supply of oil (not to mention the harmful effects of emissions on our environment). These are just a couple examples.
You’ve probably heard of the “Energy Star” rating for appliances and this is a good place to start. Seek appliances with higher efficiency ratings. Replace an old hot water heater with a tankless one. Get your ducts checked and resealed for better efficiency when heating/cooling. Run your appliances on off-peak hours (11-7 are peak hours). All these solutions will save money along with saving energy.
Being green is being healthy. Our most common function as human beings is breathing – it is very important to have clean/healthy air in our homes. Some tips to do this would be to replace your forced air unit filter with a green/washable one, get an air purifier(s), and make sure that your home does not have water intrusion that could, or already has, led to mold.
You’ve heard “carbon footprint” I’m sure, but do you think about it in your home and with the products you buy? For example, it is always best to buy local foods (and other products) from the grocery store because they have travelled less distance (used less gas) to get here. Inquire about the production practices of the companies that you buy from – ensure that they are not polluting our earth to bring you the products you are using.
You can make a difference – do it little by little, day by day and you will be surprised where you’ll end up in 10 years. With continual effort, you will create change and a better world. If you are a local and are interested in San Diego green homes for sale, I welcome you to contact me.
Adam Pascu is a San Diego Realtor and green housing enthusiast. He makes his living his passion by promoting the green home movement in San Diego and beyond. Use his website to find San Diego green homes for sale.
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