Some Green Home Secrets

Plant shade trees close to your house, particularly where your main windows. In the summer, the filled-out trees block the sun from warming your house but winter-bare trees let the sunlight in to warm up a frigid household.

Twist your water heater down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Indue in a cover for your hot water supply heater to make certain its heat energy isn’t escaping and install low-flow units on your sinks and showers. These steps will make your water heater considerably more energy-efficient and economize water  substantially.

There are lots of DIY ideas and simple-minded innovations you can create will do your home more energy-efficient. Whether you need to put some influence into weather proofing or put some money for replacement of your not efficient home appliances or furnace, you’ll harvest the savings in the end with lowering utility bills.

Buildings that are decently sealed from the outside elements yet necessitate the use of temperature control system, such as air conditioning and heating units. Nevertheless, having a well-sealed home means that you may usually make use of littler AC and heating system units hence less energy is required to maintain the temperature within your house. One of the smart techniques exploited as an extra heating element is to install most household appliances (furnace, freezers, washers and dryers) in the basement and utilize the extra exhaust warmth from them to attend to the house heating.

An energy-efficient green home provides both nest egg on your next utility bill and pragmatic benefits for safekeeping your house comfy in many different climates. According to the Energy Savings Trust, just about fifty percent of heat energy is missed through the walls and attic of existing homes. Over a several years this loss can bring up to huge costs. Inefficient homes rely to a great extent on its heating system and cooling system to keep household climate, which put force on these same units and shortening their lifetime.

Managed flow of air within your household increases the efficiency of your heating and cooling appliances and lowers the build-up of humidity in the air. An energy-efficient green home is thoroughly sealed from the external elements and must be decently ventilated to prevent air stagnancy and moisture accumulation. Wet particles is especially harmful because it can cause structural harm to your house, or in the worsened case, allow conditions for mildew and mold to grow. Building elements that increasing air-flow include vents between rooms, kitchen and bathrooms. You can as well buy an energy-recovery ventilator (ERV), which uses the stale exhaust air flow from appliances such as a furnace and mixes it inside the device with fresh air from outside to create usable fresh air.

You can be capable to gain the energy efficiency of your mobil home by replacing all its windows. Aged windows or especially windows that have been broken let in hot or cold air …

Get your cooling and heating system checked by a pro-technician each and every year. Propel heat from wood and pellet stoves to other home areas with small ventilators installed in the top of a doorways lead out of the stove’s rooms. Spread out draperies on south-faced windows in a sunny winter days and shut them at dark time.

Do major renovations to ameliorate long-term preservation and grow green home’s energy efficiency, and installing a more efficient heating and cooling system, all windows and doors, newly insulation in attics and exterior walls, and all newly energy-efficient appliances.

Grants for Installing Energy Efficient Windows in a Home.

There are 5 different levels from which you can recuperate your invested money in energy-efficient windows of your green home …

You may constitute your own electrical energy to power your home. To produce your own free energy, establish a thoroughgoing renewable energy system that contents solar panels, a modest winding turbo system, or a hybrid system of both wind and power systems. If you are affiliated to the system of a local electricity supplier and shuffle more energy than you need, you may trade the extra to the local power company. A consultation with a sustainable designer- specialist will aid you cast what systems can supply all your electricity needs. For newly homes, the constructor or builder can integrate this into your green home design. For existing houses, necessitate to spend to a greater extent than $40,000 in renovation to set up your new green home, energy-efficient system.

Green Home Security System

By Tiny Green Mom

When it comes to keeping your family safe, you’ll go to almost any length to ensure their health and happiness, especially when it comes to creating a carefree green home environment.  But a large part of protecting your family that you take very seriously concerns doing less harm to the planet in the course of living your life, so that the Earth remains clean and green for future generations.  So when you begin sifting through home security system reviews you may be somewhat disappointed to discover that there are few eco-friendly options on the market.  But don’t despair; there are ways that you can lessen the impact of home security so that there is less energy consumption and waste involved in the process.  Here are just a few things to think about when it comes to the safety of your home and family.

One option is to install a fence (with locking gates) around the perimeter.  This is especially important if you have a pool area (and may be required by law).  You can easily find reclaimed fencing or sustainably harvested planks to use and by installing yourself (or hiring a local company that shares your eco-sensibilities) you can probably cut down on a lot of the waste and pollution that might otherwise accompany such a project.  And another low-tech option is to get a guard dog.  Some people are wary of having this type of animal around small children, and unfortunately this bias is not without merit.  But that’s just one way you could go.

You may also be keen to try security systems that use alternative energy sources.  Flood lights provide for an easy an inexpensive solution in this regard.  Many companies have begun offering motion-sensor lights that mount on your home and come with solar panels for energy-gathering purposes.  No batteries and no electricity means your security is completely self-contained and waste-free.  But did you know that you can also have an alarm system that uses no electricity?

You can install your own battery-operated system or contract out to companies that offer wireless systems.  Of course, batteries may be wasted in the process, but depending on what type of cell your alarm circuit runs on, you may be able to use rechargeable batteries.  In addition, some companies are now heeding the growing demand for environmentally sound options by implementing green initiatives.  ADT, for example, now uses recycled materials whenever possible (both on new system installations and upgrades).  They have reportedly kept more than 50 tons of waste (per year) out of the landfill in this manner (including precious metals and electrical components).

So while keeping your family safe is of paramount importance, you don’t need to compromise your eco-friendly lifestyle in order to install the level of home protection you desire.  There are options available for every budget that will allow you to reduce your carbon footprint even as you see to the security of your home and family.  You may have to dig a little deeper to find a product or company that suits your needs, but the extra legwork will provide for the ongoing safety of your family now and in the future. Read here about Green Home in Florida

Your Green Home

By FAUZIA ARAIN Chicago Tribune

You can’t save the environment single-handedly, but you can instill healthy habits in your family by employing the assistance of eco-friendly, green home household items in place of those that are more harmful to you and your environment.

NON-TOXIC LAUNDRY DETERGENT

Cut back on the number of products you use to wash a load of laundry with Grab Green’s 3-in-1 laundry detergent. The pre-measured pods (1-2 pods per load) claims to clean thoroughly, remove stains and enhance softness. We tested it and can confirm it does all three, plus we loved the lavender vanilla scent – a light, pleasant note friendly to both male and female testers. Green bonus points for being pet-friendly, biodegradable, and non-toxic, dye-, phosphate- and chlorine-free.

Buy it: $8 for a bag of 24 pods; grabgreenhome.com

CLOTH NAPKINS

Decrease your household’s paper waste, and save money in the long run, by switching to cloth napkins. Look for 100 percent cotton, and, if possible, organic cotton. The 5-pack of organic cotton napkins by Litter Free Lunch is available in three colors and natural.

Buy it: $19.95 for a set of 5, reuseit.com

BAMBOO BOWLS

It’s fun to go beyond glass and metals for your kitchenware, and you can do so guilt-free with Core Bamboo’s line of kitchenware, thanks to bamboo being a comparably replenishable, abundant resource. Not to mention it’s anti-microbial, lightweight and sturdy. You can’t beat the warm woodsy look contrasted with fun splashes of color on the Modern Round Bowls.

Buy it: $30 for the large-sized bowl; corebamboo.com

METHOD MADNESS

We love this whole line of green cleaning and home products but the clementine-scented, biodegradable dish soap has us thinking summer all year long. Read more about Green Homes in Florida.

Green Homes in India

Advice provided by: Yusuf Turab, LEED AP , Y T Enterprises

Continuing after part one of my three part series on Green Homes in India, here is the second part which intends to list out the top 10 priorities that the builder, designer and most importantly the home owner should be aware of.

This part is going to be split into a series of 10 articles, each one covering a particular green home priority. I am going to follow a ranking order listing out first, what I believe are the most important factors to be considered in greening a home and then gradually moving to lesser known but probably equally important factors. The order is my personal opinion based on the Indian context and solely takes new homes and major renovations into account. My ranking might have been slightly different if I was to consider existing homes or homes built in the coldest or driest parts of the country. I will be pleased to hear any disagreements but the bottom line is that all of the priorities I will cover are important in most situations–and there are lots of other greening strategies we should try to address, even if they don’t make it onto this list. So here goes:

Green Home Priority #1 – Reduce Water Use

Number 1 on my list of the top-10 green home priorities is to reduce water use. I expect some readers will be surprised at my choice of water and not energy being the top priority. Well, this would be fair in most countries but not in India. Water is a rapidly renewable resource in the sense that we get two major monsoons in a year but one must also remember that the quantity of water is finite and is not going to increase year after year. Energy production on the other hand can be increased as per requirement from conventional or renewable resources.

Not inferring that energy is any less of a priority, but we know that an energy crisis can be managed with human intervention; on the other hand, we are at nature’s mercy for water. But in many ways, water resource issues are an even bigger problem in parts of the country that aren’t as used to thinking about water. Take Charrapunji for example where even an annual rainfall of 11,777 mm does not seem to be enough to provide a secure water supply.

Water use in India

For those who didn’t already know here is the Indian scenario: Not a single town, village or city in India has a 24*7 water supply, not a single water board charges its consumers the amount it costs the government to convey the water from far of catchment areas to their homes, not many people know the true cost of getting a kilo-litre of water to flow from the catchment area to the taps in their homes and many people seem to believe it is gravity that brings water to their doorstep. The haves with a proper municipal supply cannot care enough for water and the have nots do not get much water. The very concept of central municipal water supply has no business model and hence like many other government services, is not sustainable.

Bangalore Water Supply

Let’s take Bangalore as an example: Bangalore is situated at an elevation of 3,020 ft above sea level but all its water comes from sources that are well below this elevation. Bangalore Water Supply & Sewerage Board is currently drawing water from two rivers namely, Cauvery (80% of the city supply) and Arkavathy (20% of the city supply). Water from these two rivers is stored in huge reservoirs constructed near the rivers. From the reservoirs, water is then let into treatment plants for purification, then the water is pumped in large pipelines to the smaller reservoirs in the city through a series of pumping stations and within the city, water is supplied to households and other establishments by further pumping through a network of smaller pipes. Hence every drop of municipal water that a Bangalorean consumes or wastes has been pumped using large amounts of energy. The exact energy consumption figures are not known but one can only imagine the cost of pumping 945 million litres of water per day to heights of 3000 ft. The scenario in other cities is either alarming (Cost of water supply in Chennai is even higher) or only slightly better.

And it gets worse: Because of the laws nature, everything that goes in has to come out in some form or the other. This is what we call sewage, which is an even bigger problem than the water supply itself. The more water we consume the more sewage we generate. The more sewage we generate the more energy intensive treatment facilities we require. Not a single city in our country treats even close 75% of its sewage. Broken pipes, unregulated colonies, slums and industrial effluent only compound our problems. In most cities sewerage systems are incomplete or non existent in some parts. Hence sewage is either simply let into the storm water drains (meant to carry only rain water) or lakes, making this water unfit for human consumption.

The Importance of Water Efficiency in India

The bottom line is: Water use reduction is such an important factor in construction of Green Homes (and other buildings for that matter) mainly because water is energy-intensive. Pumping water out of the ground or catchment, moving it from one place to another, treating it, and then treating the waste-water after we use it accounts for about 3% – 6% of India’s electricity. Water is also such a high priority because so much else depends on it. Most of our power plants draw water from rivers and lakes for cooling, and during severe droughts power plants have to shut down. Unlike the more developed countries our food system is highly dependent on irrigation. We drink and wash with water. And it takes a lot of water to generate electricity: on average 15 – 20 litres per kilowatt-hour in India.

10 Ways to Reduce Water Consumption

There are lots of good ways to reduce water use. A few of my favorites are listed here:

1. - Replace old shower-heads with new ones that do not dispel more than 8.4 litres per minute.
2. - Replace old toilets with latest dual flush systems that do not dispel more than 4.2 litres per full flush and 2.1 litres for half flush.
3. - Reduce the water consumption of bathroom faucets by installing aerators that increase air supply and restrict water supply to about 8.4 litres per minute.
4. - Install waterless urinals. Yes they work and no there is absolutely no odor. If there was, nobody would buy them and hence nobody would make them.
5. - Install pumping management system to ensure there is no overflow from the overhead tanks.
6. - Buy a water-saving washing machine. Horizontal-axis, front-loading machines use significantly less water than most vertical-axis top-loaders.
7. - Buy a water-conserving dishwasher or don’t buy one at all.
8. - Plant low-water-use landscaping. Grass is getting too common anyway.
9. - Harvest rainwater for irrigating and other outdoor uses. With sufficient filtration and purification rainwater can be used for drinking purposes as well.
10. - Treat at least the grey water to reuse for irrigation.

These suggestions are just a starting point; there are lots of other opportunities for savings. Huge savings can also be achieved simply by changing your behavior: taking shorter showers, and not running the water when washing dishes or brushing your teeth, and skipping car-washing, for example. To a significant extent, water savings is about common sense.

The larger unrelated issue: Rain is decentralized. So is the demand for water. Why can’t we decentralize the supply? In my opinion the entire system of water supply from a centralized location and also treating the resultant sewage in a central location is fundamentally flawed does not make any sense. Well, not in a big country like India with a big population and with even bigger problems. How is it practically possible for even the most efficient government machinery to supply water to 1.3 billion people and also take away all the waste they generate for little or no fee and treat it? How many STPs are we going to build, where is the water going to come from and more importantly where is the energy to do all the above? Even if we manage to treat most of the waste water in centralized sewage treatment plants there is no means to convey the reusable water back into our cities without creating more infrastructure that requires even more energy.

These traditional ideas of what a government is supposed to do for its people and what people should expect from a government needs to change. The government’s job is to act as a facilitator and not as a provider. The governments job is to encourage, support and provide technology/incentives for water conservation, water harvesting and decentralized waste water treatment systems within sites. Since rain is only seasonal the government should supply water at higher costs when people need it and for those who want to continue using the sewage systems they should be willing to pay for the quantity of waste they send out. These are larger political issues which need to be debated in the appropriate forum. But in the medium term we will continue to see political parties promising people more water hence more dams, more free sewage treatment hence more STPs, better waste collection hence larger dump yards and more electricity and hence more power plants; there is no end to it. I hope common sense prevails and some day people realize that the more we build the more we lose: Why build when there is nothing to gain? Read here also about Green Home in Florida