Building a green home from the ground up has some obvious advantages to modifying an existing home. By starting from scratch you can make sure that all aspects of efficient building are covered. Of course this situation is not possible for everyone. It can be a very demanding process, with many unexpected expenses and setbacks. We will examine the first step of the building from scratch process. This will help you pick an ideal location for your green home.

 

Contact Local Building Authorities

 

Before you decide on a location you will want to contact the local building authorities to see if they have any incentives for green home building. Some municipalities will offer smaller fees and have programs in place to support your projects. They may also be able to direct you to people with similar projects, or builders that specialize in efficient construction. Architecture green incentives may also be provided. Find out what you can from the community first, some places may be incredibly helpful and supportive, while others may be trying to slow development by charging high fees for special projects.

 

Solar Energy

 

Almost every green home is going to rely heavily on solar energy. Solar energy is the most sustainable green energy sources we have available. Solar energy can be utilized in photo-voltaic panels, solar water heaters, natural lighting, thermal mass etc. Chances are your green home project will be implementing one or many of the concepts listed above. It is crucial to orientate your home in a way that maximizes the efficiency of the sun.

 

You will want to ensure that the lot has good southern exposure. This is critical to your green sustainable design. By knowing the latitude of the location you can effectively plot the course of the sun throughout the day and predict how it will change through the year. You will want to align any solar energy devices (panels, heaters, windows) at the ideal angle so that they capture the maximum amount of energy through out the year.

 

Cloud cover is another important factor to consider. Dessert regions have mostly sun for the entire year, whereas more northern and coastal regions will have many days of cloud cover. Visit your local weather authority’s website to see a yearly average of sunny days for each region.

 

Water Management

 

How much rain does your location see each year? Is there appropriate placement for drainage? There may or may not be access to city water, if the location is remote you will probably need to use a well. If you use a well you need to ensure that it can produce the water you need. How much water is your landscape going to require? If you plan on creating a home garden you’ll want to ensure it has adequate rain fall.

 

 

WInd Activity

 

Natural wind can be used for a variety of purposes, from wind power generation to natural home cooling. Areas closer to bodies of water are generally windier. Wind flow direction is also generally predictable. Hills and valleys will move the wind in a way that can be beneficial to you. By choosing window placement in the wind direction you can take advantage of some natural cooling during the summer. In the winter you can use natural brush and cover to shield your home from the wind. Regardless of you use it, knowing the wind behavior will help you plan a more efficiently. You can find a wind history summary for your region with your local weather authority.

 

 

Overall there are many things to consider when starting an efficient home build. Most of these considerations are going to be highly dependant on the green systems you are trying to implement. It is important to recognize the pros and cons of each potential site and know how to use them to your advantage. The main idea behind a sustainable home is using natural energy to increase the efficiency of living. Make sure your site has enough natural energy to make your investment a good one.

 

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