With a good part of the world focusing on going green lately, it's time you get
up close and intimate with some green building techniques for that dream home
of yours that you're planning to get constructed for your family.
We must not be forced to explore the universe in search of a new
home because we have made the Earth inhospitable, even uninhabitable. For if we
do not solve the environmental and related social problems that beset us on
Earth - pollution, toxic contamination, resource depletion, prejudice, poverty,
hunger - those problems will surely accompany us to other worlds.
Donald G. Kaufman and Cecilia M. Franz (from their joint authorial work
Biosphere 2000: Protecting Our Global Environment published in 1996)
Well, crying over spilled milk is something that we humans are experts at! I
mean, just look at all the ecological mess we made since our cave dwelling
ancestors learned how to make fire by striking flint stones together and here
we are, their ultra modern, tech savvy descendants who are doing more damage to
the environment and putting up a face of resenting our anti-Nature actions at
the same time. Oh, the two-faced hypocrites that we are! Well, don't get me
wrong here. I don't mean to include the entire scope of humanity
 |
| Green Home Building |
within the
purview of the term hypocrites. I do happen to know a lot of people who
genuinely feel Mother Nature's agony and pro actively lend a helping hand every
now and then to at least keep this world from getting any worse than it already
has. It is people like these that make conscious efforts to make economic use
of the available natural resources and avoid artificial technology as much as
possible in order to save ecology from any more damage. In keeping with this beneficent
and holistic principle of having as environment friendly a life as possible,
the concept of green building came into being and is, nowadays, a very popular
trend in housing and construction. The following segment takes you on a brief
tour of eco-friendly building techniques that are available these days.
Simple
Eco-friendly Building Techniques
Green building, also referred to as sustainable building, is all about
realizing and showing a sense of compassion and responsibility towards the
environment even while you set up a residential structure. The objective of
green construction can be traced to the birds' nesting philosophy. You see, while birds build their nests in the
very play field of Nature (trees and forests, that is), they leave Nature looking
and feeling, more or less, the way it did before the nests were built. Right
from the choice of dense foliage to the building materials, none of it causes
either an obstruction to the scenery, or has any negative impact upon the
environment. That being said, here are a few green building tips and techniques
that you will definitely find useful in case you're planning to construct your
own residential space for you and your loved ones.
♣ Eco-friendly Construction Materials
Ecology friendly building materials are those that have been
recycled or have been reclaimed from various other construction sites. By
choosing recycled or reclaimed materials over newly manufactured ones, you
would fulfill your share of responsibility towards preserving the environment
by discouraging unnecessary exploitation of natural resources and that will, in
turn, lead to a reduction in the volume of industrial waste. The bottom line
is, why go get new materials when a lot of usable finished stuff is strewn all
around? Refraining from encouraging wastage is the first step that you take
towards building a conscientious society that believes in economic utility of
resources and lives by the principle of elimination of wasteful consumption.
♣ Tightly Framed Envelop
The building envelop is the skeleton of an architectural structure.
It includes the walls, roof, doors, windows, ventilators, insulation, etc. This
is nothing but the unfurnished, basic framework of a functional building. Now,
when this skeletal structure is tightly packed at the joints of attachments and
fixtures are properly secured, loss of air from either sides from these cracks
and crevices is avoided, thereby, giving the interiors a more stable
environment. That would, in the long run, save a lot of artificial heating and
cooling costs, both economically as well as ecologically.
♣ Renewable Energy for Power
Opt for renewable energy sources to generate electricity for your
house and to power household appliances. Solar power can be economically and
very effectively used for generating electricity and heating purposes. Wind
generators can be installed for generating power as well. Nowadays, various
kits are available which you can easily assemble and install yourself to
generate fuel and power for your individual property. Even small communities
can be formed in the same locality to set up a small, localized solar power
plant (follow this link to learn how to make one yourself)! Trust me, it's
really easy and can be done even if you're not a techie yourself!
♣ Paints and Furniture Polishes
Nowadays, eco-friendly paints are available that are a healthier
option for the residents as well. You see, these paints are made by using
natural pigments from organic sources and do not contain harmful volatile
compounds that conventional paints are made of. As a result, they neither give
off unhealthy gas fumes nor does the chemical smell take ages to go away! As
far as furniture polishes are concerned, instead of going for the traditional
chemical varnishes and veneers, opt for natural oils such as an
olive-oil-and-lemon-juice mixture. You can add in a few drops of your favorite
essential oil to aromatize your household and skip those artificial air
freshening sprays and chemical vapors.
Also, keeping the plumbing of your home well maintained is a good way in
eliminating water wastage. Last but not the least, make sure to install proper
ventilation facilities so that you can regulate the thermal temperature of your
house to suit your preferences without having to resort to artificial heating
or cooling devices. Also, generous air circulation throughout the house keeps
the air inside from getting stale and unhealthy. All that carbon dioxide laden
air (a result of the residents' respiration) gets expelled, and your lungs get
a chance to breathe in fresh, oxygen rich air more often. For even better
results at keeping the air fresh and healthy, keeping potted plants in
most-frequented and well ventilated areas of your house is an excellent way to
welcome Nature and make Her a part of your daily life!
Read more at: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/green-building-techniques.html
Post a Comment