Building with green design concepts and architecture can be a rewarding experience for both your wallet and the environment. Although the initial costs of building a green house may top those of a conventional home, expenditures can be made up in reduced utility bills. One way in which building a green house is more efficient than building a standard house is in the reduced consumption of electricity.



Building a green house easily allows for new energy sources to be utilized. Using wind turbines can be one way to create electricity in green homes. Solar panels are an additional way to power electricity in a green house. Gas and coal power are steadily increasing in price, but it will probably have little effect on those installing green technologies. The only costs in using solar and wind power are the materials and installation costs. Both abundant and constantly renewable, the resources of sunlight and wind are free! Building green houses with wind turbines and solar panels can be both environmentally friend and economical as sources of power.

Another design concept that can be used in building a green house is the gray water system. Since they reuse water consumed in one area of the home for recycle in other areas, gray water systems are more efficient. For instance, using a gray water system could allow green home residents to collect water used while showering for watering a garden or flushing toilets! Since water is being reused throughout the home, less of this precious resource is being unnecessarily wasted in day to day living. Gray water systems are yet another state of the art technology that can be used to save money and reduce the carbon footprint of a home.

Building materials used and design of the dwelling are also key factors to consider when building a green house. In building a green house, there are many options including recycled materials. From insulation to roofing and even flooring, it is possible to use recycled or salvaged materials for nearly every surface in green house designs! Not only are recycled or salvaged materials often more cost effective for building, they are often more durable than other materials. Using locally salvaged building materials can reduce the carbon footprint of a home even more if they are locally obtained. In building a green house, using building materials obtained locally is better for the environment because they do not require as much energy to manufacture and transport.

Different kinds of architecture can be used in building a green house in order to regulate indoor temperatures. Design which increases exposure to sunlight and heat retention is possible with green architecture and would benefit those building in cold climates. A comparable design principle can be applied to those building a green house in warmer areas. By harnessing biomass from beneath the surface of the Earth as well as limiting sun exposure, those in warmer climates can keep cool. The ways to reduce carbon footprints while saving money are truly endless when building a green house!