Shades of Green

Recently I stumbled upon a book in my library that I bought a while ago with an intention to read immediately, but never accomplished until now. The title says it all: "Good Green Homes: Creating Better Homes For a Healthier Planet" by Jennifer Roberts, with beautiful photography by Linda Svendsen.

This book is a great read for everyone wanting to find out what makes a home green. It explains the principles of green building in a way which I find easily understandable, and from now on I will use them to explain the concept to my design clients. I would also like to share them here on my blog.

So how do you approach the green building process in your own backyard? Here are the 7 paths to a good green home, according to the book's author:

1. "Know where you are" - your surroundings play a very important role when trying to find a starting point for your green project.
2. "Size matters" - bigger isn't always better when it comes to homes. The size of your living space should be dictated by your needs, not by the amount of stuff you own.
3. "You have the power" - take charge of how much and what kind of energy you use. Be smart: use natural heating and cooling, and find out where you're wasting energy.
4. "Build for today and tomorrow" - plan for a well-built home that will accommodate to your changing needs, and will be tough enough to withstand for many generations.
5. "Clean living: protecting our air and water" - be aware of air and water pollutants, and know ways to protect your environment from them. Know how to conserve water indoors and outdoors.
6. "Build a better wall" - know the alternatives to conventional building methods and materials, and their advantages.
7. "Use the right stuff" - find out what questions to ask when selecting products to use in your home.

I encourage you to read this book, especially since it is beautifully illustrated with photographs to show the different shades of green building. As the author says: " The goal is not creating a perfect home, but creating a better home. Small steps and the right attitude can lead to big changes." Couldn't agree more!