With the growing awareness of the need to care for Mother Earth, home builders are also taking extra steps to create great design build homes that are eco-friendly. Green homes are planned and built using processes that are environmentally responsible. All aspects of the house, from the inside to the exterior, are carefully planned with the aim of minimizing its environmental footprint.

What will set green homes apart are their aesthetic but carefully incorporated environment friendly designs. Most green homes are self-sustaining or partially self-sustaining, at least, while still being comfortable and economical.

Eco-Friendly Design Build Home Ideas

There are certain elements and home features that contractors use to construct eco-friendly homes. Here are some excellent home building ideas to consider:

1. House Layout. Many green home design build ideas are focused on the layout. Professional contractors will use the natural landscape of the property, and make it work for the house’s benefit. This is done in order to reduce construction cost and reduce the need for extensive lighting, heating and ventilation.
2. Solar Panels and Geothermal Heat. One of the easiest ways to lower your electric bills while being kind to Mother Nature is through reducing energy usage. Solar panels can be a source of electrical energy, so installing a number of solar panels in your roof can help cut your electrical consumption. Using the heat of the land can also help reduce your heating bill.
3. Choose Building Materials Carefully. Many years back, wood was the only building material that was considered eco-friendly. Nowadays, cement, aluminum, glass, ceramics, brick, and steel are raw materials that be used to make a home environment-friendly. These materials can also be made from recycled items to increase the eco-friendly factor.
4. Green Roofing. New home design build approaches that include green roofing make a home more look attractive as well as cost efficient. This can be done by making use of green grass roofs. Another option would be to create perimeter drains, subsurface drainages and gutters to collect rainwater. This captured water can be used to irrigate landscapes. If you want to go the extra mile, you can even have a “living garden” built on your roof.
5. Room Locations. Before constructing living spaces, think about the usage of the rooms to determine which ones will need the most heating or cooling. In allocating spaces for rooms, also consider the amount of air and natural light that will enter the room.
6. Windows. Windows play a great part in making a home eco-friendly. Determine the usual direction of prevailing winds, so as to help welcome natural ventilation inside the room. Use recycled aluminum or wood as window frames.
7. Wall Materials. There are materials that are better in absorbing the sun’s heat and have low water absorption. These include bricks that are made up of lime, cement and sand. There are also low maintenance ceramics that can provide an elegant look to the exterior walls of your house.

Constructing eco-friendly design build homes are a big help in reducing the negative impact on the planet. Talk to your design build specialist today for more terrific ideas.

Greg Nelson
Greg Nelson is the owner of Nelson Construction & Renovations Inc. He is a Florida State Certified Building Contractor, creating artistry in all areas of design and construction projects. He is a musician, and artist. A husband and father, Greg appreciates all the wonderful elements of family life.

Creative Commons Attribution: Permission is granted to repost this article in its entirety with credit to Nelson Construction and a clickable link back to this page.