Sustainable Ideas...

Here are 35 ideas for building green... Feel free to add your ideas in the comments.

1. Use salvaged, recycled, and reclaimed materials.

2. Build small. At least only build what you need; no more than one bedroom per person actually living in the home. A family of four does not need four bathrooms. Seriously.

3. Try a green roof.

4. Buy from responsible, sustainable wood suppliers.

5. Work with eco-friendly builders and contractors. For example; do they have a paperless office, do they carpool to sites, etc.

6. Aim for natural ventilation.

7. Understand LEED - you don't have to go for LEED gold stars, but the basic principals should be in the back of your mind.

8. Avoid pressure-treated lumber when possible.

9. Always design with passive solar in mind.

10. On the building site supply refillable water bottles.

11. Try earth floors.

12. Find out if local codes permit graywater recycling and reuse.

13. Aim to eco-renovate an older house before deciding to build new.

14. Buy building materials and hire building help locally.

15. Don't build too far out in the sticks - to avoid excessive transportation needs.

16. Landscape with drought resistant plants, flowers, and shrubs.

17. Recycle any building material leftovers possible.

18. Plan for daylighting.

19. Build for the long term - don't make flighty decisions and build strong and durable to last.

20. Consider tankless water heaters.

21. Plan, build, and then stay put forever. Not always possible; but each time you move, renovate, or rebuild, resources and excess energy is used. It’s sustainable to stay where you are.

22. Pay special attention to moisture reduction. Mold and mildew can do homes in faster than you might think.

23. If you break it you buy it – not literally, but if you take out trees to build or mess with the soil, you need to restore and make amends. Transfer trees when possible, or better yet build around them.

24. Choose your building site wisely.

25. Build on previously used land - avoid building on new, untouched land to preserve natural spaces.

26. Install LED lighting in small spaces.

27. Try new roofing shingles made from recycled plastics and rubber.

28. Don't purchase over packaged supplies - i.e. buy screws, tools, and other materials that come free of an outer box or plastic coating wrap.

29. Install Energy Star appliances when building new - consider keeping your old appliances if remodeling.

30. Think about bamboo flooring.

31. Try cellulose insulation.

32. Incorporate as much alternative and efficient energy as possible.

33. Think about co-housing developments.

34. Use the sun in as many ways as you can think of.

35. Design for forever. As you age, your capacities change – what if one day you needed a wheelchair, or a door handle that turns easier? Build slightly wider doorways, install easy turn doorknobs at the start. If you ever sell, it would be smart to be able to sell to a disabled individual or an elderly couple. Small forethought given to design now can benefit the future generations in the home, without renovation requirements.

Also read: 50 Sustainable Home Design Features & Resources