Energy...

If you're building or renovating a home and want the biggest earth saving bang for your buck than concentrate on energy saving first and materials second.

A lot of green building advice focuses on greener, more sustainable materials, both recycled and new. However, what matters a little more on the earth end of things is energy. Here's why. Green materials are great, in fact use them all you can, but the deal is, that green materials tend to be a one time deal. They do good because you choose them over another. I.e you may save some trees by going with reclaimed wood or straw bale vs. new timber. By building with green materials you perform a good deed.

By saving energy each day, each week, each year, for years and years, you're looking at a much longer payback of good deeds for the planet. Greener materials can be costly, depending on which greener building materials you use. Some energy saving built-ins can be costly as well. If your budget only allows room for one; go with the energy saving costs.

Here are some energy costs to consider - costs that pay off better in the long run for the earth:

• The best insulation set-up you can afford.
• Really great energy efficient windows and doors.
• A great designer and building team - a team that will build right for maximum solar exposure, and who won't leave pesky cracks and holes in your home. Cracks and holes can cost you big time in energy losses.
• Super energy efficient appliances and light fixtures.

These are just some ideas, there are many more ways to design for energy saving that have nothing to do with actual structural materials. All of the above can be costly, but in the long run you will save money and energy and the earth can breathe a little easier.