50 Sustainable Home Design Features & Resources

jchait — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:00:00 -0400

Sometimes it’s nice to dive deep into a single green home topic. Other times it’s cool to have a nice long list of ideas to work with. Following are 50 features of smart green home design. These ideas for building a green home will get your brain pumping and the creativity flowing. To learn more about each sustainable home design feature, simply click on the link.

Minimal construction waste
Minimal site impact
LEED Residential
Rainwater catchments
Building shelf efficiency
Compact size – or small home design
Rammed earth
Solar energy
Re-Green Guidelines
Gray water use
Urban infill site
Passive solar
Natural non-toxic finishes
Masonry heater
Proper orientation
Local building material use
Green roofs
Permaculture design
Passive cooling and heating
Sustainably harvested timber
Healthy site soil
Renewable energy use
Use of salvaged and recycled materials
Cellulose newspaper insulation
Earthship
Use of native plants on site
Natural ventilation
Use of drought resistant plants on site
Earthbags
Sun tunnels
Microhydroelectric (pdf)
Close proximity to services, work, and public transit
Preserving existing vegetation
Green Architects
Site responsive design
Breathable wall system
Composting toilet
Wind power
Recycled flooring
Renewable energy production
Energy saving appliances
Checklist for a green home
Energy efficient building envelope
Radiant heat
Straw bale construction
Day lighting strategies
White roofing
Cob building
Solar powered water pump
Earth floors

If you’re thinking of building green, but aren’t sure where to start, this list should give you plenty of sustainable home ideas to explore. Of course, there are other sustainable building features not covered above, and some features that overlap. Also, no one will integrate all of these options into a single home, but it’s nice to know that so many great green building features exist.

50 ways to green your home

50 Sustainable Home Design Features & Resources