The term, Green Home does not signify a home which is painted green but by Green Home we mean that place of living which supports the environment. In our present condition, a Green Home is the need of the day.
Owing to lightening fast progress in the fields of science and technology, we have consumed our own environment just to make life easy. So should we complain about the strange climatic changes, the Tsunami or famine in some areas? Dangers like Global Warming, infectious diseases and scarcity of natural resources are staring at us. It is only a matter of time until survival will become difficult.
Going Green is the only way to prevent further damage to our planet. A Green Home is built using Natural Materials for they reduce the effect of poisonous gases.
Some of the natural materials used for Green Homes are –
• Wood
• Solar Energy
• Rammed earth (Rammed earth is a method of building walls in which a mixture of earth is filled in layers between forms)
• Recycled glass
• Natural Insulation (e.g. Warmcel 100, Thermafleece, paper fiber, Non-Itch and Isonat etc.)
The good thing about the natural materials is that they are low cost and do no harm to our environment, for example wood. It is the best material for a Green Home also because a wooden home looks stylish and beautiful. Another material, Rammed Earth is also good. It is sustainable, natural, durable, cheap and perfect for a Green Home.
While building energy efficient home one must also resist the use of toxic chemicals in paints and thinners. An Architect, Revathy Kamath has built a green home for herself where in she used sandalwood or turmeric instead of paint on the walls.
An environmentally safe home should have Water Saving Devices installed in Sinks, Showers and Flush system of the Toilets. We can reuse the water by installing a rain water tank for flushing the toilet, washing clothes and watering the garden.
One of the qualities is Solar Energy. It should also be used for heating the water. We must use Fluorescent lighting & bulbs (CFL). We also, must pay close attention to the R factor in insulating properly. Also natural insulation should be used.
A Green Home must have everything in it’s construction and the cleaners used to clean it eco-friendly. The door and window panes should be made of recycled glass. There should be laminated flooring instead of the normal cemented one because it is dust free and saves the cost of a carpet. We should avoid using any dust catching material to keep a clean environment.
We are all citizens of this Earth and it is our responsibility to not only save the environment but also reconstruct it. And as they say, reformation starts at home. A Green Home is healthy, beautiful and inspiring. Build a Green Home and feel the sweetness in the reality of knowing you have done your part in passing this world on to the next generation!
Sep
4
2009
4
2009