Green Home Technology

Technology has become an indispensable part of our daily lives, from the essential cell phone to all the technology filling every room of our homes. Still, conservation of natural resources is essential, and we can reduce the environmental impact while also enjoying a huge television screen or other cool gadgets. Green home technology is the eco friendly way to make energy efficiency improvements and make an indoor environmental quality enhancement.

The green revolution has brought geothermal heating and cooling options, renewable energy solutions, green building products that feature native plants, solar water heating and numerous eco friendly accessories designed for saving and conservation that allow a low impact development that would not destroy the environment.

Let’s conduct a simple green home technology experiment: before you buy a new electronic device, for instance, look for the ENERGY STAR label - these devices have been certified by the U.S. Government to exceed federal standards for energy efficiency. Then, look for less toxic components - elements such as mercury, lead and cadmium pepper are essential components to many home electronics, and they have wound up in landfills and trash heaps all across the world. In order to reduce this issue, Europe has instituted a Restriction on Hazardous Substances, so search for companies that adhere to RoHS standards, they will contain less toxic material.

By taking into account these two simple things before buying a new device, you will buy less toxic, more energy-efficient home electronics, while also reducing environmental impact.

Once you have purchased the new electronics, don’t through the old ones in the trash! The toxic elements they contain can cause tremendous problems if they end up in a landfill, because in time these toxins will seep into the groundwater and possibly pollute nearby lakes and streams. All electronics should be recycled, so call your solid waste authority to schedule a pickup for these devices.

Even if you are not buying any new devices, you can still adopt a green living style: just look at how your technology is connected to the home’s outlet. If you leave your electronics plugged directly into a wall outlet, they are most likely draining electricity. Up to 40 percent of electricity used by home electronics is estimated to come from this drain. To fix this, try plugging in electronics into surge protectors - when you want to turn everything off, simply turn the surge protector off and stop the drain. It easier and more convenient, and it is a great waste reduction.

Green Home Technology and Green Building Products -  Trends in Home Construction

The green revolution is on the rise, and green building products and techniques that are environmental-friendly are seeing a rapid rise in sales. Green practices can be incorporated in every step of the building process, right from the beginning. There are many green options and eco friendly accessories available nowadays, from the concrete, masonry, doors, windows, beams, mechanical and electrical systems, moisture and heat protection, finishes, appliances to just about any aspect of building. The eco friendly way is without a doubt gaining increasingly more ground, so here are the most popular choices when it comes to green building products:

• flooring - wood flooring made from wood that has been taken from old or disused buildings is among the most popular green choices, as it is a smart way to recycle; moreover, for new flooring products, builders can now opt for green materials such as bamboo, cork and rubber; new linoleum products are also available now in a recyclable version, less toxic than their predecessors;
• carpets - nowadays you can also find recyclable carpets, which use little or no toxic materials in manufacturing; as a bonus, they also cost less! One of the most popular choices are carpet tiles, because they are very eco friendly and they are extremely easy to install and replace;

Why Choose Green Building Products?

The main goal of green building is not only to reduce the environmental impact, but also to provide a healthier place to live for the home’s occupants. Each and every aspect of a green home employs non toxic or less toxic materials, and you will need much less water energy usage, as green products come with great energy efficiency improvements. There are numerous advantages to building and living in a green home. There may be a higher upfront cost, but in time the energy costs alone will more than make up for any upfront costs. Energy efficiency, water efficiency, landscaping and materials efficiency will lead to substantial costs savings. In addition, a green home will have used much less toxic or chemical based materials, so it will be much safer and healthier for the occupants.

Green Remodeling Trends

Green remodeling has also become a hot trend, as homeowners can now incorporate green building products, practices and materials when they are remodeling their homes. For instance, during a typical kitchen remodeling at least some of the appliances are replaced. To remodel in an eco friendly way, replace them with energy star efficient appliances. It will save you energy and money at the same time! In a bathroom remodel, simply replacing the old toilet with a newer model will save several gallons of water for each flush, which will lead to significant water savings over time.

Green building, a.k.a. green construction or sustainable development building, basically refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible, as well as resource-efficient throughout a building’s life cycle: from siting to building and design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and demolition. Green development expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability and comfort. As a result, green development reduces the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by:

• Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources
• Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity
• Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation

Now, let’s take a closer look at the practical benefits of green home technology:

Energy Efficiency

Green buildings generally include measures to reduce energy usage. To increase the efficiency of the building envelope - the barrier between conditioned and unconditioned space - they may use high-efficiency windows and insulation in walls, ceilings and floors. Passive solar building design is another common strategy, often implemented in low-energy homes. Designers orient windows and walls and place awnings, porches and trees to share roofs and windows during the summer, while maximizing solar gain in the winter.

Effective window placement can also provide more natural light, thus lessen the need for electric lighting during the day. In addition, solar water heating further reduces energy usage. Onsite generation of renewable energy through solar power, wind power, hydro power or biomass can substantially reduce the environmental impact of the building.

Generally, power generation is the most expensive feature to add to a building.

Water Efficiency

Among the key objectives of sustainable development is reducing water consumption and protecting water quality. In many areas, a critical issue of water consumption is that the demands on he supplying aquifer exceed its ability to replenish itself. Facilities should increase their dependence on water that is collected, used, purified and reused on-site to the maximum extent feasible. Waste-water may be minimized by utilizing water conserving fixtures such as ultra-low flush toilets and low-flow shower heads. Point of use water treatment and heating or a system that collects rainwater can also improve both water quality and energy efficiency, while reducing the amount of water in circulation. Moreover, using non-sewage and greywater for on-site use such as site irrigation will minimize demands on the local aquifer.

Indoor Environmental Quality Enhancement

The Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) is one of the five environmental categories in LEED standards, and was created to provide comfort and productivity of occupants by addressing design and construction guidelines, especially indoor air quality (IAQ), thermal quality and lighting quality. Indoor air quality seeks to reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other air impurities such as microbial contaminants. Choosing construction materials and interior finish products with zero or low emissions during the design and construction process will improve indoor air quality. Many building materials and cleaning products emit toxic gases, with a detrimental impact on occupants’ health and productivity. Avoiding such products will allow a building’s indoor environmental quality enhancement.

Waste reduction

Green development also seeks to reduce waste of energy, water and materials used during the construction process. Well-designed buildings  help reduce the amount of waste generated by occupants as well, by providing on-site solutions such as compost bins which reduce matter going to landfills.