Green Home Design

As people are becoming more aware of their environmental impact, many are trying to incorporate green home design and green building design into their lives. While this is certainly a noble consideration, not all products that are certified green are created equal. People often use green home design and sustainable home design interchangeably, but this is not the case. Here we will look at what a green home design is and how it differs from a sustainable home design.

Green products

All sustainable products are green, but not all green products are sustainable products. For a product to be considered sustainable, it must be manufactured in a way that does not cause pollution or deplete resources, it must have little or no toxicity, and it must serve a green purpose. Green products need to only serve a green purpose, regardless of any toxicity or how they were manufactured. For example, a door and window sealant can be considered green because it helps insulate your house, reduces heating and air conditioning costs and keeps out moisture that can cause mold. But that sealant may contain harsh chemicals that are harmful to breath, making it a non-sustainable product.

Green home design

In practical terms, there isn’t a huge difference between a green home and a sustainable home. Green home design generally means a well-sealed home that is highly efficient. Once the efficiency standards are met, then issues of sustainability can be addressed. A green home will make efficient use of energy through measures such as green insulation, energy-efficient windows and other products that reduce energy consumption. A green home may still be receiving power exclusively from a power company that uses fossil fuels, whereas a sustainable home relies more heavily on wind and solar energy. The same applies to water usage. A green home may efficiently use water provided by the city, but a sustainable home will use captured rain water to supply the home.

Green products and green home designs are a step in the right direction when it comes to reducing environmental impact. However, many products that are green in their application and function are not green in their chemical composition or manufacturing process. Moving beyond green toward sustainability should be the higher priority for those looking to reduce environmental impact.