Are energy efficient, durable, affordable houses “green”?
Houses built to the specifications described on this website (see here), and to higher levels of energy efficiency generally, have a significantly reduced environmental impact by nature of the fact that they use less energy. Construction techniques recommended by the Building America program also reduce the amount of material used, reduce the amount of construction waste, create buildings that last longer with less maintenance and repair, and have a healthier indoor living environment. There are other important areas of our environmental impact that are not covered by this specification. Choice of building site, landscaping, water efficiency and selection of interior finishes should also be carefully considered. These concerns can be added into the basic house specification provided by Building America to create a fundamentally sound green home. More information about these areas of green buildings is available through Greensburg Greentown (see here).
