My boyfriend and I are going to start building a new home. I was wondering what the price difference could be per sq ft. if we used eco-friendly materials? Standard materials are -5 per sq. ft. if I am correct. Has anyone built an all eco-friendly house?
We built a home last year and had numerous conversations about green building techniques and features with our contractor. We discovered that we would pay more up front for all the green materials, etc., but in the long run we would save money on our heating and cooling bills, water bills and so on. Remember to find out what materials you use will qualify for tax credits. For example, using certain types of windows, insulation or a specific type of water heater will qualify for a tax credit. Do your homework and ask lots of questions to find out what materials qualify. I’ve posted a link for green building and energy efficiency. It is from the home plan site where we purchased our blueprints. You might find some good tips there. Also, consider landscaping techniques such as strategically planting trees to shade the east and west sides of your home or serve as a wind block in an open area. These tactics will also help cut back on heating and cooling.
Look at some magazines & web sites dedicated to this for options (Dwell Magazine is one). All the other posters have good answers as well.
First and Foremost there are TONS of eco-friendly materials out there. Most important will be you floors, did you know that Linoleum is extremely eco-friendly and VERY affordable.
Linoleum comes in so many patterns so you can pick and choose what you like.
Linoleum is durable, affordable, antimicrobial and SOOO easy to maintain. Its on the rise now as it is eco friendly!!!
So thats one good matieral for your home unless you decide to go for bamboo which too is also beautiful. The great part about linoleum is its fairly easy installation. In the end: go green doesn’t mean its going to be more expensive.
You can even switch it up and put recycled rubber in your garage to help keep it clean or have exercise equipment on top of it, and use recycled cement as well for your home maybe in your garage….. For an den or spare room go for cork…. this will make your house eco-friendly and it will look amazing!!!!
These are all easy ways to go green. I also suggest looking at this site! :
http://green.findanyfloor.com/
It is very helpful !!! Have fun building!
No, but in the long run it would be cheaper.
If you want to make it as Eco friendly as possible, double up on the insulation and make sure you get really good windows, basically make your home as airtight as possible, a brick exterior provides an insulation value too, facing your home a certain way saves money too because you get the sun in the morning and late afternoon.
I work for a commercial construction company. From experience when pricing jobs, eco-friendly materials are much more expensive than standard spec materials. Eco-friendly materials are "high end" due to their demand and relative difficulty in procuring the material and can cost double and triple the price of standard spec materials. In the long run, it can be worth it. But upfront costs are much higher.
Another thing you could do to go eco-friendly without the expense, is to use salvaged material. Especially where flooring, doors and hardware, and aesthetic pieces are concerned.