Green Home Building for DIYers

EnviroCitizen.org knows that building a green home is definitely a worthwhile investment. It creates a home that is not only better for conserving resources, but it also creates a better quality home as well as a healthier one for those that live there. You may not be surprised to hear that more and more families are choosing to build green homes, given the increase in environmental awareness. Building a green home is something that you can accomplish. It takes a little research and the right help, but it is well worth the effort.

In the beginning, try to envision what you want your green home to be like. Do you want it to have a LEED certification?  What areas of green living would you like to focus on?  Is there any certain design you would like the home to have?  What size home are you considering?  Asking yourself these and related questions can help you get inspired as well as come up with realistic goals for your ambitious project.

Once you have set your goals, it is important to hire the right help to design your home. You can still have a home in buildling your own home, but a professional such as an architect or engineer will make sure that everything is within the building codes of your area. The professional you use may also have some helpful suggestions to help you make your goals in building your home. Try looking for a professional who is LEED certified so that you know that they have the expertise and experience in creation of green buildings. Though it may be a little harder to find, finding someone certified to LEED residential standards is even better. This means that the individual has undergone specialized certification for residential homes specifically and is familiar with goals similar to yours.

The next step would be to find the help to build your home. If there is any builder in particular that your professional designer recommends, that is a good way to find one. You can also ask environmental organizations or your local government's planning department if there are any builders in particular that they recommend. Hiring the right builder will help make the concept that you and your designer have created to become a reality.

After you have done all this, EnviroCitizen.org suggests you keep in communication with the professionals you choose as the project progresses. It will ensure that everyone is clear about the details of the plan throughout the project. It will also help you to understand the project at every stage as well. Communication is important in any project, but this is especially true when you are focused on sustainability.