Since the world’s population is growing day by day and there are more needs for resources and energy, it is expected to experience higher energy consumption in the following decades. Additionally, there will be more need for residential facilities and work offices. Thus, researchers focused on developing more efficient codes and standards for the modern building industry that industrial countries should follow in the past few years. However, many homeowners prefer to have homes with better energy efficiency. Green Home is the answer to a better future for cities and nature.
What is a Green Home?
In simple terms, a green home is a facility that has been built, retrofitted, or remodeled to meet a higher standard than traditional construction. Creating a green home aim to achieve healthier, more resource-efficient, and cost-effective facilities that will enhance the living routing and experience of the people that live in them.
Typically, third-party and independent verifications are required to document the new construction meets or exceeds the green home standards. The confirmation will serve as the basis for green homes certifications and provide valuable information for homeowners to help them in building material shopping and choices.
Several organizations have developed codes and standards for green home buildings and developments. Any facility certified from these organizations indicates that the home is remodeled or built to higher standards.
NGBS, or the National Green Building Standard, was developed by the National Association of Home Builders, which is the first residential green building standard to experience the entire agreement process and receive approval from the National Standard Institute. Other green building organizations also certify new buildings or remodeled homes which are regional and statewide.
Green Home Characteristics
Generally, homeowners feel confident that their building is green certified and meets higher standards, and provides specific, documentable advantages to the facility’s residents. However, this does not mean that a house without certification cannot be a green home. Current construction contractors can create homes more comfortable and healthier, enjoyable, energy and resource-efficient, and cost-effective. Every action taken to enhance these attributes will make the facility more “green.”
Typically, there are six attributes of a home in which standards and codes are established for green buildings and homes and in which improvements can be made, which are:
Green Home Location
Everyone knows that real estate and homes are all about the location, but it is not the only status people choose their facility. Homeowners choose their sites based on how they prefer to live and where they want to spend most of their time. Being in natural settings and having open spaces with beautiful vies is essential for some. On the other hand, some people choose their home locations convenient to their daily activities and jobs. For green home locations, there are some standards, including:
- The home should be near the grocery store, and homeowners should be able to walk there.
- The neighborhood should consist of parks and green spaces.
- Bikes, vehicles, and pedestrians should play nicely together on the local roads.
Design of the Facility
Homeowners, in general, spend most of the time of their day indoors. Thus, green homes must have spaces to make occupants happy while allowing them to breathe easily, give them views of nature, bring in sunlight, and make them more productive and healthier. It is recommended to use perforated decorative panels to create a pleasing visual effect and provide the required daylight.
Green Homes Must Be Energy Efficient
Cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency are essential for current homeowners and investors. Home and building buyers are looking for facilities that can reduce their monthly expenditure rather than the overall price or price per square meter. It is crucial to understand that utility costs are a growing part of the monthly cost of house ownership. Energy-efficient green homes with materials such as aluminum composite panel cladding systems that feature low energy costs can be less costly to own on a month-to-month basis than a classic facility.
Green Home with Aluminum Composite Panels and Wood Sidings
Indoor Air Quality of a Home
Poor indoor air conditioning can result in various problems and issues, including eyes, nose, and throat irritations, headaches, allergies, respiratory issues, and other serious health issues. Purely construction buildings often have humidity and moisture problems that can lead to mold, and poorly maintained cooling and heating systems can comprise indoor air quality. Thus, a green home must feature a modern and functional rainscreen system to solve this problem.
Green Home Materials and Resources
Reusing old building materials is an efficient way to upgrade the facility to a green home. Most metal cladding systems that are used for building facades are fully recyclable. For example, it is easy to recycle ACP materials and reuse them many times without losing their physical properties.
To turn a facility into a green home, it is not necessary to address all six attributes, and bringing home to a higher standard in even one of these factors will make a big difference. Whether green improved or green certified, the essential thing is that the improvements are in line with the priorities of people who live in the house.
