| A quiet revolution is going on in the real estate | | | | Green-building homeowners and more and more |
| sector. Many successful professionals are putting | | | | developers opt for natural and sometimes manmade |
| considerable money into building their own dream | | | | materials created from renewable resources, |
| homes, and many of those professionals are | | | | materials which do not expose residents to health |
| choosing to build according to green principles. | | | | risks. Vinyl, which is infamous for outgassing toxic |
| Perhaps the first decision these new homeowners | | | | fumes, is rejected in favor of safer materials; |
| face is how to heat and cool their homes. Before | | | | hardwood flooring, much of it harvested from |
| even considering what sort of heating and cooling | | | | old-growth forests, is replaced with materials like |
| system they will choose, they need to decide on a | | | | bamboo, and cork, two renewable materials providing |
| design and materials for the exterior structure. | | | | two very different, attractive looks in flooring. |
| Alternative building methods including rammed earth, | | | | Those not in the position to design and build their |
| straw bale, and flying concrete construction feature | | | | own home still have the option of "greening" an |
| thick walls, often over a foot thick, which conserve | | | | existing home, using a wealth of safe, nontoxic |
| heat in the winter and keep the home cool in the | | | | natural materials. Conventional plywood, which is |
| summer. Some homeowners are even opting for | | | | manufactured using urea formaldehyde, can be |
| subterranean dwellings, using the natural insulating | | | | replaced with a number of new, safer materials, |
| quality of the earth to lessen their need for additional | | | | including "Plyboo," created from bamboo. Kiln-fired |
| heating. Even when opting for conventional wood | | | | clay tiles, wood from sustainable forests, natural, |
| structures, homeowners are choosing the latest | | | | safe interior and exterior paints, and a host of other |
| insulation materials, which offer optimal heat | | | | materials help create a clean, healthy home |
| conservation with little to no outgassing of toxic | | | | environment. |
| fumes. | | | | Building and renovating green currently costs more |
| Energy-conserving heating systems, some of which | | | | than using conventional materials; some green builders |
| create radiant heat from hot water pumped through | | | | estimate the difference at about 15 percent. |
| pipes beneath the floors, save on energy; passive | | | | However, recently wood prices have soared, and |
| solar construction - homes with south-facing | | | | increasing transportation costs due to the rising cost |
| exposure and large windows - allows the sun to | | | | of gasoline and diesel has impacted the price of |
| warm the home. Solar panels provide electricity for | | | | building materials, so the difference in cost between |
| lights and electrical appliances, and gray water | | | | conventional and green building may well even out. As |
| systems recycle used water for additional use in the | | | | it stands now, increasing numbers of prospective |
| home. Some homeowners in colder climates opt for | | | | homeowners are willing to pay a premium for a home |
| wood- or wood-pellet-burning furnaces rather than | | | | made of attractive, sustainable, and healthy building |
| the conventional oil furnace, installing modern furnaces | | | | materials. |
| designed to minimize emissions. | | | | |