1. Use of green materials
2. Energy efficiency-insulation, better appliances, etc?
3. Generate a great portion of its power: photovoltaics, solar thermal, helical wind turbine, ground source heat pumps?
4. Use of natural lighting and air comfort systems?
5. Reuse of recycled homes and buildings
Yes! all of these help to make a house more sustainable. However, we believe that the size of the house and the house plan have the greatest impact on sustainability. The common sense house with appropriate spaces for living can lead us closest to sustainability.
A 5000 square foot house for a family of 4 does not make sense. No matter how much ecological materials it utilizes or how much energy it can save, its footprint is too great to be overcome.
Thank you..really informative!!
Hi! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a team of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community in the same niche. Your blog provided us valuable information to work on. You have done a marvellous job!