John Tibbetts

Environmental Health Perspectives , Vol. 104, No. 10 (Oct., 1996) , pp. 1036-1039

Published by: Brogan & Partners

Article DOI: 10.2307/3433113

Article Stable URL: http://0-www.jstor.org.books.redlands.edu/stable/3433113

“Green Houses”, by John Tibbetts examines the concept of sustainable building and design. “Sustainable design” is defined as a combination of new technologies and ancient strategies that attempt to cut unnecessary waste of natural resources, while creating healthier indoor environments. The U.S. building industry could dramatically improve its environmental and health record by following a combination of strategies, including but not limited to:

• Choosing products made from salvaged and recycled materials
• Avoiding the use of paints, adhesives, and floor finishes that contain VOCs
• Providing continuous ventilation
• Reducing construction waste
• Siting buildings to reduce environmental impact on vegetation and nearby water-ways
• Orienting buildings to make use of passive solar heating and natural cooling
• Using durable building materials that require little maintenance
• Choosing energy-efficient heating and cooling equipment, lights and appliances
• Choosing water-efficient landscaping with drought-resistant native plants
• Picking water-saving toilets, faucets, and irrigation equipment
• Designing energy-efficient buildings that use high levels of insulation

The building industry is often slow to accept new materials and technologies that save resources and protect indoor air quality. Buildings consume about 1/3 of the energy in the U.S. and about 2/3 of the electricity. 25% of virgin wood extracted from forests around the world is used in construction, all the while unsustainable harvesting of forests leaves to flooding, runoff into waters and loss of endangered species. On average, new materials can become commonplace after about 17 years, requiring even more time to catch on with the public.

There are several roadblocks to sustainable design. Developers, architects, and builders are often under great pressure to work quickly and cheaply, while building an environmentally friendly structure requires innovation and research, which are time-consuming and costly. Many alternative products cost more up front, but can often save consumers money over the long term, something that hasn’t really caught on with the public.

Some of the most simple integrated designs can drastically change a house’s ecological footprint. Be mindful of the region in which you are building. For example, in hot regions, build a home cooled by shade trees, widen roof overhangs, use deep porches and windows that face prevailing breezes. “In most parts of the US simply making the building the right shape and pointing in the right direction can cut total energy use by 30-40% at no extra cost, ” states Dianna Lopez Barnett and William D. Browning. High-efficiency windows cost more upfront, but can save 75% on heating and cooling bills. A conventional household on grid power often consumers 10,00 watt hours of electricity daily, while affordable solar systems for single homes can offer 4,000-5,000 watt hours per day. Something simple to carry out and save money on immediately.

When choosing building materials, architects consider cost, durability and aesthetics, plus how materials resist fires, moisture and decay. It is safe to say that most architects don’t take into account the health and environmental impacts of materials. Durability is an important principle of sustainable design – fewer resources are used when materials last longer.

Green homes are definitely in the realm of possibility, but one of the biggest flaws of environmental friendly design is that is has not reached lower-income people. More can be done to save the Earth, one home at a time.