Want To Make Your Home More Sustainable? 3 Places To Get Started

There are actually a few ways a home can be sustainable. A space can be environmentally sustainable (or "green"), socially sustainable (designed with safety, security, and comfort in mind), and/or economically sustainable (designed to save money both during construction and throughout the life cycle of the home).  

Homing in on environmentally sustainable structures, the World Green Building Council says a green building is one that reduces or eliminates negative impacts in its design, construction, or operation while creating positive impacts on our climate and natural environment.

The council also notes different countries and regions will have a variety of characteristics that shape their approach to green building—such as distinctive climatic conditions, unique cultural traditions, diverse building types, etc. The U.S. Green Building Council, for example, uses LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification to help design and construct more sustainable homes.

The right materials can ultimately drive down the long-term cost of a home and drive up its energy efficiency. According to the Building Designers Association of Australia, all materials have an embodied energy—the energy used over their life cycle, from processing and manufacturing through product delivery. A poor choice of energy-intensive materials can diminish the benefit of all your other sustainable living choices. 

Did you know that the average monthly electric bill in the U.S. is $117? A renewable energy system can help supply some, or all, of your electricity needs, and bring your bill down over time. These options include solar systems, wind systems, microhydropower systems, and hybrid systems that include both solar and wind.  

New inventions for sustainable living continue to come to market. Consider a recent example from Berkeley Lab: sunlight-reflecting "cool walls" that have been shown to reduce energy costs by lowering heat gain in buildings. Peer-reviewed research1 by the University of Southern California and Berkeley Lab found that reflective walls could lower urban air temperature much like reflective "cool roofs."

The idea is to surface exterior walls with a solar-reflective paint or cladding. Reflecting sunlight out of the city reduces urban heat. To qualify for the LEED pilot credit, buildings must cover 75% of their exterior with a cool wall material that reflects at least 60% of sunlight, among other specifications. 

The concept has new support from the U.S. Green Building Council, which has issued a pilot credit for the installation of cool exterior walls in new homes, schools, and commercial buildings to mitigate urban heat islands.

Another example of an innovation that could help lead to more sustainable living at home involves drip irrigation systems. The University of Rhode Island promotes drip irrigation as an efficient and economical way to water yards and gardens.