Green building is becoming quite popular nationwide.  Everywhere I go, I see giant signs proclaiming new developments to be green office buildings, green condos, green housing complexes, etc.

Of course, there is always the catch 22 that if you are tearing down a perfectly good home in order to build there, how green can your building really be?  After all, you just sent a whole bunch of housing materials to the landfill!

I personally am of the opinion that the best way to build green is to update an existing building.  Here are some green renovations that you can do to your house.

  • Recycled window frames.  Many composite window frames — frames that have vinyl on the outside and wood on the inside — use recycled vinyl and wood in creating the frames.  For instance, Renewal by Anderson windows are composite windows.  (They also stop heat transfer and improve a house’s energy efficiency, for greater green-ness.)  You can get composite windows in any style or size, from picture windows to French doors.
  • Energy efficient appliances.  Energy Star is the recognized name in energy efficient appliances.  These appliances use as little energy as possible, considerably less than their traditional counterparts, saving homeowners money on utilities — and saving the environment by using less electricity, natural gas, etc.
  • Green insulation.  Believe it or not, these days you can even get green insulation for your house.  Green insulation is either made of recycled materials, natural materials, or both.  For instance, you can insulate your house with recycled newspapers or denim.  The recycled materials are treated with a type of fire-retardant, making them just as safe and effective as traditional fiberglass insulation.

As you can see, you can do things to make any home a little greener, so there’s no reason to tear them down in order to make way for “green” buildings!

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