Principles

Principles

Energy
Solar energy, insulation, furnaces and heat distribution methods; Carbon Emissions; Zero Energy

Site and Water
Landscaping, soils, low water use appliances

Materials
Re-used, Recycled and Renewable, toxicity, longevity, embodied energy

Healthy Homes
Toxics, molds, dust and allergens. Ventilation and filtration.

Design
Creating the "right" building

Although we design a home with all principles in mind at once, in order to make the problem easier we break it down into components while paying attention to how they affect each other. Luckily the impacts on each other are often not dramatic (although sometimes they are). Sometimes decisions we make in one area can have a negative effect on other areas. For example a more energy efficient house may require more material to build, or a product with recycled content may have some toxicity problems. Often those tradeoff can be avoided, although there are sometimes products on the market which at first glance have significant environmental benefits, but on deeper inspection are of dubious merit. By looking at all these principles at once, it is easy to weed out those products.

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