Rainwater Harvesting
Companies like Conservation Technology sell systems that collect and recycle rainwater by piping water from your home’s downspouts to a central filter that separates solids and stores the water in a surface or underground tank. The water is disinfected and the resultant greywater is used in the garden, to fill swimming pools, flush toilets, and wash clothing. You can even have a system set up that allows you to use collected rainwater for bathing, cooking, and drinking.
Many homeowners are taking the initiative and rigging up their own greywater systems. A group in California called the Greywater Guerillas hosts hands-on workshops where participants learn to reroute and reuse household water.
Radiant Heat
Most of us heat our homes with forced-air heating, which shoots warm air from vents in the walls and floors. However, since heat rises, a more efficient way to heat your house might be radiant floor heating.
There are two types of radiant heat. With electric heating, floor wires heat up and send that energy up through the floor. This is the best option for retrofitting your home, since it requires only a basic installation. The other option, and the more efficient one, is a hydronic system, which forces heated water through tubes that are distributed throughout your floors. Radiant heating is a great, convenient alternative to conventional heating, especially if your roofs are low and your home is small. Your contractor can help you weigh the costs of installment against the money you’ll save in heating costs.
There are many options out there for making your home more eco-friendly, and the best part about this next generation of green technologies is that there are financial incentives that can make them a more practical solution to your home building needs. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), a program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), offers a voluntary rating system that promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes. You can find local incentives for building a LEED home through the USGBC’s searchable online database.
