Part II of the Green Remodeling Project Series. If you missed it, go back and read Part I of the Green Remodeling series which begins with information and a few tips about going green for a home remodeling project. If you want a green home, then the materials you use to build or remodel should also be environmentally friendly. Continue reading to learn more about how to make your home more energy efficient. A New View Windows & Doors in Anaheim offers a large selection of energy efficient windows and doors for your home or business.

“Go Green” Materials You can use for New Construction or Green Remodeling Project

Recycling and Reuse

Green remodeling project products include recycled plastic, reclaimed lumber, recycled glass, or some natural products like cork and bamboo. Start changing your shopping habits and try to reduce the need for buying new products you don’t really need. You can slowly transfer to buying environmentally friendly products and start using recycled materials like plastic, aluminum, glass, tile and reclaimed lumber. In addition, you can always reuse old materials such as doors, windows or flooring for décor or craft projects. Think about using the things you have and you’ll cut costs considerably.

Passive Solar Design

If you want to add passive solar design features, make sure you get guidance from an architect. David Wright, an architect and an author of The Passive Solar Primer, suggests installing larger windows on the south side of the house in order to gain more heat during the winter. Keep in mind in warmer climates use of window coverings may help deflect heat during the summer months.

Solar Energy

Many people decide to use the most natural power that’s all around us, the sun. Solar energy is one of the cleanest and most renewable sources of energy. The panels can be quite costly, but the energy savings are great in the long run. The amount of power you can collect directly depends on the location of your house and the way you’ve constructed solar panels. People who start using solar energy get bonuses like government grants, incentives and tax breaks.

The Choice of Lighting for your Home

Time to replace your incandescent light bulbs to save energy. LED lighting and CFL (Compact Flourescent Lightbulbs) seem to be quite expensive at first, but they actually use much less energy and last much longer. This choice of lighting is perfect for your new green home, as it provides you with extra cost savings over the product’s lifetime. It is said that energy-efficient bulbs can last 3-25 times longer and save up to 20-75% energy than the regular ones. Check the packaging before purchase and installation of LED lights of CFL bulbs.

Use Solar Lights for Gardens, Front Entry, Patios

LED Solar lights are very popular for use outside your home to light up pathways, gardens, decks, porches, and landscaping. Many people purchase the LED solar lights with motion detectors and use them in their front entry or back patios to detect motion at night, they are extremely bright when motion is detected.  Once you purchase them, they cost nothing to run as the sun regenerates the energy needed to light them up.

Image Source: Solar Garden Lights

Hire an Expert

Whether or not you’re tackling DIY projects, hiring Green remodeling project experts is one of the necessities if you’re planning to do a serious remodel on your home. Redoing the whole kitchen or the bathroom, or changing the roof line or adding an extra room certainly asks for an architect who will design the project. You’ll also need an engineer that will review all the plans you’ve made, as well as a general contractor who will manage the construction. In addition, you must consider consulting the city building inspector to obtain the proper building permits. Make sure all the construction and remodeling is done according to code.

Cost Effective Benefits of Going Green

There are many cost effective benefits of having a green house, some of them being:

• Reducing your carbon footprint.
• Encouraging other members of your family (children especially) to learn how to save energy.
• Saving money for some other things you want to enjoy (trips, holidays, special events, education, etc.)
• Being less stressed when you receive your monthly energy bill.

Some energy experts think that within the next three or four decades we will no longer be able to use combustion-type fuels within our homes. Simply, because we’re going to be running out of cost-effective or environmentally safe ways of attaining those fuels. Energy efficient homes will become the mainstream quite soon. Therefore, making a Green remodeling project effort or new construction green building a necessity. If going green makes our houses better and decreases our bills, there’s, indeed, no reason for a delay. Get a quote on cost of replacement windows and installation of new doors.

Written by guest author: L Hawkins
Revised and edited by: M. Hill