As a people, our current wasteful lifestyles wont be sustainable for long. This is something we become more aware of as we see its effects. And so green home design, formerly a small market, is spreading steadily over the world. Many predict that green home design will eventually dominate the housing market-- which would be a very good thing. In the U.S., housing accounts for 38% of the countrys carbon emissions. So in the fight on global warming, how we choose to build our homes (with green home design or without it) is going to have a huge effect on our future. If youre looking to incorporate a bit of green home design, there are a hundred small things you can do to green-up your home. But if youre seriously interested in reducing the impact your home has on the environment, there are four basic green home design concepts to follow.

Rule 1 in Green Home Design: Go Small

   Theres something gloriously attractive about large, mansion-like homes. But large homes use up an incredible amount of energy for heating and cooling-- and this energy generally comes from nasty fossil fuels that muck up our environment. These homes also require more resources for building and create more waste as a result. So if youre looking to incorporate green home design in your building plans, build small.

Green Home Design Rule 2: Incorporate Passive Solar Design

   Passive solar cooling and heating is one of the most important elements of green home design. This kind of heating and cooling is relatively simple, and uses the climate to dictate the design of the home. In warm climates, design is used to reduce the amount of heat absorbed by the home. In colder areas, design is used to reduce the amount of heat lost. To do this, green home design is incorporated into the orientation of the building, the location of the windows, the flooring (stone is best), and other elements of the home to reduce the amount of energy wasted.

Rule 3 in Green Home Design: Recycle and Reuse Materials

   Almost everything used in a traditional home harms the environment in some way, either by its manufacture (plastics and artificials) or its transport (naturals). The use of renewable or recycled materials which are manufactured locally helps to reduce the damage building can have on the environment. Use recycled materials, such as recycled insulation and lumber composites, or quickly-renewable products, such as bamboo flooring, in your green home design.

Green Home Design Rule 4: Optimize your Heating and Cooling

   Heat and AC systems are the most energy-consuming elements in almost any home. And no matter how tempting a large AC system might sound during the hot summer months, this type of system can ruin your good intentions for a green home. Large AC systems overcool the air, and tend to cycle on and off too frequently. Because of this, they dont last nearly as long as smaller systems, creating a huge amount of waste along with energy loss.