Definition of Sustainable Design

What Is Sustainable Design?

Sustainable design is the intention to reduce or completely eliminate negative environmental impacts through
thoughtful designs. This concept can be applied across all fields of design such as designing buildings or products.

A sustainable design, regardless of the application, will seek to incorporate environmentally-preferable outcomes
such as:

 Lower energy and water consumption through the entire lifecycle – from manufacture to daily use to disposal
 Minimize impact on climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions or mitigating them through carbon
neutralizing activities
 Limit resource consumption through waste-free manufacturing, a preference for renewable resources, and an
emphasis on recycled materials
 Reduce or eliminate waste by minimizing consumption, reusing when possible, and recycling when necessary
 Minimize impact on the local ecosystem and look for ways to incorporate biomimicry principles where possible
 Give preference to non-toxic materials and those that will contribute to the health and wellbeing of humanity
 Emphasize quality and durability over price

Background on the goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were born at the United Nations Conference on
Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in 2012. The objective was to produce a set of universal
goals that meet the urgent environmental, political and economic challenges facing our world.

The SDGs replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which started a global effort in 2000 to
tackle the indignity of poverty. The MDGs established measurable, universally-agreed objectives for
tackling extreme poverty and hunger, preventing deadly diseases, and expanding primary education to
all children, among other development priorities.

For 15 years, the MDGs drove progress in several important areas: reducing income poverty,
providing much needed access to water and sanitation, driving down child mortality and drastically
improving maternal health. They also kick-started a global movement for free primary education,
inspiring countries to invest in their future generations. Most significantly, the MDGs made huge
strides in combatting HIV/AIDS and other treatable diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis.

Key MDG achievements

 More than 1 billion people have been lifted out of extreme poverty (since 1990)
 Child mortality dropped by more than half (since 1990)
 The number of out of school children has dropped by more than half (since 1990)
 HIV/AIDS infections fell by almost 40 percent (since 2000)
The legacy and achievements of the MDGs provide us with valuable lessons and experience to begin
work on the new goals. But for millions of people around the world the job remains unfinished. We
need to go the last mile on ending hunger, achieving full gender equality, improving health services
and getting every child into school beyond primary. The SDGs are also an urgent call to shift the world
onto a more sustainable path.

The SDGs are a bold commitment to finish what we started, and tackle some of the more pressing
challenges facing the world today. All 17 Goals interconnect, meaning success in one affects success
for others. Dealing with the threat of climate change impacts how we manage our fragile natural
resources, achieving gender equality or better health helps eradicate poverty, and fostering peace and
inclusive societies will reduce inequalities and help economies prosper. In short, this is the greatest
chance we have to improve life for future generations.

The SDGs coincided with another historic agreement reached in 2015 at the COP21 Paris Climate
Conference. Together with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, signed in Japan in
March 2015, these agreements provide a set of common standards and achievable targets to reduce
carbon emissions, manage the risks of climate change and natural disasters, and to build back better
after a crisis.

The SDGs are unique in that they cover issues that affect us all. They reaffirm our international
commitment to end poverty, permanently, everywhere. They are ambitious in making sure no one is
left behind. More importantly, they involve us all to build a more sustainable, safer, more prosperous
planet for all humanity.

1 Green Building Design Strategies and

Measures. 6 Advance Water Efficiency and
Conservation Measures
 Posted by quincy38293 on July 12, 2014 at 11:48pm
 View Blog

In practical terms, green building is a whole-systems approach to building design and

construction that employs features such as

 Using energy-efficient appliances and water-saving devices, fixtures, and

technologies
 Building quality, durable structures with good insulation and ventilation
 Taking advantage of the sun and the site to increase a building's capacity for
natural heating, cooling, and daylighting
 Recycling and minimizing construction and demolition waste
 Using healthy products and building practices
 Incorporating durable, recycled, salvaged, and sustainably harvested materials

 Landscaping with native, drought-resistant plants and water-efficient practices

  Designing for livable neighborhoods

Here are 11 green design strategies and measures that you can adopt:

1. Encourage the use of renewable energy and materials that are sustainably
harvested.
2. Ensure maximum overall energy efficiency.
3. Ensure that water use is efficient, and minimize wastewater and runoff.
4. Conserve nonrenewable energy and scarce materials.
5. Optimize site selection to conserve green space and minimize transportation
impacts.
6. Minimize human exposure to hazardous materials.
7. Minimize the ecological impact of energy and materials used.
8. Encourage use of mass transit, occupant bicycle use, and other alternatives to
fossil-fueled vehicles.
9. Conserve and restore local air, water, soils, flora, and fauna.
10.Minimize adverse impacts of materials by employing green products.
11.Orient buildings to take maximum advantage of sunlight and microclimate.

9 Strategies to achieve both the IgCC and CalGreen goals.

1. Use energy-efficient heat/cooling systems in conjunction with a thermally

efficient building shell. Other prudent energy-saving opportunities may exist
with heat recovery options and thermal energy storage. High R-value wall and
ceiling insulation to be installed; minimal glass to be employed on east and
west exposures and light colors for roofing and wall finishes.
2. Encourage the incorporation of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind,
or other alternative energy into the HVAC system to reduce operational costs
and minimize the use of fossil fuels.
3. Minimize as much as possible electric loads created by lighting, appliances,
and other systems.
4. Employ passive design strategies, including building shape and orientation,
passive solar design, and the use of natural lighting, to dramatically impact
building energy performance.
5. Employ modern energy management controls, as improperly programmed
controls and outdated technology can mislead a building owner that a building
is performing more efficiently than it actually is. Replacing, upgrading, or
reprogramming the temperature controls and energy management system will
ensure equipment operates at optimum efficiency.
6. Develop strategies to provide natural lighting and views where this will
improve well-being and productivity. A green building is typically designed to
take advantage of the sun's seasonal position to heat its interior in winter and
 frequently incorporates design features such as light shelves, overhanging
eaves, or landscaping to mitigate the sun's heat in summer. Room orientation
should generally be designed to improve natural ventilation.
7. Install high-efficiency lighting systems with advanced lighting control systems
and incorporating motion sensors linked to dimmable lighting controls.
Inclusion of task lighting can reduce general overhead light levels.
8. Use BIM computer modeling when possible to optimize design of electrical
and mechanical systems and the building shell.
9. Employ retro-commissioning. Most existing buildings have never been
commissioned during construction, and as they age they require regular
maintenance. In this respect, retro-commissioning can be extremely useful by
resolving problems that occur during the Design or Construction Phases, or by
addressing problems that have developed throughout the building's life and thus
make a substantial difference in energy usage and savings.

There are numerous efficiency measures that can be implemented to advance water
efficiency and conservation, including

 Employ ultra-low-flush toilets, low-flow showerheads, and other water-

conserving fixtures to minimize wastewater.
 Incorporate dual plumbing systems that use recycled water for toilet flushing or
a graywater system that recovers rainwater or other nonpotable water for site
irrigation.
 Install recirculating systems to be used for centralized hot water distribution,
and point-of-use water-heating systems for more distant locations.
 Use a water budget approach that schedules irrigation systems.
 Incorporate self-closing nozzles on hoses and state-of-the-art irrigation
controllers.
 Employ micro-irrigation techniques to supply water in nonturf areas; buildings
should be metered separately from landscape.

The following aspects should be considered when choosing building materials for a

project:

 Choose sustainable construction materials and products whenever possible.

Their sustainability can be measured by several characteristics such as recycled
content, reusability, minimum off-gassing of harmful chemicals, zero or low
toxicity, durability, sustainably harvested materials, high recyclability, and
local production. Use of such products promotes resource conservation and
efficiency, minimizes the adverse impact on the environment, and helps to
harmonize the building with its surroundings.
  Employ dimensional planning and other material efficiency strategies to reduce
the amount of building materials needed and cut construction costs. For
example, the design of rooms to 4-foot multiples minimizes waste by
conforming to standard-sized wallboard and plywood sheets.
 If possible, reuse and recycle construction and demolition materials. Using
recycled-content products cuts costs and assists in the development of markets
for recycled materials that are being diverted from landfills. One example is the
use of inert demolition materials as a base course for a parking lot.
 Allocate adequate space to facilitate recycling collection and to incorporate a
solid waste management program that reduces waste generation.
 Require waste management plans for managing materials through
deconstruction, demolition, and construction.

What Is Green Building Technology?

Updated On: 9 Jan 2020 By Sarthak Singh Gaur
Table of Contents
 Urban heat island
 Necessity of Green Building Technology
 Construction of a Green Building
 Conclusion
Green Building Technology, also known as Green Construction, is the implementation of
design in structures, buildings and commercial spaces that are environmentally accountable
and resource-efficient throughout the building’s life cycle, i.e., from planning to design,
construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and demolition.
When you read the phrase “Green Building Technology”, someone with even a tiny
amount of knowledge about engineering or construction materials would guess that
it is associated with environmental conservation or something concerning the
environment.  Those with an IT  background might think that GBT (Green Building
Technology) is a new piece of software for designing eco-friendly structures.

Basically, if we learn how green building technology helps in the conservation of the
environment and then try to adopt certain techniques to save the ecosystem through
such measures, it will help our current situation a great deal. 
One of the most cherished things in life is a person’s house, which is why everyone
tries to use the best available materials for home construction, as well as the best
location and orientation for their house. However, in this process, the environmental
impacts that the building/house will have is traditionally one of the least important or
least considered factors. This needs to change. In today’s world, where the world is
rising in support of environmental causes, it is critical that we “start the work at
home”. There is no better way to do that than designing your new house in an
environmentally friendly manner!
Urban heat island
‘Urban Heat Island’ is a phenomenon that leads urban areas to be much hotter than
its surroundings due to the dense concrete structures (which contribute towards
greenhouse gases) present in the area; this indicates a large population in the area,
which in turn means much less green surface. The exploitation of the environment is
at its peak today, so even small steps towards conservation hold immense
importance.

Sustainable Development is essential for the future (Photo Credit : kotoffei/

Shutterstock)

Necessity of Green Building Technology

The concept of Green Building Technology is often referred to as ‘Sustainable
Building Technology’, which means that the building is designed in such a way that it
consumes less energy, has great design flexibility, a low maintenance cost,
improved air quality, etc. According to data, building and construction activities
worldwide consume 3 billion tons of raw materials every year! By using green
building technology, we can minimize this number without compromising the
durability and strength of our structures.

Confused whether to use GBT or not due to financial reasons??

There is a good amount of evidence proving that green buildings provide financial
rewards to owners, residents and those operating the structures, as they have low
annual costs for energy, water, repair, etc. Most importantly, these improved costs
don’t come at the expense of higher initial costs! Through the use of modern
techniques and integrated designs, the total cost of the building can be reduced to
the price of a traditional building—and sometimes even lower! Some designs may
have a slightly higher initial cost, but the life cycle and payback cost savings of the
building compensate for that over time, but that fact is often ignored by those who
don’t want to change “business as usual”.

Construction of a Green Building

Material selection is very important for the construction of a Sustainable Building.
Appropriate steps must be followed for the proper environmental assessment of the
building material, i.e., Survey (gathering technical information), Evaluation
(calculating the cost, checking for durability, strength, etc.), Selection (using the
evaluation to compare materials, and then selecting the most preferable material).

Various alternative materials can be used in place of commonly used materials and
they should be selected based on resource efficiency, indoor air quality, efficient
usage of energy, water conservation and economic cost.

The use of recycled material, including post-industrial content, the use of resources
that are available in abundance in nature and are locally available (reducing
transportation costs and promoting the use of local materials), and the use of
materials that are long-lasting and strong when compared with conventional
materials are all factors to consider. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) also plays an important
role in material selection for construction, i.e., use materials with few or no toxic
elements present in them, that are resistant towards moisture, and have minimal
emission of Volatile Organic Compounds, as these are harmful to health.
Using GBT in structures that already exist is also possible if you follow the steps
given below:

 Flow-restricting devices can be installed in your taps.

 Use automatic taps and flushes in lavatories to save water.
 Switch off lights and other electronic devices when not in use to save energy.
 Use rainwater harvesting systems to conserve rainwater.
 Do not use Air Conditioners at temperatures lower than 25.5°C.
 Use solar panels in regions that receive ample amounts of sunlight throughout the
year.
If you’re reading and learning about all these different ideas, you can see that it isn’t
particularly hard to implement these practices as soon as possible to help the
environment!

Conclusion
 Related Articles
Green Building Technology is not only environmentally friendly, but also very
economical and is being adopted by various construction companies around the
world. GBT is a prime example of a modern development that meets the need of the
present without compromising the needs of future generations. GBT helps in saving
a huge amount of energy, which can then be used for other tasks, thus helping to
minimize the use of fossil fuels. Green Building Technology will prove to be a
blessing for developing nations, as it helps in limiting energy consumption and
promoting sustainable development.

References
1. Ijser
2. EPA Archives
3. CalRecycle
4. GovHK

10 Technologies Used in Green

Construction
By: Wesley Fenlon

Green Living Image Gallery Green technology, like solar power, may seem pricey up front compared,
but over a lifetime of use, you'll end up saving on energy costs. See more green living pictures.

©ISTOCKPHOTO/THINKSTOCK

Did you know that the Obama Administration's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has allocated
more than $80 billion to clean energy technology [source: White House]? As industry continues to expand
and the world's supply of non-renewable resources slowly grows rarer and more expensive, green
construction becomes more than an environmentally friendly option: It becomes a necessary step in how
we live our lives. Thankfully, clean energy technology is more advanced than ever before, and can be as
beneficial for your wallet as it is for the Earth. Green technology, like solar power, may look pricey up front
compared to traditional resources, but over a lifetime of use, you'll end up saving on energy costs.

But what exactly is green construction technology? It's a wide category, covering everything from energy-
efficient appliances to geothermal heating. The 10 on this list strike a balance between eco-friendly
building materials everyone can use when building a new home and more advanced green technologies
that bring cool advancements in science to the construction industry -- think bio-degradable paint (did you
know it's made using milk?) and glass that tints on command. These may be the materials and
technologies everyone uses in the future, but why wait? They're available right now.

Contents

1. Cool Roofs
2. Green Insulation
3. Biodegradable Materials
4. Rammed Earth Brick
5. Storm Water Management
6. Geothermal Heating
7. Solar Power
8. Electrochromic Smart Glass
9. Smart Appliances
10. The Zero Energy Home

10: Cool Roofs

A cool roof improves the interior temperature of a building, either by reflecting intense heat or trapping the
air inside.

©ISTOCKPHOTO/THINKSTOCK

Cool roofs are specially designed to offer increased solar reflectance and decreased thermal emittance.
In other words, they reflect more of the sun's rays than your average shingle roof, and prevent the warm
or cool air inside from escaping through the top of a building. Under the intense heat of the summer sun,
dark shingle roofs can reach temperatures of 150 degrees Fahrenheit (65.5 degrees Celsius). The
reflectance of a cool roof can cut that down by more than 50 degrees [source: EnergySavers].

Lowering the temperature of the roof itself is an advantage, of course, but the real savings are inside. A
cool roof improves the interior temperature of a building, either by reflecting intense heat or trapping the
air inside. That reduces the strain placed on air conditioning systems, thereby reducing the emissions that
result from powering our heating and cooling. Cool roofs can be constructed with a number of materials,
including special reflective paint and cool roof shingles and tiles. If you need an environmental reason to
believe in the cool roof, look no further: Their reflectance can help lower the heat island effect of urban
and suburban areas, which causes dramatically higher temperatures under harsh sunlight compared to
surrounding rural areas [source: EPA].

9: Green Insulation
Cotton insulation, like this UltraTouch Denim from Bonded Logic, is made of recycled denim.

BONDED LOGIC

Insulation is some of the nastiest stuff in construction, as anyone who's gotten fiberglass shards stuck in
their skin can attest. The stuff doesn't need to be pretty or pleasant, since it's essentially wall filler. If it's
going to stay out of sight, why not make insulation out of any old junk? That's the basic gist of green
insulation, which uses recycled materials to line our walls. Cotton insulation is a great example: The soft
blue insulation is primarily composed of recycled denim -- aka old jean scraps [source: GreenYour]. Did
you ever imagine the material that makes up your favorite pair of pants could also be used to insulate
your house?

Cellulose insulation takes an equally common product and recycles it. Any guesses as to the identity of
the mystery material? It's the humble newspaper. Recycled paper insulation comes in several forms, but
one of the most common is blow-in cellulose, which can be sprayed into walls or attics rather than being
laid out in sheets [source: GreenFiber]. Even fiberglass insulation can include recycled glass, but there's
a downside: Melting down the glass and forming fiberglass insulation is far more energy-intensive than
producing cellulose insulation from paper. Cellulose insulation often consists of 75 to 85 percent recycled
material, higher than fiberglass' 30 to 40 percent, and cellulose is even better at preventing airflow than
fiberglass [source: HouleInsulation]. Cellulose and cotton are definitely better choices when it comes to
green insulation, and neither poses the discomfort or health concerns of fiberglass [source: Bonded
Logic].

8: Biodegradable Materials

The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Co.'s Safe Paint is an excellent example of biodegradable paint.

MILKPAINT.COM

Since construction is all about building something new, we sometimes forget about the flip side of the
coin: tearing something down and disposing of building materials. Biodegradable materials can change
that disposal process into something more eco-friendly: Instead of a giant scrap heap of waste products
and chemicals, they result in products that degrade naturally without contaminating the soil. An excellent
example is biodegradable paint, which mimics the old practice of creating paint from a milk-based recipe.
The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Co. uses milk protein, lime and mineral pigments to create an organic paint
mixture [source: MilkPaint].

Using recycled products -- like recycled fiberglass insulation, for example -- is a good start toward being
eco-friendly, but products that naturally break down without releasing toxins into the Earth are even
better. Outside of the United States, hemp is used in construction for everything from building foundations
to insulation [source: Hemphasis]. United States laws forbid the growth of industrial hemp -- a low-THC
cousin of marijuana -- but at least one company is importing the hemp to create Hemcrete, a hemp and
lime mixture similar to concrete [source: BuildingGreen].

Hemp isn't the only biodegradable structural material on the block -- in fact, our next green building
technology has been in use for thousands of years.

7: Rammed Earth Brick

Rammed earth is an ancient construction technique similar to adobe that uses the raw materials of the
Earth to form sturdy buildings through a simple process. Rammed earth has been around for thousands
of years -- portions of the Great Wall of China were constructed using the rammed-earth technique.
Today, the process of forming a rammed-earth structure isn't so different than it was centuries ago. A
moist mixture of earth and hard substances such as clay or gravel are combined with a stabilizing
element like concrete and compressed to form dense, hard walls. After forming, rammed earth must cure
for months -- or as long as two years -- in a humid climate to fully cure and completely harden
[source: USC].

The density of rammed earth makes it an ideal material for regulating the temperature of a building. It will
stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and constructing rammed earth produces fewer
emissions than the typical building process [source: USC]. Modern rammed-earth equipment makes the
compacting process a bit easier than it was thousands of years ago, but there are still tools out there
specially designed to compress the walls by hand.

Rammed-earth construction isn't exactly the norm for the 21st century, but it still exists, and there are
contractors out there who specialize in designing homes with the Earth's minerals. Rammed-earth
construction does have to take special care to properly regulate water to prevent damage, which is much
like our next green technology, a system designed to harness water runoff.

6: Storm Water Management

In rural areas, water runoff from heavy rains and snowfall can carve out large swaths of land and wash
away plant life. Erosion can be a seriously damaging phenomenon, and the power of storm water in urban
areas is similarly dangerous; overflowing sewer systems can flood streets and buildings, creating
hazardous driving conditions and millions in property damage. That's where storm water management
comes in: it involves landscaping and designing systems to properly manage large volumes of water. The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is dedicated to managing storm water with a green infrastructure,
which involves using plants and soil in urban areas to control absorption and purify storm water.

The EPA's green infrastructure offers a wide range of benefits: By encouraging the growth of greenery in
urban areas, the infrastructure helps lower the heat island effect produced by heat-absorbing pavement
and metal, reduces sewer overflow by absorbing water, and simultaneously reduces the pollution of storm
water as it passes through plants and soil. An increase in green coverage reduces overall runoff, and the
plants improve air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide [source: EPA]. The EPA employs a number of
techniques to build a green infrastructure. Plant boxes, small installations of dirt and greenery along the
street, are among the most basic solutions. Some of its other green technologies, including green roofs
that are entirely covered in plant life and permeable pavements, which allow water to flow down to the
sediment layer, demonstrate the powerful potential of green storm water technology [source: EPA].

5: Geothermal Heating
Where storm water management uses plant life to control water, geothermal heating taps into the Earth's
natural energy to generate power. Like wind power or solar power, geothermal is an efficient renewable
energy resource that's far more environmentally friendly than coal-powered electricity or natural gas. You
might think that cold weather would make geothermal heating ineffective, but that's not the case. Pipes
buried a few feet underground escape the effects of freezing temperatures. The ground there stays close
to 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 degrees Celsius), making it a warm source of energy in winter and a cool
source of energy in summer [source:GreenSolarCafe].

A water/antifreeze mixture is pumped through pipes buried underground to collect thermal energy, then
routed to a heat pump and takes that energy and puts it to use to heat or cool your house. While it does
take electricity to power the heat pump, the efficiency of the geothermal system means that you'll get far
more energy from the pump than you pour into it [source: GreenSolarCafe].

Geothermal heating does have its disadvantages -- digging up ground space to lay the energy-collecting
piping is a large undertaking. But our next classic renewable resource, solar energy, presents no such
problem.

4: Solar Power
What do you think of when you picture solar power? Massive fields of gigantic solar panels? Solar power
doesn't necessarily require tons of equipment. In fact, some solar power doesn't require any equipment at
all. There's a difference between active solar power -- what you probably picture when you think of solar
energy -- and passive solar power, which is based on smart home design rather than advanced
technology. Passive solar home design simply uses the sun's rays to heat a home through strategic
placement of windows in a home. Large sets of windows let in solar energy, and a heat-absorbing surface
like a dark wall retains the heat to warm the home [source: EnergySavers]. Fans and air vents can help
spread that air around the house.

Active solar systems obviously provide more heat than passive solar design. Solar panels absorb
the sun's radiation and use the heat to warm air or water, cutting down on gas or electricity consumption
in the process. The more we rely on solar energy, the fewer greenhouse gases we produce from using
nonrenewable energy sources [source: EnergySavers]. The efficiency of solar panels varies based on the
size of the system and the local climate. However, given the right conditions, a solar system will make up
for the up-front costs of installation over the long term with years of free energy.

3: Electrochromic Smart Glass

Passive solar energy relies on windows to let in beams of sunlight to use for heat. But what happens in
the summer months when you want to keep all that solar radiation out? Awnings, shades and roof
overhangs can cut down on that incoming light, but there's a much cooler solution coming that promises
to cut down on HVAC costs and change the way we look at sunlight from indoors. It's called smart glass.
Smart glass, or electrochromic glass, uses a tiny burst of electricity to charge ions on a window layer and
change the amount of light it reflects. While low-emittance windows that block some of the sun's radiation
already exist, smart glass gives you the ability to choose how much light you want to block. Tied into
smart building control systems, skyscrapers could have thousands of windows tint automatically during
peak hours and return to complete transparency in the evenings. Smart glass developers expect a 25
percent reduction in HVAC costs thanks to the dynamic windows [source: Tested]. Electrochromic glass
is still being perfected for commercial use, but expect to see more of the glass in the coming years as
competing developers bring this smart energy-saving technology to the market.

2: Smart Appliances

Our homes might not look like the Jetsons' yet, but appliances are smarter than ever.

LG

Today's modern appliances are smarter than ever. Our kitchens might not look like something out of the
Jetsons quite yet, and there's still no Rosie around to cook and clean, but the latest appliances are
designed to save energy and simplify our lives. LG's products from the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show
perfectly illustrate the trend in appliances: Its SmartGrid refrigerators, dishwashers and washing
machines all tie into a smart meter to be as energy efficient as possible. Smart meters are essentially
electrical meters that gather real-time data and can communicate with devices to provide useful power
data. With that data, LG's smart appliances can determine energy rates and automatically run when
electricity rates are at their lowest [source: Danko].

New appliances are also incorporating the technology we're used to seeing in dedicated computer
systems -- LG's smart refrigerator uses an LCD screen to help you organize and inventory the
refrigerated food, for example. By programming in the expiration dates, you can have the fridge notify you
when food's going bad -- and your entire grocery inventory is available on a mobile device like a smart
phone, essentially giving you an omnipresent shopping list based on what you already have in stock
[source: Danko].

Still, the improvements in energy efficiency are what make smart appliances a fantastic green technology.
They're one small part of our final eco-friendly element of construction, which takes elements from nearly
everything we've talked about and combines them into one super green design: the zero energy home.
 1: The Zero Energy Home
Zero energy buildings, or zero net energy buildings, are constructed to successfully operate independent
of the normal electric grid. In other words, they provide their own power through renewable energy. The
"zero" refers to both energy consumption and carbon emissions -- a zero energy building consumes zero
net energy yearly, and produces no carbon emissions since it relies on renewable energy supplies like
solar or wind power.

Zero energy homes are specially built to be extremely energy efficient with excellent insulation and
techniques like passive solar design. Of course, efficient design is just the start -- the buildings still need
power from somewhere. Active solar panels and wind collectors are common solutions, while some
buildings use biofuels for heating. Zero energy construction is most efficient in small communities where
several homes can benefit from a shared renewable resource.

Building a zero energy home is obviously no easy task. It's not cheap, either, but some governments are
slowly moving to support zero energy construction with subsidies to incentivize the green environmental
benefits. The U.S. government offers a Solar Investment tax credit of 30 percent off the total system cost,
and the state of California offers additional money back for consumers who opt into renewable energy
[source: GoSolarCalifornia]. Zero energy is still a niche form of construction with high up-front costs, but
the reward is a perfect blend of technology that barely affects the environment compared to today's
average construction project.

Lots More Information

Related Articles

 5 Myths About Renewable Energy

 10 Essentials for DIY Green Energy
 10 Ways to Cool Your Roof
 How Artificial Geothermal Energy Works
 How Geothermal Energy Works
 How Solar Lights Work
 How Smart Homes Work
 How Spray-on Solar Panels Work
 How To Insulate Basement Walls
 Curiosity Project: 10 Natural Building Materials

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