| With the current fears over global warming | | | | In addition to energy-efficient windows, there are |
| combined with rising energy prices, there is a lot | | | | new, energy efficient insulation options. In addition |
| of incentive for people to make their houses as | | | | to the glass fiber batting, there are now sprayed |
| energy efficient as possible. Rising sea levels make | | | | insulations made of foam, cellulose, or wool as |
| the problem of global warming particularly | | | | energy efficient alternatives. A simple measure |
| threatening to Florida as so much of the state is | | | | such as increasing the R-value of insulation is a |
| exposed to water. Fortunately, there are green | | | | cost-effective way to save energy and help to |
| ways of constructing houses that will minimize a | | | | reduce the heating bills in the winter and cooling |
| structure's carbon footprint. This allows the | | | | bills in the summer. These two areas of bills |
| owners to save money in the long-run and make | | | | amount to roughly half of the energy used in a |
| a small contribution to fighting global warming at | | | | house. |
| the same time. | | | | A design feature that does not require any extra |
| One of the best ways to make a property green | | | | materials gets the placement of a house involved. |
| is to preserve trees during construction. These | | | | People who build custom homes are at an |
| trees, on top of being attractive and lending a | | | | advantage when it comes to the final method of |
| home an established air, provide a windbreak to | | | | cost saving and green measures. If a home is |
| winter winds and will shade a house in the | | | | designed by an individual and placed on a specific |
| summer. By offering the house shade, the trees | | | | lot, the home owner can request that the south |
| reduce the amount of energy needed to keep | | | | side of the house have more or larger windows |
| the house cool in the summer. If that isn't enough, | | | | than the other portions of the house. This |
| an established tree can take as much as 60 | | | | measure will allow the house to capture more |
| pounds of pollutants out of the air in a single year. | | | | heat in the winter and also provide more natural |
| Another way of saving money on energy is by | | | | lighting to the home year-round. Using natural |
| installing energy efficient windows. These windows | | | | lighting saves money on electricity and in a variety |
| combine a variety of technologies like | | | | of other areas, such as purchasing light bulbs. |
| lowemittance (low-E) glass coatings, gas filler | | | | While any home can incorporate the previous |
| between layers, and composite framing materials. | | | | energy-efficient models, only a custom-built home |
| The technologies help to keep heat inside in the | | | | can be placed so that this is true. |
| winter and outside in the summer. | | | | |