Building green might be the best example of making sustainable ideas part of everyday life. It starts from the ground up. Although converting existing buildings is a great way to make the best of what you have.

As for building from scratch; orienting a building to take full advantage of the sun's rays and cooling breezes mean less energy will be used for heating and cooling!

Energy saving appliances and light bulbs can be installed in any home or building, new or old. Integrating simple green concepts does more than just put money in your pocket. For example, today's tankless water heaters not only use a fraction of the energy a conventional heater consumes, they also provide a practically limitless supply of hot water. So no more cold showers when you're last in line.

Here is a picture of a passive solar house. Using passive solar design techniques to heat and cool your home can be both environmentally friendly and cost effective.

Passive solar heating techniques include placing larger, insulated windows on south-facing walls and locating thermal mass, such as a concrete slab floor or a heat-absorbing wall, close to the windows. With simple planning, you can cut down your heating costs by more than 50%.

Passive solar design is as efficient in helping reduce your cooling costs. Passive solar cooling techniques include carefully designed overhangs, windows with reflective coatings, the use of reflective coatings on exterior walls and one of our favorites: Green Roofing!