
Green
Homes Don’t Have To Look Any Different From
Typical Homes
Green
remodeling and building is an approach to home
improvement with the goal of not only making your
home look better, but work better—for both
you and the environment. Want a healthier home?
Lower utility bills? Reduced maintenance? A cleaner
planet? A green remodel helps you realize a range
of far-reaching benefits from a single smart design.
With careful planning, you can create a home that
combines beauty, efficiency, comfort and convenience
with health and conservation.
Cost
Savings
Energy
efficient and water-wise designs and products
reduce monthly utility bills. Installing a high-efficiency
washing machine can save up to $90 on energy bills
and 6,000 gallons of water, every year. The most
efficient new appliances typically use 50% less
energy than the most wasteful models. A tankless
hot water heater combined with a recirculation
system can save even more. Efficient and durable
features can last longer and cost less to maintain
in the long run.
Health
A
green remodel can be good for you, physically
and emotionally. Health-focused designs maximize
fresh air and natural light, while reducing the
risk of injury and asthma. The US EPA includes
poor indoor air quality on the list of the top
five most urgent public health risks. Levels of
air pollution inside a home can be 2-5 times higher
than outdoor levels. Using low-toxic materials
and good ventilation techniques can help to prevent
problems like molds, allergens and poor air quality.
Beauty
& Comfort
Inviting
and attractive rooms reinforce the comforts of
home. Natural materials, high quality lighting,
and good design details make for pleasing spaces.
Your home can be a refuge from the hectic—and
sometimes polluted— world outside.
Added
Value
Classic,
well thought-out designs keep things from looking
dated and hold their value over time. Homes designed
to welcome various ages and abilities are marketable
to a larger population (a key benefit for resale).
Green elements also represent value: 80% of homebuyers
say new homes don’t meet their environmental
expectations, and 96% said they are willing to
pay more for a home with green features.
Ecological
Benefit
Remodeling
is an opportunity to create a home that enhances
the environment, instead of depleting it. With
your green remodel project, you can be more resource
efficient, minimize waste, and recycle what’s
left over to reduce the amount of materials ending
up in landfills. Recycling 60% or more of construction
waste is easily attainable in Savannah area. By
choosing environmentally responsible products,
you can protect forests, wildlife, and air and
water quality. And, for every gallon of water
or kilowatt-hour of electricity you save, you
reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (the greenhouse
gas) entering the atmosphere.
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