Eco Houses Now
Eco houses have been getting a lot of attention in the news for
the past couple of years. That is because that going green is
in, it's the right thing to do and it makes a lot of sense to
people. But, when we speak of eco houses we are talking about
a wide range of green homes that are saving energy or reducing
their carbon footprint.
Saving energy with a person's eco house
may entail generating electricity in an alternative fashion
or conserving energy with either standard or non-traditional
methods. The eco houses that generate their own electricity
may do so using solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal
energy or small hydroelectric generators.
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Modern Eco House |
Solar panels of course have been around for a while and most
people are familiar with them for generating electricity and reducing
electrical bills, or better yet, selling power back to your utility
company. Home wind turbines in some states are starting to gain
recognition as another method for creating eco houses that are
either partially or completely off-grid. And, there is another
type of renewable energy we need to talk about.
Homeowners who power their eco houses with geothermal energy
are few and far between. This is because you have to live on the
right kind of property to take advantage of the unusually warm
temperatures of the earth near the surface. One of the largest
geothermal energy power plants called The Geysers is just north
of San Francisco.
People who use small hydroelectric generators sometimes called
microhydro on their properties are also few and far between. The
people have running water such as a stream or waterfall on their
property which turns the generator to create electricity. This
is a much small version of a generator at a major dam.
So, when we think of eco houses we also think of conserving energy.
Besides conserving energy through generating your own renewable
energy there are other ways to save as well. Some of the standard
ways of turning your current home into an eco house is to insulate
walls and attic, use insulated window panes, use Energy Star or
other energy saving devices, limit shower times and electrical
usage in general.
Currently, and in the near future, smart grid and smart home
technology will let regular homeowners turn their properties into
eco homes using the power of software and intelligent communications.
Power companies will be able to use smart metering to interact
with eco houses in order to save electricity.
Futuristic Eco House
Homeowners will have apps to that they can monitor usage of their
refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, dryers, hair
dryers, microwave oven, home entertainment centers and see what
the largest energy hogs are and make adjustments.
Another way that eco houses conserve energy is that some store
electricity to be used later. If you have solar panels or wind
turbines, chances are that you also have a bank of batteries that
help power your home when the wind isn't blowing or the sun isn't
shining. Some owners of eco homes have actually forgone the solar
panels and wind turbines and have chosen just to use a bank of
batteries to store power. How does this work?
Since the power companies have different rates they charge at
different times of day with Monday through Friday from 7 am to
7 pm being the premium rates in most locations, some homeowners
have decided to use this situation to their advantage. They have
chosen to buy a bank of batteries and charge the overnight during
off-peak hours when the power company rates are lowest then run
their eco houses on battery power when rates are highest. This
method can cut your monthly electricity bill in half or more plus
it saves the planet from having more coal or natural gas burned
at the utility company, which is a very green thing to do.
There are many people today who have decided to go all in with
building the eco house of their dreams. They have hired green
architects who have come up with green home plans and designs
and it's full steam ahead with the building process.
These eco houses come in all different sizes, shapes, styles
and building materials. For instance, one person's eco house may
be an underground home or an earth-sheltered home built into the
side of a hill or mountain. Another person's eco house may be
made of straw bales, clay, mud brick, compressed earth, earthbags
or even recycled materials. And yet another person's house may
be a floating green home.
Floating Green Home
Shipping container homes are one example of repurposing and recycling
big square tubes of steel into usable green living spaces. And
this can be done without killing any trees. Other kinds of recycled
materials I've seen people use include tennis shoes, beer bottles,
recycled bricks, aluminum and paper. There are many creative green
designers and architects (as well as DIY'ers) who see opportunity
when others simply see trash.
Reducing one's carbon footprint may also come in the form of
reducing the size of one's home. There is a tiny house movement
afoot where people are rebelling against mansions and instead
building modest-sized homes in order to save money and go green
at the same time. Small houses by their very nature need fewer
building materials, take up less space, use less energy.
So, in conclusion, eco houses span a wide range of types and
styles. A straw bale house with a solar panel on top is a good
example of Old School meets New School. It's up to you to decide
which green school you'd like to attend when building or updating
our eco house. The only thing holding many people back is lethargy.
So, just put one low carbon footprint ahead of the next and get
started now. Onward march thou green soldier!
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