Going green in your home is a big decision. It will impact your life and the lives of those around you in more ways than one. Each of those ways will be positive. You will be more energy efficient, more conservative in your use of resources, and will educate those around you by your example. But - green home architecture does not have to be a mystery.

Green building, simply put, is an architectural practice in which professionals research, plan, and create projects, homes, buildings, and offices that are greener or more eco-friendly than the average building. Building a green home is worthwhile because it’s better for the environment and has a lot of long-term benefits both financially and environmentally.

Critical Decisions Before Building a Green Home

There are many important choices you should make before you take the leap toward a new and greener lifestyle. Some will be small, and some will be immense, but they are decisions that need to be made either way. Here are three key decisions to think about before making a choice to go green at home.

Hiring A Green Architect

This may be the most important decision you make. Finding the right architect might not be as complicated as you think. Calling local companies and asking if they practice green home building is a great place to start. Architects want to help you from the very start.

They need to know your ideas to integrate them into the project. If you want a green design and build, your architect will need to hear about it from you.

Talk About Open Space and Privacy

Part of living green is attempting to cut down on energy costs. That can mean a lot of different things. One thing to think about is open space to have in your home and the privacy you want to maintain. Using larger windows adds an open feel, but having too many windows will compromise your privacy.

Green design architects can help you find the balance that will suit your needs and your comfortability.

Discuss Energy Savings

The more windows you add, the more natural light you bring into the home. That means less money spent on electricity. Also, the right type of window will help keep your home cool in the summer, and still warm in the winter, reducing your heating and cooling costs year-round.

Trading Short-Term Costs for Long-Term Savings

When you are starting the process of building your green home, the costs can be overwhelming. Regular, non-sustainable materials are most likely going to be cheaper, and certain additions might seem expensive. The upfront cost does need to be part of the discussion but so do the long-term savings and benefits. Lucky for you, green design architects are skilled in these decisions. They understand that the initial costs might be confusing, but they also are great at understanding and communicating the savings on your energy bill where you are saving money over the course of the next few years.

Decisions into Designs

When you're ready to go green, there will be an architect there to help you. It is a big decision, but they are trained and educated on how to help answer your questions and help plan for your future as a green contributor to the environment.

Bill Whittaker is a Northeast Alabama / West Georgia architect that can help you with your green design and build. Visit the website here and register for Design Matters, the monthly newsletter with our latest projects, articles, and news.