The economics of an ecological design.

When planning to build a new home or restore an old one, the potential costs of "green" building can be daunting. Alternative building materials such as certified sustainable lumber and natural insulations can be harder to get and are typically more expensive than conventional building materials purchased at your local building material warehouse. Alternative building methods using natural materials are often very labor intensive, the cost of which can become very high.

While some folks manage to cut their labor costs down by doing a lot of work themselves, this is not possible for many. It is also important to remember that while initial costs may be higher, such as investing in solar power and better windows, these investments can pay for themselves in energy savings over time and continue to pay long after.

The intention behind sustainable building is a healthier earth and healthier living environments. It takes some initiative to break from the conventional mold in order to consider building with resource conservation and lower pollution in mind. While the green building industry is rapidly breaking new ground in energy efficiency and healthier building materials, and information about these alternatives becomes more and more available, going green can still seem intimidating. Weighing out options in alternative building materials and methods can be difficult not just in product choice, but also in deciding what can be afforded. Building conscientiously, however, does not inherently mean that building costs will be higher or that comfort will have to be sacrificed. A sustainable approach to building can help to save money, create beauty, and promise a healthy future.

Green building is about environmentally friendly buildings; it is also about intelligent design.

Careful forethought and appropriate design saves time, money and the environment. Keeping your mind open throughout the design process will produce lots of creative solutions for efficiency.

The first step is to perform a thorough site analysis. Determine what potential on-site resources could be utilized in the building, for energy use, or in the landscape. These resources could include the following:

--Trees on the house site to be milled for flooring and cabinetry, timbers for framing etc.

--Trees with special character, those that are not good for milling but could be used as architectural, perhaps structural elements.

--Limbs and brush can be used in a rustic design, or turned into mulch for pathways and gardens.

--The shrubs and herbs can be dug up and moved for later use in the landscape or just relocated for preservation's sake.

--Stones can be used in the building or in the landscape.

--The topsoil can be scraped and saved for use in the landscape.

--Sun, wind, and water can all be harvested passively and actively for energy.

Many potential problems with a site when approached with an open mind can often become solutions.

The second step is to create a thorough site preparation plan.

The grading and earth working should always be done in a way that protects and preserves the onsite resources. This means that whoever is doing the site work should be well informed and worked with/closely by the builders. The initial grading and site work can also be done with the landscape plan in mind, creating less work in the final stages and often avoiding the cost of having heavy equipment on site more than once.

The third step is creating an energy saving floor plan. A well-designed building that provides an efficient use of space doesn't have to be big to be comfortable. Many spacious homes lack comfort and functionality. Consider building smaller and entertain as many different ideas on ways to incorporate the desired elements in a floor plan into a smaller space.

There are also many low-tech design strategies that can be important elements to a cost saving design. Passive solar design is one of the very best ways to create an energy efficient and more environmentally friendly home without high extra costs. There are a few technical aspects to good passive solar designs and a lot of information out about it. A well-designed passive solar home can be built to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer while making use of a perfectly free resource, and thereby cutting energy costs dramatically.

Our responsibility to make changes in the way we build and develop land is becoming imperative. Despite the distressing state of our environment, the advancement in the green building industry and the choices many homebuilders are making is truly hopeful. By working savings into the overall costs of building, both through cost saving design techniques and with the long-term paybacks from initial investments, it becomes clear that an ecological design makes sense economically as well as environmentally.

Kevin Ward is owner, cofounder, and liscensed contractor with SouthEast Ecological Design. SEED offers ecological landplanning, natural home building, and organic landscapes. Contact Kevin at 628-6448 or [e-mail].