by Cate Ferguson

Created on: November 17, 2010

When you are considering green home building or renovating and remodelling it can sometimes be difficult to know just where to begin. A good place to start, is to do a bit of a brainstorming exercise.  This will help you get a lot clearer on what it is you actually want to build, the kinds of things that are important to you and the other people you will be building and living with and help you get some inspiration along the way. 

 Here are a few of the important things you might like to consider to get you one step closer to your dream of building green with straw.

 Get Clear on the WHY of Green Home Building.  

This is an interesting exercise to go through.  List all the reasons that green home building is something you think is important and worth considering.  The reasons will be different for everyone but some common reasons are concern for your health and wellbeing, the natural feel of such buildings and lower energy bills as a result of good design.

What Do You REALLY Need?  

The trend these days, even for people who are being environmentally conscious is to build bigger and bigger homes.  Taking the opportunity to look at green home building is a good chance to look at what you really need in a home.  While all those rooms may be nice to have, do they really help you create the life you are looking for?  Getting clear on what you really need, what would be nice, what is an indulgence and what is just plain crazy will help you as you begin to create the plans and schemes that may one day be your dream eco home.

Design Principles for Green Home Building. 

Once again there are some pretty basic principles to consider when making your first attempts at a floor plan or design for your green home building project.  Don’t be daunted, you CAN do this at home.  You have some of your elements selected such as bedrooms, living areas and outdoor spaces, now all you have to do is put them together.  Solar orientation, window placement, cross ventilation, and your lifestyle will all impact on your design.  Don’t worry, start drawing.

Select Your Materials.  

Now comes the fun bit.  What green building materials are you going to consider using for your green home building project?  Building green with straw is just one potential aspect.  You could incorporate recycled materials, natural timbers, bamboo, locally sourced hardwoods and even mud

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