Green Architecture Checklist-Residential Buildings

Build within already developed areas: in-fill development. As opposed to urban sprawl, in-fill development preserves wild lands and agriculture and raises density thereby enabling neighborhood shops & services and alternative transportation. Design mixed-use projects, in which residential and commercial uses are intermingled, to help create lively communities and reduce the biggest source of pollution, automobile use. Locate buildings to provide access to public transportation, bicycle paths, and walking access to basic services. This minimizes automobile use. Driving can also be reduced by working at home, therefore consider home office needs with layout and wiring. Renovate older buildings. Renovation of existing buildings is the most ecological construction. Locate buildings to minimize environmental impact. Cluster buildings or build attached units to preserve open space and wildlife habitats, avoid especially sensitive areas including wetlands, and keep roads and service lines short. Leave the most pristine areas untouched, and look for areas that have been previously damaged to build on. Situate buildings to benefit from existing vegetation. Deciduous trees on the south, the east, and especially the west sides of a building can dramatically reduce cooling loads while allowing much solar heat gain in winter. Hedgerows and shrubbery can block cold winter winds or help channel cool summer breezes into buildings. Landscape with drought-resistant native plants and perennial groundcovers.