Green Building and how it fits into today's new homes:

The concept of green building and environmentally friendly materials means different things to different people. Moreover, a different set of expectations and standards exists in the eyes of the masses, with much of it an expression of desire to leave our environment in better shape than how we found it.

A builder and environmentalist appear to be a contradiction in terms of what we're all trying to accomplish. For the builder, he wants to build and sell houses. For the environmentalist, he wants to preserve and protect the land in and around developments.

We arrive at a quandary as opposing forces seem to collide in terms of land use and responsible resource management. The fact of the matter is, we cannot stop the growth of our housing markets. He have though, a great deal of control with how we use our land, and what materials we choose to construct our houses.

With a little effort and forethought, we can choose certain features that minimize impact on our resources.

• Green Building is very affordable.
• Green Building is a moral responsibility.

Whether it's installing tankless water heaters in your home, or building a full blown zero-energy concrete home, every environmentally conscious detail, big or small, makes a difference.