One of the most often referenced definitions was created by the Brundtland Commission. The Commission defined Sustainable Development as development that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” When we look at Green Building, we need to consider how each part of a project will affect our future generations.

When you decide to build green, you will find that there are many trade-offs as you go, and there really is not a perfect product or best decision, rather, an informed decision process that ultimately creates a sustainable project.

Southface

If you are building a home, the very first step is site selection and orientation. Everything you do revolves around how you manage the advantages of the passive solar home. You will want to maximize the sun, wind and water resources that are available to you. You can actually build a home that requires very little energy and water when you utilize the natural elements to their fullest.


When you are remodeling, the orientation of your home can’t always be improved, but you can make changes to increase your passive solar efficiency. You will want to let Mother Nature do most of the heavy lifting. When you design around the assets of your site, you will find reductions in both energy needed and water usage.


Indoor Air Quality
The toxins in our homes can be quite staggering. We now have products available that are formaldehyde free, contain low or no Volatile Organic Compounds, sealed combustion appliances, fresh air ventilation systems, and the list is endless. Your home can be a sanctuary for fresh, clean air. The healthy home is sometimes overlooked while we make a wish list of things we want to improve when we remodel. Pazzo di Terra will make sure your home is performing at it’s best for you and your family.

Energy
Let’s face it, we need energy to run our home. One thing we tend to forget though is that we can make improvements that will reduce the amount we depend on. Before you make a decision about a Solar Photovoltaic System, Wind Turbine or any other alternative energy source, you MUST do all of your conservation first. Your energy requirements are only calculated AFTER you have done everything else to reduce your demand. In some cases, after improving the home’s performance ie: low-e windows, insulation, energy star appliances, HVAC and heating improvements, some homeowners find that they don’t even need a supplemental source for energy. They have reduced the need for power to a level that falls into the baseline tier of their utility company.

We will look into every part of your home’s performance before having a discussion about Alternative Energy Installation.

Landscape
Did you know that 60% of your water use goes to your landscaping? Our water sources are rapidly depleting and we continue to landscape as if water was an abundant resource. We can design your exterior so that it is beautiful and requires very little water. With the use of native plants, grouping plants with like water needs together, reducing the use of turf grass and paving with permeable surfaces, we can decrease the amount of time you need to devote to pruning your garden as well as reduce the water required to keep it lush and reduce storm water runoff during the rainy season.

Waste
There are many simple things we can do to reduce the waste we send to the landfill each week. We will work with you to make your waste management a painless task that will slow down the need for additional landfills and reduce the methane gas emissions that they produce.