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During the 80s and 90s, many people were concerned about fluorocarbons, lead paint fumes, asbestos and other harmful chemicals that were present in the offices and homes. Such was the fear and worry that the media dubbed the whole notion as the ‘sick building syndrome’. As a result, people started focusing on sustainable, health promoting, and energy-efficient building designs, simply called green building design.

The process of changing from a normal home to a sustainable residence can be as simple as using compact fluorescent light bulbs or even as complex as getting rid of your favorite carpet in favor of recycled bamboo flooring. A good green building design has to look at the interior lighting which is equally as important as the design of the entire structure.

Basically, a compact fluorescent lamp will consume 80% energy compared to an incandescent lamp, and what is more, it lasts 10 times longer than the incandescents. Needless to mention, lighting uses up power, generates lots of heat and as a result cost money. In your effort to go green, it would be pointless to use a green building design that will only make the exterior of the building eco-friendly, but the interior remains the same.

Many eco-homes today as well as offices which are using the green building design are seeking to use eco-friendly furniture as well. As you may already know, moisture, mold, formaldehyde emissions from ventilation systems and cabinets, and organic compound emissions from such things as paints will greatly impact negatively on the quality of indoor air.

When looking for the green building materials that you should use for eco-homes and eco-buildings in general, you should always avoid phenolic resin derived plastic laminate mostly present in affordable furniture. Ensure the wood products that are used to make the furniture are certified and licensed by concerned authorities, to make sure that the people who harvested the wood followed sustainable building practices to the letter.

Green building materials like wool that have not been treated using moth-proof chemicals would be a sustainable alternative to polyester. Be watchful of polyurethane foam padding which have polybrominated diphenol ethers, as they are known to be flame retardants.

Typically, a good green building design focuses on not only improving the environment, and ensuring that the buildings will not affect the environment; they also focus on improving the quality of life for the people living on planet earth. Generally, sustainable rural and urban development, but more importantly urban development, promotes a positive economic progress and makes the goals of attaining quality economic progress and environmental sustainability compatible and achievable goals.

In the end, using green building designs you’ll find that one is saving a lot as the energy efficient ways recommended in these designs are cost-effective, not to mention saving on the taxpayers money, creating a more habitable living environment, improving the profitability of local businesses, and above all else, because the ‘sick building designs’ of the 80s and 90s will not be there, people will lead a healthy and safe life.