Whether you are planning a new home or redesigning an existing residence the source of the energy to be used for heating is an important consideration. For those constructing a new building the best option is to incorporate new low-energy (passive) building techniques which can virtually eliminate the need for heating. However, for most people with existing homes steps can still be taken to achieve more efficient use of energy.

It is generally more efficient to heat only those rooms which we use frequently.  However, if you do need to heat the majority of your home ducted or central heating can offer a more environmentally friendly solution as it generally uses less resources than multiple open fires or single appliances.  Typical efficiencies for central heating are: 85-97% for gas fired heating; 80-89% for oil-fired, and 45-60% for coal-fired heating. However, if you are in a part of the world where electricity generation is primarily undertaken using fossil fuels it is worth remembering that up to two thirds of the resulting energy can be lost at the power station and in the transmission process. More efficient options may be available from local green energy providers who generate electricity using wind or solar technologies.

An important part of reducing your ecological footprint is to convert your existing lighting to a more efficient form. It has been reported that around 9% of a households energy costs come through lighting the home. Many of us have already converted our incandescent light bulbs to the more energy efficient compact fluorescents (CFL). However as technological advances occur new forms of lighting are becoming more readily available and affordable.

One such technology is the light emitting diode (LED).  Although they have been around for many years in household appliances they are only now reaching a point where they can produce enough light for household and commercial lighting. LED lamps last 25 - 55 times longer than incandescent lamps and their high-efficiency can lead to savings of 70% - 90% in power consumption.

Until recently passive cooling has been a forgotten practice. With mass production of air-conditioners it has allowed houses to be kept unnaturally cool as long as you were willing to pay the electricity bills.  However with the ever increasing cost of energy and growing environmental awareness many home owners are once again including passive cooling into the design of their buildings.

The general definition for passive cooling is the use of technologies or design features to cool buildings in a natural way. Whether you apply passive cooling techniques to your existing home, or incorporate more efficient design principles into a new home these strategies will assist you reduce energy use and promote a comfortable, cool environment. Some of the key strategies used in this approach include:

Green building is the practice of increasing the efficiency of buildings and their use of energy, water, and materials, and reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal - the complete building life cycle (this should lead to a reduction in the ecological footprint of the house and the people who live in it).

A similar concept is natural building, which is usually on a smaller scale and tends to focus on the use of natural materials that are available locally. Other commonly used terms include sustainable design and green architecture; however, while good design is essential to green building, the actual operation, maintenance, and ultimate disposal or deconstruction of the building also have very significant effects on buildings' overall environmental impact.

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