Every day, it seems like citizens and governments all over the world are becoming increasingly aware of the need to conserve. And even though the United States is doing more every day to conserve energy, Americans are still a step behind in the energy conservation movement. Many countries, especially European countries, have been the frontrunners in conserving energy and using green home building for decades.
European Energy Consciousness
Europe is at the forefront of the green movement, including green home design… and with good reason. In Europe, oil, natural gas, and electricity are more expensive than in the U.S., and have been for decades. And of course this makes Europe more aware of energy and power usage than the U.S.. This instinct for energy conservation is seen in Europe in several key ways.
One of the main ways that Europeans save energy is through a tightly knit and efficient public transport system. In addition to mass transit in essentially every major European city, the continent also boasts a well utilized long distance passenger rail service. And even though there are plenty of individually owned vehicles in European countries, most cities in Europe boast a higher percentage of mass transit users (and bicycle riders) than the United States.
Europeans also build their homes with energy conservation in mind. In large European cities in particular, green home building concepts are widely used. Most people residing in a large European city live in a much smaller space than the average U.S. home. Most homes (and many businesses) in Europe do not have central air conditioning, and use basic green home building concepts for cooling. They use simple ideas, such as rolling black out screens, roll out terrace shades, double paned windows, etc., to cool or heat their homes.
Green Home Building in America
Essentially, Europeans have been remembering to turn the lights out when they leave a room for years. Americans, who are used to thinking of energy as a cheap and limitless commodity, are just starting to adjust to a “more European” mindset… including remembering to turn out the lights. This is easy to see when you consider how popular green home building and design has become in America during recent years.
Green home building and design uses concepts, such as smaller home size, basic insulation, and position to the sun to conserve energy, as well as alternative energy technology (such as solar power) to provide power to homes. Green home building also incorporates more complex concepts, such as the use of sustainable materials and less harmful products, to protect the environment and conserve energy in the long run. The United States may be behind Europe when it comes to energy conservation, but green home building looks like a much needed step in the right direction.