courtesy  :  wikipedia 

Green home

A green home is a type of house designed to be environmentally sustainable. Green homes focus on the efficient use of “energy, water, and building materials“.^[1] A green home may use sustainably sourced, environmentally friendly, and/or recycled building materials. It may include sustainable energy sources such as solar or geothermal, and be sited to take maximum advantage of natural features such as sunlight and tree cover to improve energy efficiency.

No government standards define what constitutes a green remodel, beyond non-profit certification. In general, a green home is a house that is built or remodeled in order to conserve “energy or water; improve indoor air quality; use sustainable, recycled or used materials; and produce less waste in the process.” This may include buying more energy-efficient appliances or employing building materials that are more efficient in managing temperature.^[2]

In the United States, the green building movement began in the 1970s, after the price of oil began to increase sharply. In response, researchers began to look into more energy efficient systems. Many organizations were founded in the 1990s to promote green buildings. Some organizations worked to improve consumer knowledge so that they could have more green homes. The International Code Council and the National Association of Home Builders began working in 2006 to create a “voluntary green home building standard”.^[3]

The Energy Policy Act was enacted in 2005, which allowed tax reductions for homeowners who could show the use of energy efficient changes to their homes, such as solar panels and other solar-powered devices.^[4]