Every day, it seems like citizens and governments all over the world are becoming increasingly aware of the need to conserve. And while America is focusing more on the environment than it used to (with its newly popular green home building initiatives in particular), the U.S. is still behind the times when it comes to conservation. Europe in particular has been leading the way in green home building and especially in energy conservation for many years.
European Energy Consciousness
European countries lead the pack when it comes to green home design and green living… which makes a certain amount of sense. Because on the continent, gasoline, natural gases, and energy costs significantly more than it does in America, and it has been that way for many years. 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. Almost every major city in Europe has an efficient public transport system (with underground trains, overground trains, buses, trams, etc.) that is well patronized by residents. While cars are common in Europe, many more Europeans use public transport (or even ride bicycles) than would be found in the U.S..
European energy consciousness is also visible in the way Europeans build their homes. In Europe (especially in larger cities), they use green home building in a very practical, widespread, and simplistic way. Most city dwellers live in apartments with far less square footage than American homes. In addition, most European houses, apartments, and businesses use simple green home building ideas to keep their spaces cool in summer instead of the air conditioning so common in the U.S. 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.
