Low Tech Green

From OFF GRID: What good are solar panels and recycled woods tacked on to a McMansion? Fact is, the sustainable homes of the future look a lot like those of the past.

IN THE LATE 1970s, heating oil and electricity prices were shooting sky-high, Jimmy Carter was donning that cool cardigan (falsely characterised as an ugly sweater). Thirty years later, the buzzword is "green."

Like homeowners in the '70s, you care about keeping heating and cooling costs down. But the bar has been raised since then. You also want to shrink your overall footprint on the environment, chopping down less rain forest and pumping fewer tons of greenhouse gases into the air. All good. But simply buying every building material labeled earth-friendly and installing high-tech green gizmos isn't the best way to accomplish this.

In fact, some of the smartest green ideas are decidedly low-tech. Human beings have a few thousand years' experience building houses, and our hardscrabble ancestors worried a lot about conserving finite resources. Whether you're building, remodeling or just shopping for a house that's easier on your conscience, there are some basic principles to keep in mind.

For more see: Green Rules for Green People