When it comes to going green with your home, you may think it is impossible to find an eco-friendly way to paint the outside of your home and other buildings. After all, when it comes to exterior paints, you need a paint that is tough enough to withstand the outdoor elements and natural paints usually are not tough enough to use on exterior applications. So, what is the solution for the homeowner who wants to go green on the outside as well as on the inside?

Putting Your Mind at Ease

When it comes to picking the right exterior paint, the first thing you need to do is put your mind at ease regarding the paint you choose. For example, when selecting an interior paint, it is essential to select a low-VOC paint. With exterior paint, this is not as much of an issue, as the air dilutes the harmful effects of VOCs. For this reason, when you purchase an exterior paint, you don’t need to worry quite as much about VOCs as you do with interior paints. In fact, exterior paints can be considered eco-friendly if they simply do not contain toxins or heavy metals.

Keeping Outdoor Air Pollution at a Minimum

While there is less of a concern regarding your personal health when using exterior paints containing VOCs, you might still want to keep air pollution to a minimum. If ftis is the case, there are some natural options that can be used on the exterior of your home and other buildings. For example, lime wash, finish and stain can all be used for exterior applications. There are also several brands of low-VOC exterior paints that are designed for those who want to reduce the amount of air pollution they create. Some of these brands include:

* BioShield Paint
* earthBorn Paints
* Ecos Organic Paints
* Safecoat
* St. Astier Lime Paints
* YOLO Colorhouse

As an added bonus, pints such as the Natural Hydraulic Limes line from St. Astier Lime Paints is resistant to bacteria and salt, non-toxic, inhospitable to mildew and recyclable.

Removing Paint

Of course, when it comes to completing an eco-friendly exterior paint project, the paint removal process must also be addressed. If you need to remove the old paint before applying the new paint, be sure to check on what you are removing because the type of solvent needed will vary depending upon what you are removing. Paint, for example, requires a different solvent than a wood finish, so selecting the right solvent will help reduce the amount of work involved with the project as well as the amount of chemicals you have to use.

Since many paint strippers are petroleum-based and contain harmful dichloromethane or methylene chloride, you might need to put a little extra work into finding one that does not contain methylene. In fact, you may need to turn to the Internet to find a methylene-free remover. Even after finding a methylene-free paint remover, it is still important to use gloves to keep your hands protected and to work in a well-ventilated area in order to avoid breathing in other potentially harmful chemicals.

Ryan Lynch runs the marketing department for a company specializing in Austin luxury homes and fine real estate. They also help buyers and sellers with Lake Austin waterfront property including lakeside homes, condos, and lots.

A green home minimizes the negative impact on its environment through its home design. Here are a few considerations an architect takes into account when designing a green home:

1. Site: Evaluations and analysis of access, slope, ledge, soil, bodies of water, and vegetation in order to limit the home’s impact on the site environment. This includes the site location (farmland, wetland, protected species habitats) and proximity to public transportation, parks, schools, and stores.

2. Size: A green home is efficiently designed to keep the square footage to a minimum. This reduces the amount of energy to heat and cool the home, lighting, and the quantity of building materials used, and also controls costs and reduces site impact.

3. Solar: Whether or not there is a plan to install a solar energy system to heat the water or produce electricity, there are several other solar considerations in green home design. Designing the home for passive solar makes the most of solar energy by harvesting it into the homes’ natural energy flows. Passive solar systems include day-lighting strategies, heating and cooling control techniques, and natural ventilation. When a whole-building approach is taken, energy savings can be great both in terms of reducing the home’s carbon footprint and the costs associated with heating, cooling, and maintaining the home.

4. Energy: Lighting, heating, and cooling systems are an important consideration in green home design. Renewable energy systems such as solar, wind, and geothermal systems use the earth’s natural energy to heat and cool the home, as well as provide electricity to run appliances and technology..

5. Water Conservation: Building a new home presents a unique opportunity to save water. Two money and energy-saving strategies which can be easily incorporated into an energy efficient home design are 1) reducing the overall water using in the home by specifying low-flow water fixtures, low-flush or composting toilets, installing aerators on all taps, and installing low-flow showerhead nozzles; and 2) specifying a plumbing system that reuses grey water (wastewater from domestic usage such as dish washing, laundry and bathing) for flushing toilets, watering lawns, etc. (note: some grey water systems require approval by most local building jurisdictions, your architect will verify this prior to design).

Of course, a new home should use minimal amounts of fossil fuels, last a long time, and cost less money. Many home design strategies don’t cost a dime in materials but can save hundreds of dollars on heating and cooling costs. The result is a beautiful, healthy home – for both the homeowners and the environment.

About the Author: Jeremy Bonin, a principal partner of Bonin Architects & Associates (http://www.boninarchitects.com), is an award-winning green architect and the author of TIMBER FRAMES: Designing Your Custom Home. With a special interest in sustainable design and green homes, structural insulated panels (SIPs), as well as timber frame construction, Jeremy incorporates renewable energy practices where possible, including geo-thermal, solar, radiant heat, and energy-efficient foundation systems.