While the jury is still out on whether or not solar panels are in and of themselves ugly (beauty is in the eye of the beholder), homeowners have several options for taking advantage of renewable solar electricity without relying on conventional solar panels. Community solar programs are popping up across the country; nationwide, there were 1,294 cumulative megawatts installed through the second quarter of 2018.  Solar roof shingles are photovoltaic modules in the form of roof shingles that can be integrated right into your regular shingled roof to generate solar power. While they might be a bit more expensive per kilowatt-hour (kWh) than conventional solar panels, they can be virtually indistinguishable from regular roof shingles.

Thinking Outside (and Beyond) the Box

Another common misconception with sustainable buildings is that they tend to be box-shaped, blocky buildings with little visual appeal. Simple designs tend to allow for more resources to be spent on more sustainable heating and cooling systems, more energy-efficient insulation, and other sustainable home upgrades. Along the same lines, a plethora of windows reduce the need for artificial lighting.

While the sustainable residential home design might open up large windows in strategic areas for passive solar heating or prioritize box-shaped architectural design to maximize wall space for high-performance insulation, this is a question of preference. Homeowners should be vocal with their architects and contractors and let them know their design preferences. There is no reason why sustainable homes can´t have a multi-pitched roof, curved walls, or virtually any other design idea that you want for your home. This 100-year-old Victorian home, for example, is net-zero energy, and LEED Platinum home has maintained its original charm. Or, check out this farmhouse—you’d never know it was a passive house from the looks of it.

Increased Energy Efficiency = More Comfort

Some of us might have friends who, to keep their heating bills down and their carbon footprints lower, will keep their homes at a “not-so-comfortable” 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 degrees Celsius) during the wintertime. The 1970s-era tip was to “put on a sweater.” That means sacrificing comfort. For a more sustainable home, though, the opposite is true.

One of the main aspects of sustainable homes is a focus on energy efficiency. Passive houses, for example, are built so airtight and with such high-performance insulation that often requires no extra heating or cooling is required. Homes that focus on weatherizing strategies can radically reduce the amount of energy needed to keep a home at a specific temperature. Well-insulated airtight homes also decrease, or even eliminate, draftiness—those cold breezes or cold air pockets make a home uncomfortable. 

So, suppose you like your home to be 72 degrees during the wintertime. In that case, sustainable home-building practices can ensure that you enjoy those temperatures without increasing your heating bill and the carbon emissions that follow. Smart home technologies such as smart thermostats can simultaneously boost the livability and comfort of your home while lowering your carbon footprint and utility bills.

Less Water Usage with Higher End Products 

Sustainable homes are also designed to limit water usage in the house. However, that doesn’t mean that you will have to settle for water faucets that are ugly and impractical or low-flow showerheads that will make it hard for you actually to get the shampoo out of your hair. Instead, several of the low-flow water products on the market today are designed to significantly limit the water you use while improving the performance and aesthetics.