This House Isn't Green

This House Isn't Green

According to Martin John Brown in E-Magazine, a 3,000 square foot house uses 40% more energy than a 2,000 square foot house. So why is this 4,600 square foot McMansion house considered green? Because it has an Energy Star rating that states it uses 15% less energy than a comparable conventional house. "It's a perfect demonstration of the battle between two major trends in American housing. In the past few decades, houses have gotten greener, but they've gotten bigger too, leaving lingering questions: Is super-sized housing defeating conservation efforts? Can McMansions truly be green?" Since 1950, the average house has gone from 983 SF to 2434 SF; at 4,600 SF it is like driving a hybrid hummer- what is the point? How wide is the lot that your neighbor has to drive by? How close is the nearest milk store if every house is on such a frontage? It doesn't matter what energy saving program or solar array you put in; a bigger house uses more resources to build, more energy to run, and more fuel to get to. When it comes to being green, less is truly more. ::E Magazine via ::Alternet