What is necessary for a green building avoiding great costs

What is currently considered necessary for a building to be considered green?

The site selected should have as few changes as possible to existing trees and vegetation.The way the structure sits on the site should allow for the maximum use of natural light going into the building. Landscaping should incorporate storm water runoff and rain water retention. Demolition materials taken from the site should be recycled. As much construction material as possible should be recycled material or material that comes from renewable sources.

Installation of energy-efficeient products. These are items that use low energy from outside solar lighting and fluorescent interior bulbs to energy star appliances and full solar panel systems.
Water conservation. Installation of water-efficient fixtures in the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room.
Construction products. Use products in the interior of the home that do not release significant pollutants into the environment.

I plan to build my own home. Other than a solar panel system, what can I do to be environmentally conscious without tremendous costs?

Design your house to make the most use of free lighting. This can be done by the liberal use of skylights and placing windows so that you will get the most from daylight.
Take the load off the air conditioner. Orient those windows so that your structure will get the most from prevailing winds.

Provide overhangs or some solar filtering on south-facing windows to block the hot sun. Select a light-colored roof that will reflect the sun. Install a whole-house fan and ceiling fans.

Install high r-value insulation. The most important places to install this insulation are on north-facing walls and at the top level of the house.
Use engineered wood for headers, joists, and sheathing. Engineered wood is a recycled, man-made product. It is stronger and more efficient than regular lumber, plus it does not cause more forests to be cut down.
Use recycled products when available. There are many new building materials that are 100% recycled or have some percentage of recycled material in them. Materials such as used bricks or used flagstone not only are environmentally conscious products, but are also products that look great.
Install fluorescent lights with electronic ballasts. Install dimmer switches for conventional ceiling lights. Select only energy star appliances.
Install water efficient toilets and faucets with flow reducers. Reuse rain water for plants by capturing the water in a rain barrel attached to your home.
Use low or no-voc paint and formaldehyde-free materials for cabinets and countertops. These products eliminate pollutants inside the house.
Vent the range hood to the outside of the structure. This improves the air in the kitchen.

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