Green building practices start with the site itself.  Choices made here can significantly enhance the overall green "functionality" of your new home.  Conversely, failure to consider siting issues can impair or negate other green features.

Your objectives at this stage are to lower environmental impact and improve energy performance.  The primary factors considered are:

• Site selection and home placement to minimize land clearing
• Home orientation to take advantage of light, heat, water, and wind characteristics of the site, thereby reducing energy requirements
• Landscape design to minimize maintenance requirements

A good team of resource people is essential in making the best of your property.  Ideally, you want to have both a builder and architect who are familiar with green building practices.  They will be able to advise you how to minimize your impact while maximizing performance, and will be in a position to anticipate the advantages and/or consequences of the choices you need to make.