I am building a brand new home in Texas. I lost my last home to a fire and am building on the same 4 acre site. I want to go green this time and maybe find a way to make myself feel safer as I am still paranoid about fire.

I am working with a local professional with experience in designing green homes and small commercial buildings in my area. It has been very rewarding. He has guided me through the process and I think I am going to get a wonderful home.

I am hoping to share my experience on this forum of how to go through the process of creating a green home from the ground up.

I am using solar panels, a small vertical axis wind turbine, greywater systems, xeriscaping, some passive solar strategies, building smaller and to my needs rather than to the trends in the market, low to no VOC materials and finishes. I am sure there is more and my architect/builder might think I don't listen to him if he saw that list.

I am open to questions and inquiries.

Are you building directly on the old site? It sounds like you have a pretty good size piece of land. I am jealous. Is the rest of the land developed? Used at all? I wonder if you could isolate your footprint to a specific part of the site and leave the rest to become natural and "untouched".

Are you going through the LEED for Homes process with this home? I think many people would be excited to hear from someone who has been through it and understand the client's perspective.

Most of the house sits atop the old slab foundation, but there is a new part with a basement that sits next to this old house location.

I don't really use the rest of the land, but I have had offers to buy it from me. I don't think I want to sell. I like having some space between me and the neighbors. I thought about adding a workshop close by the house or on the other end of the property, but that is still a future endeavor.

We aren't doing the whole LEED thing. My architect has talked about it and said that he is loosely following the guidelines but he doesn't think the added cost is worth it yet. I may end up with a house that performs that well, but we just aren't going through the process.

anyone else?