[craigepo]

$200 per square foot is really, really expensive, at least in comparison to the prices here in Missouri.

While our building practices here are generally at the other end of the spectrum from what might be considered "green", there are a few trends people are following that are helping out with building/operating a home.

1. Most people pour a basement, instead of building on a foundation or concrete pad. For a little extra money, you get 2X the amount of living space in the home.

2. Folks are now pouring their basement using foam insulating concrete forms. While a basement is naturally insulated, the foam forms are left in place, and greatly increase the R-value of the basement walls.

3. Passive solar heating: By facing the large windows south, the home is partially heated by the sun in the winter. In the summer, the sun is too far overhead to have the same effect in the rooms.

4. Tankless water heaters. An old idea, but heating water only when necessary saves a ton of energy/money. One caveat for this area: make sure the tankless water heater comes with a flush valve. Local water is very hard, and the heater needs to be flushed every six months-one year to get rid of lime buildup.

5. Geothermal heat pumps: my sister built a 3,000 square foot house, and heats/cools the entire home for about $1.00 per day. More expensive to start with, but the payoff period is relatively short.