1. Plenty of sun. Nevada is one of the sunniest states in the country, and that’s a benefit for going solar. Sunlight is intense and plentiful, which means there should never be a shortage of energy. Actually, it should put you ahead of the curve; we’ll come back to that.

2. Long term cost effectiveness. People say that the cost of going solar can be overwhelming. Actually, there are many ways to save money by going solar, but even if you didn’t go that route, you could save a lot of money and possibly do better than you think. Because…

3. You could make money. Here’s the rub. Every home only needs so much energy. The batteries you buy to store the energy will only take in what you really need. You won’t actually waste the rest of the energy. State law says that energy companies have to buy your excess energy output. So, not only will you NOT have an energy bill, but you could actually make money on the deal.

4. Resale values are higher. Think of it this way. Because of the heat, many people end up running some kind of air conditioning throughout the year; not everywhere, of course, but in many parts of the state. If you were going to buy a house, would you want to purchase one where you might end up paying $400 a month for energy or getting as much as $100 a month, possibly more, from the energy company?

5. More communities are going this route. Some home building companies such as Concordia Homes are recognizing the value in building energy efficient homes and creating communities with these types of homes. Sure, the prices up front might be a little higher, but in the long run you will end up saving a lot of money on expenses.

See also:

Hidden Canyon Estates
Ventana at Weston Hills

When thinking of making the bathroom more eco-friendly saving water should be one of the first things that comes to mind. To do this, homeowners should invest in fixtures that use less water and energy. One of the easiest ways to save water is to switch to a water-efficient shower head. There are water-efficient shower heads on the market now that use almost 20% less water than standard shower heads. Another easy way to reduce water consumption is to replace the bathroom faucets with faucets that are more water-efficient. There are faucets available that can reduce the amount of water used by up to 32% by reducing the flow of water through the faucet.

Another way to make the bathroom more eco-friendly is green the surfaces in the bathroom. Look for products such as bamboo, beech wood and natural linoleum that are easy to take care of, environmentally friendly and nontoxic. Many of these materials have added benefits. Bamboo is an anti-microbial and water resistant material and natural linoleum has similar traits and is also biodegradable.

The way a bathroom is accessorized can make an impact as well. For instance, plastic shower curtains and rubber bath mats can be detrimental to the air quality in a home. For shower accessories look for natural fabrics and PVC-free plastics. To improve the appearance of the bathroom use rugs and towels made out of organic cotton.

When making the bathroom more eco-friendly, try to use products that are durable and will last. If it is designed properly, it will save money on repairs and remodeling.