4 Hints for Choosing a Sustainable House

By Leah Batkin, Networx

Whether looking to buy or rent, the housing search has only become more complicated in the current market. Prospective homebuyers and renters are coming up with a whole new list of criteria for their future place. Sure, granite counters and central air conditioning are still highly coveted features, but in this economy, people consider the sustainability of their new home more so than ever. Enter the New Urbanism movement, a movement of builders and city planners to promote walkable, sustainable living environments. Transit-oriented development, local and sustainable building materials and proximity to shopping and schools are all features of a New Urbanism community.

Here is a list of things to look for in your digs to determine whether or not it’s a sustainable decision.

1. Can you walk to the supermarket?

This is the most important question to ask, since trips to the supermarket are frequent. Relying on personal transportation such as cars, or even public transportation, creates a dependency on outside sources, most significantly fuel for gasoline. Dependency is not sustainable. If you can walk to the grocery store from your home, then you are in good shape. Even in “driving cities” like Los Angeles, remodeling an older house in a walkable neighborhood (like Silver Lake, for example in Los Angeles) makes it possible to be less dependent on a car.

2. Is driving the only way of getting to town?

Proximity to public transportation is both smart for your wallet and smart for the environment. If you have to walk more than 10 minutes from your new home to get to public transportation such as bus, subway or train, then you might want to reconsider your choice of residence. Relying on your own car to get places means relying on foreign oil and on your wallet to get around.