One thing that will never be overlooked in the green building process is planning the layout of your home to conserve as much energy as possible. Careful planning of room placement and windows may even enable you to not use lights at all during the day! Natural daylight is something our bodies need as well. Having as much natural daylight flowing into your home will not only save you money on energy bills but make you healthier and work more efficiently as well.

When rooms are arranged to track the sun, activities can take advantage of daylight and reduce the need of electric lights. Plan your layout for how your home will be used during different times during the day. Here are just a few suggestions for the proper layout to utilize as much daylight as possible:

• 1. Plan your kitchen in the southeast corner of your home. Doing so will make for cheerful and bright mornings.
  
  
• 2. The den and living room can be planned for the south and southwest part of your layout because they are more likely to be used later in the day. Doing this you can take advantage of the afternoon sun.
  
  
• 3. The master bedroom suite can be planned for the west-northwest side of the house because it is typically not used during the day. Planning your bedroom in this part of the layout will also keep you safe from the blinding morning sun.
  
  
• 4. Plan other bedrooms, bathrooms, hallways, and entry ways in the core of your home because these rooms are not generally used during the day as well.

Paying special attention to skylights and windows may even allow for lighting the core of your home with natural daylight as well. Also by placing daytime activities on the south side of your home will help to keep those areas warmer in the winter months, which reduces the need for electrical heat sources. It is only after the considerations of the natural lighting in your home should the electrical lighting plans be considered.

Natural light is a wonderful and free resource that we will never run out of. It provides our bodies with the much needed vitamin D and our homes with light. If you can use natural light instead of electrical light, why wouldn't you? Did we mention you will be saving lots of money as well? GO GREEN!