Individuals and companies have only been building green homes for the past thirty years; still, within that time, the green movement has been constantly growing. The history of green building dates back much further than the 1970's. It was in the midst of the industrial revolution that Henri Becquerel first witnessed the transformation of solar energy into electrical energy, known as photovoltaic power. Around this time, the late 1800's to early 1900's, a number of solar power plants were built to utilize the sun's energy for steam power. Then, in the 1950's, solar energy was used on an extremely small-scale, making way for the solar panel solution twenty years later.
During the energy crisis of the 1970's, green building moved from research and development to reality. Builders and designers were looking for a way to reduce the reliance of buildings and homes on fossil fuels. Solar panels were used to make more environmentally friendly homes, although only in small numbers due to high initial costs.
Since then, developers have been able to construct more efficient and less expensive solar panels, making solar energy more of a reality. Also, during this transition period, designers and consumers started wondering, if solar panels can make buildings more efficient, lower energy bills, and reduce the negative impact on the environment, what other steps can be taken to build even greener homes? Now, Eco construction involves so much more than simply using solar panels.
