Cincinnati, OH–Green Builder Media, publisher of highly esteemed Green Builder magazine, has released a new educational tool that provides building professionals and homeowners solutions to increase the sustainability of their homes. The Green Building Pyramid, modeled after the familiar food pyramid used for decades by the USDA, breaks down the complex choices facing people who want to improve the energy performance and resource efficiency of their houses. Shades of green are used to depict the impact of the options presented, from deep green (which represents high impact choices that can be selected during the construction process) to light green (which represents items that can be added to a home once it has been constructed).

 “Trying to build or renovate a house to save energy can be a frustrating experience,” says Matt Power, senior editor at Green Builder. “Many people don’t even know where to start. With fuel prices so high, we have been bombarded with requests for basic green building information from panicked builders and homeowners, so we decided to put together a simple tool they could use to answer some of the tough questions in a clear, visual format.”

With the Pyramid, Green Builder Media is responding to a growing uneasiness in the consumer marketplace about what will happen this winter with rising heating bills. The Green Building Pyramid offers practical solutions, showing building professionals and consumers where it makes the most sense to spend money on improvements for their homes.

“We first released the Green Building Pyramid in the June issue of Green Builder magazine,” notes Sara Gutterman, CEO and Co-Founder of Green Builder Media. “The market response has been overwhelming. Manufacturers, building professionals, and homeowners alike are all asking to reproduce it as an educational tool. This is just one more sign that our economy is shifting and that there is a tremendous need in the marketplace for the educational material related to green building and sustainability.”

“We’re trying to help people understand that green building doesn’t begin with windmills and solar panels," Power explains. “The green conversation really starts with choices that are made before the first bit of dirt is touched, including location, siting, and design. Any house can be made green. Maybe the Pyramid will take some of the mystery—and misery—out of the process.”