Sustainable Living:
Building & Construction
This page provides resources for building homes and other structures that can withstand Florida's unique weather conditions, as well as information about reducing the environmental impact of construction and development.
For general information about home building, repairs, pest control, and other topics, see House & Home.
Energy-Efficient Housing
UF/IFAS Sites
- Continuing Education for Building Professionals--Program for Resource Efficient Communities
- Conservation Easements--Living Green
- Energy Conservation--Living Green
- Energy Efficient Living--Living Green
- Program for Resource Efficient Communities
- Renewable Energy--Living Green
UF/IFAS Publications
Other Sites & Publications
- Building Technologies Program--U.S. Department of Energy
- ENERGY STAR/U.S. EPA
- Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy--U.S. Department of Energy
- Qualified New Homes--ENERGY STAR/U.S. EPA
Green Building
UF/IFAS Sites
- Continuing Education for Building Professionals--Program for Resource Efficient Communities
- Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute
- Florida-Friendly Landscaping™
- Landscaping for Wildlife
- Living Green
- The Natural Areas Training Academy
- Office of Sustainability
UF/IFAS Publications
- Conservation Subdivision Construction and Design Series
- Evaluating Green Communities: Top Eleven Questions to Ask
- Evaluating Private Lands for Conservation of Wildlife
- Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program
- Green Roofs in Urban Landscapes
- Landscaping for Wildlife
- Policies that Address Sustainable Building Practices
- Policies that Address Sustainable Landscaping Practices
- Policies that Address Sustainable Site Development
- Water Conservation
Other Sites & Publications
- Buildings & Plants--ENERGY STAR/U.S. EPA
- The Costs & Financial Benefits of Green Building--U.S. Green Building Council
- Florida Green Building Coalition
- Florida Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency--Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE)
- Market-based Incentives for Green Building Alternatives--Powell Center for Construction and Environment (pdf)
- U.S. Green Building Council
Windstorm-resistant Housing
UF/IFAS Sites
UF/IFAS Publications
- Performance Under Pressure: Cast-in-Place (CIP) Concrete Walls (pdf)
- Performance Under Pressure: Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) Walls (pdf)
- Performance Under Pressure: Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) Walls (pdf)
- Wind Damage Mitigation (series)
Other Sites & Publications
- My Safe Florida Home
- --National Science and TecWindstorm Impact Reduction Implementation Planhnology Council (pdf)
- Return to Sustainable Living
General Resources
UF/IFAS Sites
- Center for Training, Research and Education for Environmental Occupations (TREEO)
- Department of Agricultural Education and Communication
- Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences
- Florida Housing Data Clearinghouse
- Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute
- Florida Partnership for Water, Agriculture & Community Sustainability at Hastings
- Food and Resource Economics Department
- Geoplan
- Living Green
- Office of Sustainability
- Program for Resource Efficient Communities
- Virtual Field Day
- Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources
UF/IFAS Publications
- Community Development Series
- Land Use in the Rural-Urban Interface: Subdivision Design
- Saving Energy
- Sustainable Community Development
- Wildlife and Agriculture
State & Federal Agencies
- American FactFinder--U.S. Census Bureau
- American Planning Association
- ENERGY STAR
- Fedstats
- Florida Department of Environmental Protection
- Florida Legislature
- Florida Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development (OTTED)
- Florida's Labor Market Statistics--Agency for Workforce Innovation
- U.S. Census Bureau Economic Programs
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Community Services
- USDA Rural and Community Development
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- U.S. Small Business Administration
- American Planning Association
Other University Sites
- Florida Resources and Environmental Analysis Center--FSU
- Green Building and Sustainable Design--UC Davis Extension
- LaHouse--Lousiana State University AgCenter
Organizations & Associations
- American Community Gardening Association
- Community Development Society
- The Rural Policy Research Institute
- U.S. Green Building Council
