Here are some green initiatives to help make your space comfortable and energy efficient:

• Insulate your ceiling, floors and walls with minimum or greater values-R-19/ R-30 in the ceiling, R-13 in walls and R-19 in floors
  
  
• Install double pane low-E windows-they will keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.  Existing windows should be checked for any leakage-this could waste energy and heat.
  
  
• Use natural lighting such as skylights or solar tubes
  
  
• Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lighting-fluorescent lights use 1/3 the electricity of normal bulbs and last up to 10 times longer.
  
  
• Consider sustainable furniture made of recycled wood and flooring made of renewable material such as bamboo or cork
  
  
• Use Low VOC (Volatile organic compound) paints- Paints and finishes release low level toxic emissions into the air for years after application. The source of these toxins is a variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which, until recently, were essential to the performance of the paint. New environmental regulations, and consumer demand, have led to the development of low-VOC and zero-VOC paints and finishes. Most paint manufacturers now produce one or more non-VOC variety of paint. These new paints are durable, cost-effective and less harmful to human and environmental health.
  
  
• Consider a tankless water heater: you will save energy as this will only heat water when you need hot water, you won't be heating a full tank all night and day for the 15 minutes you use the hot water. It may be a big up-front investment, but you will recover the money in energy savings over 5-7 years, depending on how much hot water you use.
  
  
• Install a high efficient HVAC  (Heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system with a AFUE (Annual fuel utilization efficiency) rating of 92% or better. For existing HVAC systems, make sure the ducts are properly sealed and insulated.
  
  
• Consider getting a ceiling fan. Ceiling fans circulate both heat and cool air, thus saving energy and money - and they’ll make you more comfortable.
  
  
• Get a low or dual-flush toilet. On average, toilets are the single largest use of water inside of a house, and older models can use up to 5x as much water as state-of-the-art versions. Cut back by installing an ultra-low-flush toilet.
  
  
• Try eco-friendly cleaning supplies-you can find non-toxic organic soaps and cleaners and they work.  They also smell good and don’t harm the environment.
  
  
• Opt for Solar energy. The most obvious payoff for solar energy is in conventional power conservation. Use of solar energy reduces the need to burn fossil fuels in order to generate electricity, resulting in less air pollution and helping to offset global warming.  A whole-house system can have an expensive up-front cost however many states and cities provide attractive financial incentives.  Active and Passive Solar are the two approaches and are characterized by the way they capture, convert and distribute sunlight  Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic panels, solar thermal collectors, with electrical or mechanical equipment, to convert sunlight into useful outputs. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate 
  
  
• Use efficient irrigation for the outdoors (such as drip irrigation) where possible.
  
  
• Compost your yard waste. If your city doesn’t recycle clippings, then you may purchase a composter.