Finally, many new homeowners are demanding eco-friendly features in their new homes. Building a new home is a great opportunity to cut back on your energy consumption. Insist on high-quality insulation, and make sure that every area that can be insulated is. You might even want to have solar panels installed on your home, since they help reduce your carbon footprint and lower your energy bills, too. When you're starting from scratch, it's a great time to incorporate as many environmentally friendly touches as possible. Make sure that the builders you're working with are in tune with today's very best green technologies.