Ah, there’s nothing like that new home smell — fresh paint, lumber and vinyl. Unfortunately, many of these materials contain formaldehyde and other toxins that can make indoor air unsafe.

Fortunately, many homebuilders are starting to offer more environmentally safe “green” alternatives.

Green is a broad term, but it typically emphasizes water and energy conservation, improved indoor air quality and reducing the impact on the environment.

Nichoel Farris of American Home Sales in Auburn says that energy efficiency is the biggest green feature of the homes she sells.

“We do pre-fab green homes,” Farris said. “Also, we have an in-house consulting firm for Realtors or homeowners who are looking to either build from the ground up and go green, or to renovate their existing home into being green.”

Farris’ entry into the “green” home arena is fairly recent.

“We have been in business since 2001,” she said. “We just started doing the green homes last year, when we were able to get Energy Star to certify the product.

“I took that as the first step to going green, and then just kept going from there.”

There are lots of options for going green.

“We also do water conservation methods within the home,” she said. “We use renewable and eco materials in the home, which create a healthier indoor air environment by reducing the formaldehydes.”

Farris, who is also a student at University of California, Davis, said that she is implementing a lot of cutting-edge technologies and design features into the homes.

Options include solar power and energy efficient heating and cooling systems. Also available is a rain water-capture system, which can save about 2,500 gallons of water per year per 600 square feet of house.

Randy Eley and his wife, Trish, recently purchased a 1,620-square-foot “green” manufactured house from American Home Sales.

“We are vegetarians,” Randy said. “We recycle everything, and we are interested in the environment. I think this helped us in purchasing this home. We have been looking for a while, and we’ve looked at a bunch of different makes and models. We drove by American Home Sales there on Highway 49, and saw the one up front, and stopped and looked at it. The eco-style house really appealed to us.”

The “green” choices were a big selling point.

“You do have a lot more options, I think, with the eco home because of the different things you can put it in and put out, and what they take care of,” he said.

Among the eco-friendly features are a tankless water heater and formaldehyde-free insulation.

“Not everyone is going to do the same things, and everyone has different priorities.” said Scott Blunk, president of GreenBuilt Construction.

Because the scope of “green” building is so wide, he recommends that consumers prioritize their top three categories.

Blunk said that there is a myriad of different eco-friendly insulation materials consumers can use, including recycled products like cellulose (ground up newspapers that have been treated) and even recycled blue jeans.

“Find someone who can help you do the process, and feel good about what you’re doing,” he said. “Celebrate what you can do, and don’t lament on what you can’t do.”

Don’t be discouraged by costs and options.

“We all can’t have the perfectly green home because it would be way too expensive,” Blunk said. “There is no pinnacle of ‘green’ — it’s kind of never ending. Do what you can, be proud of that, and congratulate yourself.”