We always do our best to make our own lives much easier and more comfortable, but we seldom stop to think about how our choices affect the environment.
All of the comforts of modern times come at a price, and the price is often that these innovations have a bad impact on our planet. Luckily, there are some truly wonderful ways to improve the quality of our lives and still be eco-friendly, which is why we’re bringing you several tips to help you build a more energy-efficient home.
Go small
Even though you might have been dreaming about having a huge home with six bedrooms and four bathrooms, you might want to reconsider this and opt for something smaller instead. If you carefully plan and then build a small home, you will still be able to enjoy all the comforts a big home can offer you, but you’ll save money and materials. If you embrace some eco-friendly techniques too, you are going to have a smaller environmental impact which is always a good thing. A smaller home also means that you’ll save time and money on maintenance and cleaning, not to mention that you’ll also save money on heating and cooling bills.
Building materials
Eco-friendly products and materials should be high on your priority list when you’re planning to build a house, because this way you can reduce the impact that construction has on the environment. Hire professional Formworkers from Sydney and get your hands on green building materials such as roofing, insulation, counters, and cabinets. Do a bit of research and find out where you can get recycled plastic and glass, reclaimed lumber, as well as natural building materials such as cork and bamboo. You can also find linoleum made of renewable materials which means that your home will not only be comfortable and inviting, but environmentally friendly too.
Embrace solar power
Everybody knows that solar energy is a clean and renewable source of energy, which means that you’ll be making a huge positive impact on the environment by switching to solar panels. They allow us to use the power of the sun even when it’s cloudy outside, and even though they are a bit expensive, they will allow you to save a lot of money in the future. Make sure to take solar panels into consideration when you think about the location of your house since that will determine how much power you can collect.
Save water
In addition to electricity, water is another important ‘green’ issue when it comes to building a house. By deciding to install a rainwater harvesting system and tankless water heaters, you can save a lot of money and energy in your home. First, you will significantly lower your energy bills because the heaters will not heat too much water, and you will get plenty of space by eliminating the hot water tank too. A rainwater harvesting system will allow you to collect rainwater directly from your roofs and use it for toilets and sprinkler systems, thus reducing the amount of water you use every day.
Pick the spot
Last but not least, you need to carefully pick the spot where you want to build your home. Try buying a property that’s not too far from markets and grocery stores, as it will mean you’ll be using your car less to get there. If public transportation is easily available, you will have an alternative and you won’t have to rely on your own vehicle as much. Also, keep in mind that homes which face west are the most exposed to the sun, which means that you will struggle to keep them cool.
In summary
Building a home is always a big step in a person’s life because it allows them to bring to life their own dreams and ideas. Still, instead of blindly following an idea we had in mind, it’s better if we do a bit of research and see whether it’d be possible to find an alternative solution that would be more environmentally friendly and energy-efficient. These two notions are incredibly important in modern times, and if we make an effort, we will leave a positive impact on our planet.