| Designing and building a sustainable home is more than just a trend, it’s fast becoming a necessity. If you want your new home to do good for the planet, rather than harm, consider the following six tips when in the designing phase: Make your home smaller than you think it needs to be While size might be everything if you’ve got a large family, when it comes to being ecofriendly, a larger home will almost have a larger carbon footprint and be less energy efficient. That said, you don’t necessarily have to design a home that feels cramped, you simply have to give more thought to the space that’s available to you. Invest your money in a home that has space where it’s needed, and plan your square footage with the future of your family, in mind. Have a solar system installed Having solar panels professionally installed on your roof, is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint, while reducing your energy bills at the same time. The sun is without doubt, the best source of affordable and clean energy, and by designing your green home with solar panels in mind, you can take advantage of the geography and light levels within your property in the most efficient way. When planning where your home will sit, think carefully about its position in relation to the sun and how much power you’ll be able to collect and store throughout the day. Keep in mind that there are also tax breaks and grants for homes with solar systems. Make the roof sustainable When it comes to energy efficiency, what you choose to build your roof out of can be instrumental, and you should consider materials that can help your home keep cool at night time, reflect sunlight away and hold less heat in general. While choosing materials like slate or terra cotta will cost more, what they should save you in energy costs in the long term, should help you recoup your investment over a few years. Use geothermal power Although having a geothermal system installed comes with a significant price tag, it will undoubtedly leave you with an abundance of clean and efficient energy to keep your home cool in the summer, and warm in the winter. With a geothermal system, heat moves from underground your home in the winter, up to your HVAC system, and during the summer months, it takes heat from your home, and disperses it into the ground. Choose sustainable materials where possible Recycled materials are an increasingly popular choice for many who choose to design and build their own home, and you should be able to find some local companies who are making use of a variety of materials to provide builders with strong, sustainable choices for constructing homes. Think carefully about the flooring you choose, and provided the wood you purchase is sourced from sustainably managed forests, this natural, renewable resource makes a great building material. If designing a green home is a priority for you, then be sure to incorporate a solar system into your initial plans. Make sure your designer has plenty of ideas for a home that is comfortable, modern, functional and above all else, sustainable and ecofriendly. |
