Everyone has become more aware of the dire reasons we should all be more eco-friendly. Some changes have already been implemented into each of our day-to-day lives, such as recycling some of your rubbish without giving it too much thought. However, when you consider the bigger picture, there are many more ways to make your home be more eco-friendly and encourage more sustainable ways of living. Some changes are bigger than others, but any and all changes made will make all the difference.
There are many benefits to building and living environmentally friendly which aren’t just personally rewarding but also cost-effective as well. Not only do you get the satisfaction that you are doing your part to look after the environment but you will also see lower bills, your energy efficiency increasing, and overall less maintenance to your home and way of life. With more and more people striving to now do their part the great news is that there is now a wealth of information and support available to help you go and ahead and become greener and more efficient.
Energy Efficiency
With energy prices continuing to rise year by year and the increasing population creating a greater need for energy, costs are only expected to continue to increase. By incorporating energy-efficient systems within your home it will noticeably save you cost in the long run by reducing your bills. Although the initial setups can be costly over time they are recouped.
Examples of low costs ways to be more energy efficient at home are keeping your thermostat down and not wasting unnecessary energy, insulating your loft, making sure you do full wash loads on a cool temperature and using energy-saving light bulbs to name a few. Other ways to improve your energy efficiency, which costs a little more initially, would be having double glazing fitted in your property, getting a new boiler, or even having solar panels fitted. With any eco-friendly changes you may make to your property it is always seeing if you are eligible for any solar rebates and tax credits or grants to help support the initial setup costs.
Make It Sustainable
When making your home eco-friendly you are working towards making it as sustainable as possible. The key is to construct a home environment that has little impact on the surrounding environment. So when making physical changes or even considering building your own eco-friendly home it is worth looking into green building materials. With more and more construction projects now using sustainable building materials, there are a number of options available now and like other eco changes, they have both economic and environmental benefits.
As the majority of green building materials are more durable, so over time they require less maintenance. The benefits of this are not only saving you money by not needing to complete as many repairs or replacements, but your property will also wear better and look newer for a longer period of time. Here are some tips on how to make the construction or renovation process of your home more sustainable!
Higher Property Value
With more people being considerate about the environment selling to owning a more eco-friendly home will boost its value and desirability. Just incorporating energy-effective methods to your home lowers its running costs and will result in future savings from any future owners, thus increasing the salability value.
For example, solar panels, wind turbines, or even a more eco-friendly boiler will save on running costs, increase your EPC ratings and positively benefit the environment. A lot of buyers nowadays are savvier when it comes to the cost of running their home. If your property has additional features to help the environment and save on these costs they are found to be more favorable even if the property was listed with higher retail and saleable value.
Lowering Your Carbon Footprint
Reducing your carbon footprint has become something that everyone is more mindful of in order to ensure that environmental and climate changes are limited. In general, people now are more mindful about the number of greenhouse gases that are being released into the atmosphere from their own personal use. Energy usage is one of the largest historic influencers and people are holding their country or nation’s industries accountable.
By making changes to your property and going greener you are now taking that personal step in minimalizing your contribution to this ongoing issue and working to help sustain the environment for future generations to come. By insulating your home, such as your attic and walls, you are ensuring that any heat generated in your home remains within your four walls and in the summer your property remains cool. This results in less energy being used and a lower carbon footprint.
If you decide to continue sourcing your electricity and water elsewhere there are now providers that offer greener tariffs or source their power from solar, wind, or hydroelectric sources. This again will work with reducing your overall energy costs and reduce the number of emissions being generated from your home.
Better Air Quality
If you make changes and use more sustainable resources with the construction of your home or any extensions or outbuilding, you are not only benefiting the environment but your family’s health as well. By making changes such as switching to paints, sealants, and adhesives that are more environmentally friendly and more sustainable, fewer chemicals are used and therefore less toxic emissions are generated within your home and the air that you all breathe.
Of course, this then not only benefits the environment around you but also you and your family as you are then eliminating them breathing in potentially harmful toxic chemicals that have been linked to negatively impacting on health, aggravating respiratory conditions, or triggering allergy flare-ups. There is also the option of having purer ventilation systems built into your home. These systems make it easier to breathe and create a healthier living environment.
