Suppose you’re doing some research and ready to start a new home improvement project. In that case, you have to consider environmentally friendly solutions or “green” ideas instead of diving into traditional building practices. A lot of these eco-friendly solutions – from flooring to ceiling, can save you more money, promote healthy living for your loved ones, and help fight climate change.
It’s true that how we build our houses has an impact on our health and everything around us. Eco-friendly house features may be a bit more costly than traditional practices. But green practices can offset those consequences.
Some are just simple installations, whilst others are projects suitable for long-term investments that will ultimately save more money in the long run. There are tons of ways you can add eco-friendly elements to your home. Here are some green practices to help you get started.
What to remember when investing in eco-friendly home improvement
Many homeowners and housebuilders have heard the common myth that it is more costly and the materials are scarce and of lower quality. On the contrary, green initiative building and remodeling is an excellent investment anyone can make.
What matters the most is building a shelter that has the means to protect the planet and create a healthy environment for your loved ones.
One of the most significant investments you can have is indeed a home, so it just makes sense to invest in it wisely, and green-friendly investments are some of the best decisions you can make. According to the U. S Green Building States, “By virtue of lowered maintenance and energy costs, the return on investment from a green building is rapid. Green retrofit projects are generally expected to pay for themselves in just seven years.”
Durability/Long-term use
Durability is a crucial component of making eco-friendly house improvements. The durability of a greenhouse addresses the need to protect yourself and your family from natural disasters, including hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, and earthquakes.
Design for durability is a means of survivability against natural disasters highly dependent on your location. Your home should withstand natural disasters and protect occupants in the event of these disasters. Ensuring that your home is stable in the long run is a high priority and is somewhat addressed in house and building codes.
Real Eco-friendly
Many green builders share the standard information that it’s tricky to discern green products from fake ones. The best way to shun getting duped is to know about every detail you can think of while planning to build your home.
Even if you know little about green building, do a lot of research as you can about each aspect you seriously consider. Ask the previous homeowners if the lights installed are LED or which utility bill is the most costly. Ask the architect about the detailing, and ask the government for environmental plans. Once the information and ideas keep coming in, you can develop a sustainable study for the things you consider.
By the end of your data gathering, you’ll be able to make appropriate decisions based on such findings–energy ratings, green certifications, proven observations, and authentic experiences.
Research, Research, Research
Tons of old and emerging brands are taking their own initiatives to be more eco-friendly. Usually, clothing and shoe brands are hopping in the eco-friendly wagon and using recycled and biodegradable material.
They also invest in eco-friendly processes to save energy and waste at every point in the production chain. But before you shop for anything related to sustainability, you have to understand that research is necessary.
Look at which businesses in the line of home improvements or home depot reduces the environmental impact and reduces their carbon footprint. It’s still best to restrict yourself from shopping too much, but if you are going to do it, make sure you’re purchasing from companies taking the initiative to do better.
Eco-friendly house features
An energy-efficient house uses less electricity compared to conventional houses. This home setup type will give ROI because it saves on electricity bills while living in a comfortable and healthy environment.
Here are some eco-friendly house features you can add to your home for greener living.
LED Lighting
Much of the devil is in detail for transforming an eco-friendly home. Home features like LED lights can make a difference in building a beautiful home with green initiatives. This is a simple yet very great move. It’s also wise to recheck your plans from time to time again and look for small things you can tweak to achieve your goals better
Led lights drastically improve your house setting, especially at nighttime. Feel the transformation by replacing the candlelight and gas lights with bright illuminations of incandescent bulbs. You also don’t have to worry about utility costs since LED bulbs are vastly more energy-efficient than filament bulbs of the 20th century.
Green Roof and Walls
The famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon is the earliest built “green roof”, and it was not until the 1970s that Germany caught up with the green aesthetic ever since, green roofs have become a wise option. Today, green roofs and walls are so popular in Europe that many luxury homes have adopted green roofs. They mixed this style with efficient and natural relaxing landscapes.
Green roofs are also friendly to wildlife because they provide a healthy habitat. They are perfect for birds and other wildlife looking for a place to stay. Every green roof supports a natural cycle and mainly depends on the type of vegetation present.
Mini Garden or Indoor Garden
The relaxing vibe of a garden is a proven way that tends to clear your mind. It’s the fresh air and the sunshine that provides a fun and comfortable atmosphere. Plus, having your own mini garden has added benefits.
Finally, you can farm any produce you want. Home vegetable gardens or indoor herb gardens are trendy right now, and they made this concept from “farm-to-table”.
It’s well known that gardening promotes the cycle of growth and decomposition for healthy soil. Also, growing plants provide clean air and the ingredients for a fresh salad dinner.
An avid gardener can plant an apple tree with enough space or berries. Like orchards, a mini garden surrounds your home with clean air and green scenery. It also perfumes the air with a fragrance of ripe fruit and blooming flowers – both good for health and well-being.
Solar Panels
Solar panels efficiently generate your own energy, reducing your usage of conventional sources. Although some solar panels cost a bit more, using the sun’s inexhaustible energy, the investment will pay for itself over time with the energy savings made.
Solar panels are also aesthetically pleasing. The beautiful glass roof tiles allow you to draw some design inspiration from classic architectural styles. Solar power, as anyone knows, is the most exciting technology in green initiatives. Hopefully, in the future, the cost of solar panels will be much more affordable.
Geothermal Heating and Cooling
Traditionally, the fancy hippy community is the only one using geothermal energy. But nowadays, green builders incorporate these alternative energy sources into luxury and traditional homes to help buyers go beyond the experience of using conventional power.
Despite the initial capital of installing a geothermal heat and cooling pump, geothermal heating, and cooling technology is known for its lower operating costs.
If you’re looking for long-term investments and not making a profit right away, this is definitely something you must have. A geothermal system offers a whopping 400 percent efficiency rating. And on top of everything, these simply transfer heat and are not created by burning fuel.
The technology behind it derives the energy from the ground making a 70% savings on electricity bills.
Dual Pane, Low Emittance Windows
Dual Pane is a two-paned window. This results in added insulation so that hot or cold temperature is less able to enter your home. The inside temperature will remain more stable. And when your home’s temperature is stabilized during hot or cold weather, you can save energy from conventional heating and cooling systems.
Low emittance glass windows have tons of benefits for the homeowner. A low E-window reflects heat back during the summer months, making your home stay cool and warmer in winter. The windows have a microscopically thin coating that minimizes the amount of infrared and ultraviolet light that comes through your glass without changing the amount of light that enters your room.
Recycle
Old but gold. Recycling is not only the easiest way to live a greener life but also a great way to teach your children how to care for our planet. even if your neighborhood doesn’t practice recycling or segregation of garbage, nowadays, it’s easy enough to find recycling centers; shopping mall, grocery stores that will take them
Industrial waste like chemicals, plastics, and cans is a huge factor contributing to water, air, and land pollution. Pollution is a global outbreak, and recycling any of these products helped a lot on mother earth. Get yourself a durable recycling bin and start the system or use stackable recycling bins.
Instead of throwing plastics and cans, you can still use them. This way, you help lessen waste disposal emissions of gases like carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and Sulphur which all contribute to damaging the earth.
Final thoughts
If you’ve done some research, it may seem like making green investments in your home may take some time. What matters the most is making slow and steady eco-friendly house improvements to your home that keep your remodeling budget afloat while still increasing your home’s ROI.
An energy-efficient home does more than just save money. It ensures that you live in a home that requires less energy, and if you pass the energy rating standard, you’ve made a lot of contributions to save the environment.
I hope you found this article about eco-friendly house features helpful. If you have other tips on how to make your home greener, let us know via email: aworldtotravel @ gmail . com
