We at Think Built love great architecture and clever design. We love it even more when these designs are combined with environmentally sustainable principles. An eco-friendly home is achievable in Sydney. It doesn't require the hum of wind turbines or to fill your backyard with rows of life breathing trees (though, sure, this would help!) In any event, environmental opinions aside, building sustainably can also save you big dollars in the long-term. See below for achievable tips that will help you create your dream, green home.
Capitalise on your site’s natural assets
Eco-friendly houses start with intelligent design, long before the first brick is laid. Get your Think Built builder to think creatively about how to utilise your space to your environmental advantage. Ask questions like where do natural breezes flow from? How should my house sit on the block to best harness natural light from the sun? These questions might sound basic, but intelligent planning can save you money as well as the environment (bonus!).
Invest in proper insulation
Insulation is another aspect to consider when building an eco-friendly home. On a splurge/save scale, investing in proper insulation should not be considered a luxury and will dictate the climate control of your home, keeping it cooler in warmer months, and warmer in winter. Approximately 40% of a household’s entire energy usage is dedicated to heating and cooling, a statistic that proper insulation can reduce. This reduced reliance on air conditioning and represents a substantial long-term saving.
Keep the roof cool
In harsh climate’s like Australia’s, a building's exposure to the sun can result in heat being trapped inside the roof, gradually warming up the interior of the building. ‘Green roofs’ are an innovative solution to this problem. Heat-reducing methods such as using reflective roof paint, roof covering, tiles, or planting grass will result in a cooler building, and save the energy and money it would otherwise take to cool it.
Materials matter – think sustainable, biodegradable and recyclable
Recycling old materials where possible is an easy way to save money and reduce environmental impacts of your construction. Products like recycled lumber, plastic, and glass are less damaging than buying new. Biodegradable materials are also being produced with reduced energy costs and pollution.
Renovate.. to rescue the environment?
Now, we know convincing your significant other that a renovation is due can be a hard task that requires.. ahem, creative, reasons. We recently learned a fool-proof way to get green thumbs over the line when contemplating a reno. Extensions, renovations and refurbishments stretch the life of a building, thereby reducing your environmental impact of having to demolish and rebuild in the long-run (not to mention the dollars saved in evading such a task!). On this note, durable materials such as brick, stone, and concrete have a longer lifetime and are more eco-friendly during the demolition and disposal phase.
Other tips and tricks to lower your flow
Lowering water wastage is easily achieved by installing water fixtures to reduce the flow of showerheads and taps. There are also ‘low-flow’ toilets available that can save up to a whopping 50,000 litres of water per year.
Source: Build Soft and Modscape