Energy Efficient Home Renovation Ideas
January 16, 2022
Are you looking for eco-friendly upgrades to help you build a more sustainable home? Making energy-efficient renovations has several benefits, including reduced carbon footprint, tax incentives, and decreased energy costs. Additionally, because the majority of these renovations are desirable house features, they raise the market value of your property. Are you ready to make your home more environmentally friendly? Below you can discover eco-friendly solutions that can enhance the beauty of your space!
Passive Design
Some view their houses as a method of isolating themselves from the outside world. They desire a clear distinction between home and the outer world. However, the natural environment can assist you in making your house more eco-friendly. Make your home more efficient with passive design.
Passive design is the process of heating and cooling your home using the sun's natural rays. Naturally, it takes climate into account. Including passive design into house renovations improves the efficiency of the property without increasing the cost.
Here are some tips for maximising the benefits of passive design:
• If you live in a colder winter environment, increase the number of windows on the north side of the house to collect solar heat and organically warm the rooms.
• Add eaves to north-facing windows to screen them from the summer sun and assist in keeping these rooms cooler.
• If you live in a hot climate, consider relocating additional living areas to the south, where temperatures are naturally cooler.
• Insulation also helps maintain the internal temperature of your home without producing drastic variations and boosting energy consumption.
Consider operating inside your ecological footprint
Renovations are notorious for being prohibitively costly. As a result, a change to your present floor design is worth contemplating.
Rather of adding new buildings, consider how your existing space might be altered - it is quicker and less expensive to relocate an inside wall than an outside one. While small rooms can support a variety of alternatives, contacting an architect is critical for a project requiring sophisticated design.
Environmentally friendly flooring:
The floor coverings in your home may either enhance or detract from the efficiency of your home. Consider natural materials that are capable of absorbing heat. During the day, concrete and brick absorb heat, cooling hot rooms in the summer. It is recommended to locate these thermal masses in sunny positions where they may absorb the maximum heat from the room. In the winter, these same thick materials keep a space from being too chilly due to outside conditions.
Consider sustainable materials if you prefer a softer flooring option. Bamboo grows rapidly enough that even when it is used for flooring, the woods regenerate. If you want a more classic look, reclaimed hardwood is another option. This option does not necessitate the planting of new trees. It is a recycled wood product that contributes to the reduction of landfill space while providing your house with the wood flooring you seek.
Consider using natural materials on the walls and flooring:
Choosing natural items will assist you in keeping your house chemical-free. Internally, your primary focus should be on the walls and flooring. The walls must be airtight but permeable to allow moisture to escape.
If you've used a natural substance to insulate, don't conceal it behind synthetic walls. Lime and clay plasters are both natural, breathable, and flexible. There are several natural flooring options, the most common of which being wood. Ascertain that it comes from a sustainable source. If you're not a fan of wood, consider cork, marmoleum, or even rubber, all of which may be 100 percent natural - but always verify the supply chain.
If you're considering refreshing a bedroom, living room, or study with a new coat of paint or colourful wallpaper, make sure to choose eco-friendly products. Not only does sustainable paint or wallpaper save waste during the manufacturing process, but it also keeps hazardous pollutants out of your home's air.
We have been helping kiwis build eco-friendly and sustainable homes for over a decade now, so if you are ready to build your new home to be environment conscious, let us help.