Many homeowners today are opting to build eco-friendly homes. Their goal is for them to have minimal environmental impact while remaining self-sufficient.
Eco-building means using eco-friendly materials and energy efficient windows and insulation, and avoiding volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during painting and glueing processes.
Use Recycled Materials
Sustainable housing goes beyond using recycled materials; it involves building green houses from scratch using environmentally friendly techniques and materials.
People have been using traditional building techniques for millennia – perhaps millions! – yet these strategies still hold relevance today, including eco-friendly homes like rammed earth homes. Rammed earth utilizes raw materials such as soil, chalk, lime or gravel compressed into solid blocks for walls and foundations.
Other eco-friendly building methods include using reclaimed timber in floorboards or decorative beams for an authentic rustic appearance, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by eliminating the need to harvest new lumber. Bamboo is another good green building option as it grows quickly without needing replanting; additionally it boasts higher tensile strength than steel and durability making it suitable for flooring, cabinetry or screens & mats.
Install Energy-Efficient Windows
Energy-efficient windows not only benefit the environment, but they can help lower energy usage in your home as well. By keeping cool air inside during summer and hot air out during winter months, energy-efficient windows help lower electric bills significantly.
Energy-efficient windows boast low U-factors and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient ratings (SHGC). They also come equipped with vapor barriers that prevent moisture transfer. Furthermore, frame materials like wood, clad wood, fiberglass, vinyl and aluminum all help determine its energy efficiency, with R-value options providing even greater insulation benefits.
If your home is situated in an active environment, soundproofed energy efficient windows may come to the rescue by blocking out traffic noise and other distractions. But to make sure they perform at their full potential, it’s crucial that they’re installed correctly so as not to compromise their effectiveness; make sure to follow any manufacturer-provided installation guidelines to keep your warranty valid.
Insulate Your Home
Modern eco-friendly homes are built with sustainability in mind. They employ recycled materials and utilize energy efficient technologies while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Insulating your home is another eco-friendly measure that can make a significant difference, helping reduce both heating bills and carbon emissions. There are various non-toxic materials such as sheep’s wool, cotton or cork available that will work for insulation applications – be sure to consider them all!
Insulating your home not only reduces energy bills but can also help decrease noise pollution in urban environments where there can be plenty of traffic noise and people noise pollution. This is particularly relevant in metropolitan environments, which tend to experience many more noise sources such as traffic.
Other eco-friendly measures you can implement into your home include using solar panels to produce energy for yourself. Solar panels have become increasingly popular and offer excellent returns. Furthermore, installing them could increase its value if ever sold later on.
Install a Solar Panel
Solar panels are essential components of an eco-friendly home. Once installed, these panels should take advantage of all available sunlight throughout the day and generate around 7.5 kW daily [source: Richards].
Reduce Your Reliance On Nonrenewable Energy SourcesThis energy will help to lower your energy use from non-renewable energy sources and save both money and the environment simultaneously.
Building an environmentally-friendly home isn’t difficult or expensive – using eco-friendly materials during construction is the first step, then installing efficient appliances and reducing waste are great ways to start. Water can also be reduced by selecting low-flow fixtures or planting drought-tolerant plants; additionally, green houses can often be more cost effective than you realize – some builders even offer shipping container eco homes designed elsewhere and assembled locally, leading to reduced waste and material costs and costs.