We are all aware of how important it is to take care of our environment. By now, we have probably grown accustomed to reducing our carbon footprint as much as possible, thus helping our planet thrive. Such behavior should be present in all our activities — both in the ones performed daily and the ones we do once in a blue moon.
Building a house might not be something you tend to do on a daily basis; still, it is very important to consider how eco-friendly your future home is going to be. Not only will that kind of planning be beneficial to the environment, but it will also save you a lot of money along the way, which is why you need to think your choices through.
In order to help you, we’ve come up with ways of making your home more economically efficient. Take a look!
Use Environmentally Friendly Building Materials
Let’s start from scratch — it is very important to opt for eco-friendly choices when considering building materials, as they could help you save money while also saving the environment.
You can start by using eco-friendly flooring. We recommend avoiding any plastics like vinyl tiles and opting for a wood floor in areas less prone to water contact. After you decide on the floor then look at other recycled building materials. Basically, you can either buy the materials made of recycled products, or you can find a new purpose for something that has already been used. For example, you can:
- Make a roof out of recycled rubber
- Use recycled wood and paper waste to build a deck
- Use wood materials that come from managed forests only.
- Try out Ecoy bamboo mattress protector
Another thing to consider would be using easily recyclable materials. We would recommend opting for something that could be easily reused with different purposes in mind. For example, instead of gypsum dry wood, cement, or plywood, we recommend using Magnesium oxide boards that, apart from being a healthy, non-combustible material, are also classified as nutritional waste. This means that, even if you end up not using them again, they could still be ground up and used as a nutrient for the soil. How cool is that?
Be Efficient About Your Light Conditions
Firstly, you should aim to use as much natural light as possible. Not only is it the cheapest, but it is also the healthiest and most beneficial option. This is why we suggest installing a skylight when building a home, as it would be both beautiful and useful. This way, natural light would be used to your advantage, and you wouldn’t have to spend too much money on light bulbs.
However, as you will need them eventually, it is wise to consider different kinds of light bulbs you can choose from. The amount of energy they use is measured in watts, and our goal is to focus on the energy-efficient ones.
After careful consideration of everything that is currently on the market, we have come to the conclusion that the real winners are the LED bulbs. In fact, these light bulbs need only 9 watts to emit the same amount of light for which incandescent light bulbs need 60 watts. They also have the longest lifespan — you could use one of them for 10 to 20 years. Think about all the energy and the money that could save!
Save Water
Even though water used to be considered something that could be used endlessly, people have become aware of its scarcity in recent years. Clean water is becoming more difficult to find, and many people around the world suffer from a lack of it. Therefore, we should attempt to be as mindful as possible when it comes to wasting water, and that is why eco-friendly faucets could prove to be quite helpful.
These kinds of faucets are electronic, and they usually have sensors that react to the movements in their proximity. With this kind of technology, you could make sure water is being used in your home only when necessary. It won’t run while you’re brushing your teeth — it will automatically shut down once your hands are out of the way, and will turn back on when you need it again.
You could also contribute to water-saving habits by installing a dual-flush toilet. This kind of toilet offers you two different flushing options — one of them is used for liquid waste and the other for solid waste. Believe it or not, this kind of toilet could save up to 80% of the usual water consumption, so why not give it a shot?
Conclusion
In recent years, eco-friendliness and carbon footprints have become something that is frequently discussed. More and more people try to help the environment thrive by recycling, driving eco-friendly cars, or limiting water waste.
However, we can always be even more ecologically conscious. This kind of mindset can be incorporated in different activities, and building a house is only one of them. As we’ve shown you in this article, you could try using recycled and recyclable materials to create less waste. You could also try to use natural light as much as possible while opting for the light bulbs that save the most energy. Finally, you could make sure you use water only when necessary, especially considering the fact that one in three people suffers from water scarcity.
This way, you will be contributing to our environment and giving future generations a chance to live on a clean, safe, eco-friendly planet.
