Green Habits to Adopt when Building a Home

When building a house, people focus on the quality and design, as both of these things are important if you’re looking to live in that new space for a long period of time. With all the climate changes around us, people are now thinking more about their carbon footprint and the impact every choice of theirs makes on the environment. Building methods and materials are improving every day and there’s no reason why this shouldn’t become more than a trend. It’s always good to pay attention to the environment, but being budget-friendly is what makes this idea attractive to most people. If you’re in the process of building a home yourself, why not make it more eco-friendly and opt for many efficient ways of creating a home for your family?

Smaller is better

With the tiny house movement getting more and more popular, downsizing is one way of becoming more efficient than ever. It’s always a nice idea  to have plenty of space, but you need to ask yourself if you really need all that square footage. Think twice before creating a floor plan with additional rooms, bathrooms and spare rooms you don’t plan on using. Be smart with creating a layout and try to include only the space you find functional. Think about the amount of electricity you’ll have to spend in a large place, and then imagine doing that in a much smaller house. This doesn’t mean you’re compromising on comfort, though; you’re simply being smart right at the beginning.

Use recycled materials

This is the best way to save some money and be as eco-friendly as you can. Sure, you’ll have to buy new materials that won’t be 100% eco-friendly, but for those parts where you can use recycled materials, there are so many options. Apart from that, consider repurposing existing materials and learning more about what can be reused in order to make the most of what you already have. There are lots of stores that offer a wide range of products made from recycled materials and repurposed items which will be perfect for your eco-friendly house. This can also give a unique touch to the whole project and make everything from your doors and windows to carpets and walls more stylish.

Talk to professionals

Countries like Australia are moving away from traditional ways of building and towards embracing new trends. The construction industry inspires us at the moment with innovative types of properties and accepting sustainable and quality building more than ever before. Apart from doing a great job, it’s always better to work with professionals who will help you see the full potential of your property and use it in the best, most sustainable way. Green architecture is constantly evolving, so expect more great ideas to surface.

Proper insulation

A key feature in an eco-friendly home is to have proper insulation – there’s no going halfway about that. This will lower your utility bills and provide you with the best temperature during both hot and cold days. Additionally, you need to install your doors and windows properly, or you’ll face a massive loss of energy. Heating and cooling are about 50% of your bills and by losing energy due to bad installation, you’re basically losing money.

Small things matter

Although you may think that a simple thing like the choice of lighting doesn’t play a significant role in your green house, think twice. The type of lighting you choose will have an effect on your energy consumption, so opt for LED bulbs or any other type with the Energy Star label because they last longer and are really worth the price. Also, think about using natural light to your advantage and thus prevent your lights from being on all day long. If you like to follow trends, solar panels are the right option for you and you can use them anywhere in your home. They are a bit more expensive at first, but you need to think about long-term savings and all the benefits they’ll bring.

To reiterate, comfort and style does not have to be compromised when designing a home. If anything, it truly can improve the look and feel of your house. Additionally, eco-friendly houses are just as functional as any other type, but the feeling of living in one is something you won’t get anywhere else. However to summarise, it is most important to know that the primary goal here is to preserve our environment and be self-sufficient where possible. Be green and be kind to our planet!

About the author – Emma B. Joyce is blogger based in Australia. She is a true home decor and DIY fanatic. Emma is interested in music and also is a big reading enthusiast. Finding new designs and patterns is her daily task. She got hooked on home accessories and decorations during her travelling and now cannot stop searching for new inspiration