Building an eco friendly home isn’t just a great way to minimize your environmental impact, but it’s also a huge appeal to eco conscious buyers if you’re looking to sell. In a market with so much demand for sustainable living, building an eco-friendly home is more than just a way to help the earth— it can be a downright genius financial decision. Here are some of the best tips for a successful eco-friendly building project.
Choose Sustainable Materials
The first step is choosing eco-friendly materials created by companies with the earth’s best interest in mind. Ideally, buy your materials locally so that you can reduce the amount of transportation emissions your build requires.
Additionally, consider using recycled or even reclaimed materials that won’t just reduce your overall carbon footprint, but also potentially save you a lot of money. You can even go as far as selecting materials that are free of harmful chemicals like formaldehyde free insulation, or paint made from organic ingredients.
Design With Energy Efficiency in Mind
Designing for energy efficiency is an important aspect of an eco-friendly home. Clean and renewable energy is the way to go in an eco-friendly home. Consider solar design which uses the sun’s energy for heating and lighting instead of relying on electricity or gas.
Allow as much natural light to enter the home as possible by incorporating large windows and skylights. To keep the home warmer during winter and cooler during summer without having to use additional energy, consider installing energy efficient windows and installation.
Add Water Saving Features
There are all sorts of ways to enhance your home’s water efficiency when creating an eco-friendly home. Consider installing low flow fixtures from your toilets to your faucets, and also low flow shower heads. You may even want to go as far as adding a rain barrel to the yard for collecting rainwater for your houseplants and garden.
Start a Garden
Starting a garden in your yard is one of the best ways to promote sustainability and contribute to an overall healthier environment since gardens serve as habitat for a wide range of plants, insects and animals. By creating a garden that mimics a natural ecosystem, you’ll be doing your part to promote biodiversity.
Not to mention, when you grow a garden you’re producing your own fruits and vegetables instead of having to buy from a grocery store. This can save you significant money on bills, and reduce your carbon footprint— not to mention organic is so much more delicious don’t you think?
Building an eco-friendly home may require a little bit of extra effort on your part. However, contributing to a healthier environment is in everybody’s interest. By incorporating these tips, you’ll create a sustainable living space that doesn’t just appeal to you, but also will help you make a faster sale in the future if you hope to appeal to eco conscious buyers.
Infographic Provided By Solar Panel Installation Washington DC Company, Sunburst Solar