Building a home can be a daunting task, with many intimidating, moving parts. It is important that your new home is both modern, and friendly in more ways than one. Not only should you want your home to be friendly and inviting to guests and visitors, you will also want it to be eco-friendly and at peace with the environment. Modern, eco-friendly residential construction has several benefits that many are taking advantage of in 2022. Let us explore a few of the benefits, and ways new homeowners are easily creating the eco-friendly and modern homes of the future, today.
- Benefits of an eco-friendly home
An eco-friendly home means less impact on the environment and using sustainable building materials that should last for years, but the biggest benefit of an eco-friendly home is the amount you save on heating, water, and other household expenses. Some people choose to go with solar panels to reduce their reliance on energy, but others simply focus on reducing their usage of electricity and water by turning off lights and limiting water usage for things like dish washing and showering. Many new eco-friendly appliances are tested and proven to use less water and energy during basic household usage, saving the homeowner money in the long run. The eco-friendlier your home is, the more budget-friendly it will be – an attractive prospect for everyone!
- Trends for 2022
Many builders and new home owners are trending toward more “high-performance” homes over the legacy, “basic shelter” structures of yesteryear. They do this by focusing on several main indicators of human comfort including humidity, air speed, air temperature, radiant temperature, metabolic rate, and clothing insulation.
Tips for an eco-friendly and modern home in 2022
- Keep it simple
We are not all engineers, or capable of calculating the best and most efficient ways to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. Let us keep it simple and think about the common sense of the situation. First, the better insulated your home, the less heat you will lose through walls and windows. Second, the more panes of glass you have on your windows, the more of a shield you have against moisture and condensation. Third, reducing air leakage means reducing drafts, moisture and reducing your monthly heating or cooling bills. Finally, do not forget to insulate the floor, the part of our home that encounters our feet daily.
- Make it relatable to homeowners
Homeowners understand the concepts of comfort and saving money. What they often do not see is how an investment on the front end, as the house is being constructed, can save them time and money in the long run. Builders, make sure you use relatable examples when explaining why you need the extra insulation, explaining the needs using location-specific details. For example, if a homebuilder is in Denver, take the extra time to explain how the fluctuating weather could cause issues, and what you will do to ensure their new home is always comfortable.
- Daily activities to consider
- Heating and cooling – Most homeowners will rely on heating and cooling systems to maintain their desired level of comfort. Before you build, carefully consider what heating and cooling equipment you purchase, and consider investing in more eco-friendly and budget-friendly solar panels or energy conserving windows.
- Cooking – The kitchen is the room in which we spend the most time, so make sure your cooking utensils are easy to use, and energy efficient. Many appliances now come with Energy Star ratings, allowing you to easily choose your level of eco-friendliness on the front end of the project.
- Lighting – Lighting can be a major area of expense, around 15% of a households electricity usage, especially in more remote areas or those with expensive power grids. Using energy-efficient lighting like LED bulbs is a great way to ensure that your electricity bill doesn’t get away from you when the winter days start getting shorter, and the lights come on earlier.
- Laundry – laundry uses both your water supply and your power, through the washer and dryer together. It is important to consider how much laundry you normally do, and plan for more! Consider investing in newer, energy-efficient laundry appliances, to ensure you do not waste money, water, and electricity on older models.
A friendly and energy efficient home is a home you want to spend time in. When your bills are not eating you alive, you can more easily enjoy your space, and have more money and time for fun things like interior design and entertaining! If you are considering building a home, or plan to update the home you already have, consider the elements we discussed above carefully to create a more budget-friendly and eco-friendly space!
About the author:
Ivan Serrano is a web journalist living in the Bay Area of California. He mainly focuses his work on social media, small business and finance. When he isn’t planted at his desk writing something up, he’ll be wandering around town practicing photography or watching his favorite sports teams with his friends.