Top Str Agent

Brian Cook
Cook Sells Homes
703.517.6154

Looking to Buy, Sell or Invest?

Let's connect and personalize the process today. Start by filling in this short form:

I'm interested in:

Buying
Selling
Investing
Your message has been sent. Thank you!

30+ Innovative Ways to Build a Sustainable Living House - Conserve Energy Future

Sustainable housing is one that makes efficient use of resources and energy with minimal impacts on the environment. The overriding principle in sustainable housing is ensuring it promotes a better quality of life and involves less waste, better reliability, lower life-cycle environmental impacts, less maintenance, and more re-use. These are some of the ways that are used to make a home more sustainable.

Making our homes sustainable is a simple task and not need to cause a lot of anxiety during or after construction. If a house is already constructed, there are many improvements that are needed to make it more sustainable. Some of them are immediate, but and are cheap while others take longer and are more costly. For new homes, there are so many ways it can be made sustainable.

Each one of us matters, has a role to play, and makes a difference. Each one of us must take responsibility for our own lives, and above all, show respect and love for living things around us, especially each other

~ Jane Goodall


30+ Innovative Ways to Build a Sustainable House

Most of these sustainability aspects are applicable when renovating or when constructing a new building. Here are 30+ innovative ways to build a sustainable house.

 

1. Insulation of walls and the floor and having a ceiling board

This will help to aid in cooling purposely to save on energy costs. Insulation will help in saving money on energy bills and make the house more comfortable because the insulation will bar heat passing in and out of the house.

It will maintain a comfortable temperature inside regardless of the outside temperature. Insulation allows the temperature to remain balanced even in winter or summer.

 

2. Install windows that are double-glazed

Double glazed windows help to insulate house making it cooler during the summer and warmer during the winter. One can as well use thermal blackout curtains in place of double glazed windows in case they are too costly.

 

3. Make use of the sun

Orientate a new home for maximum sunlight. This involves passive solar heating designs and making use of daytime lighting fully. By the use of passive solar, the windows can let in energy and the heat absorbed reduces the need for warming the house during cold periods such as winter. Seeking advice from the architect for more ideas is necessary.

 

4. Choose appliances that have more energy-efficiency

Swapping of the regular electrical appliances with energy-saving certified products is highly desirable for a sustainable house.

 

5. Selection of non-toxic building materials for constructing the house

Non-toxic building materials lower life-cycle environmental impacts the house might pose.

 

6. The use of local materials

Using locally available materials is appropriate to reduce the degradation of the environment during transportation.

 

7. Minimizing resource wastage

During construction, recycling of wastes can be done to reduce the accumulation of wastes as much as possible. For instance, materials can be sourced by demolished products that have been recycled.

 

8. Usage of renewable electricity sources

This is done through the installation of a small-scale wind turbid or micro-hydro system. Choosing the power company that generates sources that are renewable is also recommended.

 

9. Building the house with comfort taking care of the future will make it more sustainable

If the plan is to stay longer in the room, then the indoor and outdoor access will be a requirement., it will also avoid future extension of the house as well as renovation so as the reduce future expenditure in the house.

 

10. Selection of local or native plant life for landscaping and interior design is an essential element

It will make the house look beautiful and attractive as well as creating a calm environment for sustainability. Plants also act as natural air purifiers.

 

11. Installation of solar panels and temperature-regulating walls

It will make the house to be more eco-friendly and make the house cooler.

 

12. Putting up of energy-saving bulbs in the house.

Energy is saved when incandescent light bulbs are replaced with compact fluorescent lamps or LED bulbs.

 

13. Usage of extension loads types of equipment

The house power consumption can be reduced by almost fifteen percent if multi-socket extension loads are used.

 

14. Building compost for kitchen waste

Compost for kitchen waste will help to reduce the amount of household waste in landfills and reducing the costs associated with the collection of wastes.

 

15. Use of organic beddings

Cotton linen usage accounts for almost thirty percent of the world’s insecticide use. Changing to organic cotton or bamboo is more sustainable and efficient.

 

16. Use of windows that are energy efficient

Energy-efficient windows will keep the house cool during the summer and warm in the winter due to their proper insulation.

 

17. Planting of spider plants in the room

Spider plants are known for air purification, they are planted in the chamber, and they will help to purify the air especially in the bathroom.

 

18. Creating a comfortable eco-house with a passive design

A house that has a passive design makes the room to cool and heat naturally; this is will the occupants comfortable due to its excellent orientation and proper ventilation, this house will facilitate the sun rays in during cold seasons and will be able to cool down during the hot season.

The house can also be designed to receive more natural light than artificial light, reducing the overall electricity costs.

 

19. Design to create a microclimate

The design should allow lightweight ventilation in a hot, dry climate. The house should also be well insulated and have good solar access during winter.

 

20. Design for a good life.

Ensure the house aims to stay for a longer period. The materials should be vigorous and durable, and that can be recycled easily. The house should also adapt to the changing needs without incurring the cost in the future by building extension or renovation.

 

21. Creation of efficient heating and cooling without buying air conditioners in the house

It can be done by the use of curtains and blinds and sealing any leaks. Also, make use of the sun’s heat and shading to provide an excellent climate and insulation respectively. If you have to buy an air conditioner, then you also have to set up ceiling fans to increase the efficiency of the air- conditioner.

 

22. Build water tanks to collect rainwater

Collect the rainwater in tanks for use in bathrooms and garden is part of water use efficiency. Rainwater harvesting will help to reduce wastage of piped water thereby leading to sustainable living.

 

23. Use of drought-tolerant plants for landscaping the house environment

Drought tolerant plants require less water and can survive during drought, thus making them beautiful throughout the year. They also have aesthetic value.

 

24. Use solar or wind power

The two are renewable energy sources that are cheap and non-polluting. If using wind energy plants for landscaping, it is necessary to use wind maps that can help to predict the mean annual wind speed in your location.

There are factors to be taken into consideration when using wind and solar energy. Once the system is set up, it will supply the house with clean and free electricity.

 

25. Establishing lockable taps

Turning off the taps after usage helps to avoid water wastage. Ensuring that the taps are turned off after using them avoids the misuse of water and in the long-term, it contributes to saving on water bills hence increased sustainability.

 

26. Installation of thermostat that is programmable

Thermostats can be used to monitor the house temperature, keeping it warmer or cooler when the one is not around.

 

27. Install low-flush toilets

Low-flush toilets can significantly help to reduce water wastage compared to traditional ones that use 6 liters of water per flush. Particularly, low-flush toilets use about 4.5 liters or less per flush.

 

28. Reuse of the furniture

Other than purchasing new furniture, one can recycle the old ones to save money and trees.

 

29. Use of eco paints for the walls during construction will make the house more sustainable

The use of paints that are plant or water-based other than using the traditional ones which are full of volatile organic compounds is part of building a sustainable house. The chemical paints are bad for the occupant’s health and lead to air pollution.

 

30. Installation of monitor sensing lights in the room

Monitor sensing lights will help in turning on the lights when a person or people are occupying a room and turn them off when there is no one. This contributes to saving energy costs often associated with wastage when people forget to turn off the lights when leaving the house.

 

31. Installation of skylights in the room

Skylights not only provide beautiful lighting but are also energy-saving thereby reducing energy consumption.

 

32. Use of sustainable flooring materials

Sustainable materials will make the floor appear attractive and durable. The use of bamboo trees is appropriate since they grow very fast and require small areas.

 

References:

Eco-friendly Home Construction Materials

Make Home More Sustainable

Eco-houses Around the World


Follow Hashtags: #BrianCook #CookSellsHomes

What is Your Home Worth?

Start Your Home Selling Journey