Sustainable home design is making its way into our homes! That doesn’t mean every new development must be a LEED-certified, solar-powered residence. But it does mean we can use sustainable elements while planning to build our new home, or even modify the existing one.
We are all conscious of the environment nowadays – so it’s important to consider these trends when you redesign your home. Here are 15 creative ways to include sustainability in your home without sacrificing style or comfort!
Importance of designing a green home
The enthusiasm for sustainable design is on the rise today. More and more people are showing interest in green homes, making clean living a top priority! Designers are taking note of this surge, so they’re coming up with ways to incorporate green elements into traditional homes.
It is imperative that your new home (or even the existing one) should be designed to keep sustainability in mind.
Some green features that can be included (and how they help) are:
Incorporating energy-saving lights in the house is an effective way to reduce utility bills, and making them dimmer switches makes it more attractive. There are also motion sensor lighting for people who prefer this type of system.
Installing renewable energy sources such as solar panels or wind power to run appliances like fans, dehumidifiers or even heaters can help you cut back on electricity costs.
Water conservation elements like water-efficient appliances and low-flow showerheads will go a long way in helping you save money on your water bill!
Taking steps such as these would surely help in making your house a sustainable one!
Green Certified Homes
A very popular sustainable home design trend these days is getting a green certification after you have built your house. There are certain organizations that give these certifications – and here is what you need to know:
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system is an internationally recognized benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings in the United States.
Green Globes is another rating system designed especially for green home design. This one is managed by Green Building Initiative which ensures any project awarded with it has actually followed its philosophy.
In order to get this certification, there are certain requirements that need to be fulfilled – such as using earth-friendly materials on walls and floors, having efficient windows, etc…
With all these features available today – why not incorporate them into your new build?
Layout affects energy use in a home
Location of windows/shelves is very important when it comes to energy efficiency, which is why designers today pay close attention to the layout these days.
Correct placement of windows is crucial for daylight penetration, ventilation, passive solar heating, and also security. Use plantation shutters to control the amount of sunlight that enters your home – this will help regulate heat and reduce excessive cooling costs.
Make sure there’s good lighting in every room – avoid putting lights near appliances like water heaters or refrigerators as these consume a lot of power! Placing light switches low enough so you don’t have to stretch too much is another effective measure for saving energy.
Location For A Sustainable Home Design
Another trend that is nowadays recognized as the most effective way to build sustainable homes is building them in places where they can be easily connected to public transport and other facilities.
Designers today encourage people to buy homes that are close enough to the workplace, so there’s no need for additional expenditure on car/vehicle maintenance or parking space.
Another benefit is that you’re able to walk more often – which would help you stay healthier than if you were stuck inside your air-conditioned car all day!
This trend is getting more popular among urban dwellers these days – but why not make it a priority even when designing a new home on the outskirts?
Insulation is considered essential for sustainable homes
For energy efficiency, insulation is considered one of the most important factors.
Insulation helps reduce heat loss in winter and heat gain during summer – making it easier for you to maintain your desired temperature without spending too much on utility bills!
It’s also essential to make sure that the insulation is installed properly by hiring certified professionals. These experts will know exactly which type of insulation system would be best adapted to your home (and why).
As you can see – insulating your home is one of the most effective ways for building a sustainable house!
Combining insulation with other green features like installing energy-saving appliances or using power-saving light bulbs makes your home greener and more energy-efficient.
Since insulation is such an important aspect of sustainable design – you should make sure to consult professionals about it! After all, insulating your home correctly can make a drastic difference when it comes to its efficiency!
Efficient HVAC design for a sustainable house
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning units are other factors that designers take into consideration today.
There are different HVAC units available you can choose from which would be ideal for your home – these range from heat pumps to geothermal systems.
Depending on how old your present unit is, replacing it with a more efficient one could help you save up to 40% off your utility bills! Also, consider adding an extra layer of insulation between the unit and the actual walls/floors if possible – this will further reduce unwanted temperature fluctuations in your house.
With so many options available, getting a new unit should not be so hard! Just remember to hire professionals who understand exactly what they’re doing when installing it – otherwise, there might be some problems later on.
Home automation for a sustainable house
Another trend that is taking over the world of home design – home automation!
This means that you can automate your appliances and other parts of your house – which helps reduce human error and makes tasks easier to complete. By adding devices like this to your house, you can make it more efficient – especially when it comes to electricity usage!
For example, by installing something like an automated blind system for your windows you will not have to manually adjust them yourself any longer. This is just one simple step that could contribute to the overall energy efficiency in your home. There are many others that would help you cut down on utility bills even further! These might prove helpful in the future – especially if you can afford to invest in home automation devices.
This trend is especially popular with people living in areas where the weather varies by season! For example, using an automated system for opening/closing your radiator would help you save electricity when it comes to air conditioning and heating!
Another option is having smart beds that will adjust their temperature depending on the outside temperature – making it easier for you to maintain your desired comfort level at all times! Home automation can be applied to just about everything in your house, so feel free to experiment!
Just don’t forget about safety measures if installing larger appliances like televisions or computers – they require more energy than smaller ones, but they’re also more likely to cause accidents inside the house!
One way is to ensure that you only buy energy star appliances if you’re in the US. Energy star is a standard among sustainable appliances, so you can trust that these devices will help your home be more energy efficient!
Air sealing for energy-efficient home design
Another aspect of sustainable design that is very important today is air sealing.
Using certain materials and tools, you can seal the gaps in your home with a special kind of insulation (called an air barrier). This way, warmth (or coolness) won’t escape from your house as easily – saving you money on energy bills! Considering that 40% of your home’s heat escapes through these gaps, it would be wise to try and seal them up.
Air sealing has many different benefits for both comfort and indoor pollution:
- Improves thermal comfort inside the home
- Reduces unwanted noise levels in the rooms
- Reduce energy consumption as appliances don’t need to work so hard to keep the house warm in cold climates and cold in hot climates.
Intelligent plantation for a sustainable house
Land clearing and deforestation are huge problems all over the world – it affects many different species of animals and plants, but we can help combat this issue by planting more trees.
Having plenty of trees around your house will serve as extra insulation for your home (in cooler areas) since they keep the temperature inside lower than outside – not to mention that you also get oxygen from them! They make great additions to any homeowner’s backyard; especially those who plan on living in their homes for years and want to maintain a long-term relationship with nature.
The increased awareness has caused this trend to skyrocket among homeowners everywhere – it’s a great way to go green and protect the environment!
LED lighting for energy-efficient home design
Using energy-efficient lighting for your home is a very important aspect of design that deserves its own section. This is because people unanimously agree that lighting can make or break the atmosphere in a room – and an uncomfortable atmosphere will not only make it less enjoyable to be at home, but you might as well not be there!
LED lights are becoming more popular since they last longer than traditional bulbs and consume less energy – making them much more effective from both a comfort and sustainability standpoint! It’s just one small thing that could help improve the energy consumption of your house significantly.
These days, LED lightbulbs come in many different shapes and sizes – which makes it easy for you to find something right for your room. Since they’re so bright, they’re great for lighting larger rooms, whereas smaller rooms might require a smaller bulb.
Besides LED lights, you could also use natural light from windows to reduce the amount of electricity your house consumes.
Recycle your energy with an ERV
If you’d like to go the extra mile for a trendy eco-friendly home, installing a system that recycles your energy is highly recommended! This way, you can reuse the warm/cool air in your home without letting it escape outside.
This mix of fresh and recycled air will make it much more comfortable to be inside – not to mention that using this feature would reduce the amount of energy needed for heating or cooling purposes.
The benefit of having an ERV is that you’re preventing air leakage – which saves both energy and money!
Solar-powered hot water or tankless hot water
Having solar hot water in your house can make a huge difference in the long run. It will help you save up to 20% on the cost of heating your domestic hot water, making it a very popular eco friendly home design trend.
Compared to other options, water tanks running on renewable energy such as solar panels are much more reliable since they need minimal maintenance or repairs during their lifetime – they’re guaranteed to last! Not only that, but just by having this tank installed in your house, you’re already contributing to Mother Nature’s well-being by reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.
Solar water tanks have become very popular lately due to their efficiency and ease of use. They provide great comfort at keeping our houses warm all winter long and ensure less waste!
Using local materials to build your green home
In the last few years, it has become a trend to use local materials to build your home – which is great for sustainability since these materials are usually recycled and/or reused somewhere else.
Besides helping with our carbon footprint, using these non-toxic building materials can give your house a unique style – especially if you work with a builder who knows what he or she is doing!
Using environmentally-friendly building materials will leave a long-lasting impression on your neighborhood as well as future residents. It may even be subjectively perceived as more desirable to live in by those who care about these things.
Window and door selection for energy reduction
We’ve all seen people put in new windows and doors, only to see them back for repairs within a year or two. Nowadays, there are many better-quality products on the market that could help you eliminate these problems – which is great for sustainability!
Although putting in new windows built with sturdy, weather-resistant material can be a bit costly upfront, it will pay off long term because they’re much more energy-efficient than older models. This way you could significantly reduce your electric bill just by making this upgrade as they will offer you all the insulation you need to keep your home warm in winters and cool in the summers.
Along with this, choosing doors made from reclaimed wood over traditional models that are produced by virgin trees is another popular way among people when considering green home designs.
Smaller houses are more efficient
A smaller house that’s well designed is likely to be more efficient than one that’s big but poorly insulated. In fact, the trend these days is towards smaller houses because it makes sense from an environmental point of view as well as being less expensive in terms of utility bills.
In addition, newer houses could have better insulation measures built into them – this way they will remain warm/cool much longer before any heating/cooling has to take place. This can also help you save money in the long run, and it’s a great move towards sustainability.
If you’re planning to build a new home, be smart and choose one that is sustainable in energy terms. This will not only lower your monthly expenses but will also help reduce the amount of unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.
Inspired by downsizing their homes, many people have now moved on to building tiny homes for themselves. In recent years, these tiny homes have become increasingly popular and are rapidly increasing around the world.
Water-conserving plumbing fixtures
Last but not the least, plumbing fixtures that conserve water have become increasingly popular in the last few years for their eco-friendliness.
You may even be able to get rebates from your local utility company if you install these types of plumbing fixtures in your house! This option can help save money on future repairs as well as provide you with great comfort knowing that you’re making a conscious effort towards saving water and energy.
Conclusion
Green homes are here to stay, so why not make the change now? We all enjoy living in our cozy houses, but at the same time, it’s important to understand how we contribute towards harming the environment. Fortunately, there are many ways to become more eco friendly without having to sacrifice your standard of living – just by being thoughtful about what sort of durable products you use during a home remodeling or while building your new green home from scratch.