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This is a collaborative post.
The climate is in an emergency, according to some of the world’s top scientists. And that’s got a lot of us thinking: how can we make our homes a little greener? After all, we all want to do our bit to save the environment and preserve the planet for future generations.
But when you start investigating the actual options you have out there; you soon discover that the landscape is far more varied than you ever imagined. There are just so many optional extras for your home; it makes the mind boggle. Things have moved on so much in the last few years; it’s quite incredible.
So with that said, what green home features are builders increasingly installing in modern homes? Let’s take a look. Perhaps you’ll get some helpful ideas for your accommodation from these coveted eco-friendly features.
Window Tinting
Window tinting is something that the majority of people associate with high-performance cars. But it turns out that the technology is also highly beneficial for homes.
When it comes to window tinting, you have two options: the expensive one and the cheap one.
The no-expenses-spared version involves ripping out all of the existing windows in your home and replacing them with special tinted glass that selectively reflects the sun’s rays.
The other is to stick a cheap polycarbonate film on your windows to block out light in the same way.
The former is probably more attractive, while the latter is for people who want to achieve the same effects on a budget.
Both types of window tinting work the same way. Special materials block out non-visible parts of the light spectrum while allowing the visit light to continue flooding into the room, preventing excessive heat buildup in the summer. The ultimate goal is to protect people on the inside of the home from UV and reduce cooling bills. So it’s a double whammy.
Septic Tanks
Septic tanks might not be the sexiest home additions you can imagine, but they’re certainly one of the best for the environment and among the most coveted eco-friendly features you can find for the home.
Usually, household waste travels through the sewage system to a treatment plant on the outskirts of town. This facility then processes the waste, dumps a load of chemicals into it, and sends it out into local waterways. It’s not going to cause any disease, but it stinks, reduces biodiversity, and is generally not the best use of materials. Plus, all the treatment chemicals require a lot of energy to make.
Human waste, however, is a perfectly natural product and something that you can store in a septic tank before processing yourself organically, without the need for any harsh industrial chemicals. Once you process it correctly, you can use it for growing vegetables on your allotment.
Water-Conserving Appliances
Did you know that it takes a lot of energy to transport water from reservoirs to your home? For most people, that’s the most significant component of their water bill.
Water-conserving appliances are select units that help you slash your water consumption and protect the natural environment. But where can you find them?
It turns out that these units are lurking everywhere. Perhaps the best place to start is your bathroom. You can now get a range of shower attachments and fittings that lower the amount of water they use, but with no knock-on effects on clearing performance. You can also get low-water-usage dishwashers and washing machines to cut your bills even further. They’re a little more expensive than the run-of-the-mill variety, but over the long-term, they can actually wind up saving you money – and that’s always a good thing.
Cellulose Wall Insulation
The majority of homes use cheap synthetic insulation. But if you want to reduce your impact on the environment and fire risk simultaneously, you might want to consider cellulose wall insulation.
Cellulose wall insulation is made from the indigestible fibers of plants. When processed in a certain way, it no longer breaks down when dry and can provide excellent heat-proofing for your walls.
Please note that cellulose wall insulation is a biodegradable material meaning that eventually, it will break down into the ground. Ideally, you’d like your property to last hundreds of years. But it is nice to know that if it ever were demolished, the insulation wouldn’t cause any harm to the environment.
Cellulose wall fibre is blown into your cavity walls. It provides insulation around the same effectiveness as the synthetic variety.
Solar Roofing
Solar roofing is still a relatively novel product, but it could be something that ultimately changes the world. Imagine being able to line your roof with cheap tiles and for it to look exactly the same as a regular roof but be able to generate electricity at the same time. That would be great, wouldn’t it?
That is now fast becoming a reality for a lot of people across the country, thanks to Tesla’s solar roofs. They’re not the cheapest solution globally, but again, the price doesn’t really matter because they save you money over the long term. You can pick them up in a variety of colors and styles to suit your property, which is another nice thing about them.
Low-Energy Air Conditioning
Besides the boiler, your air-conditioning unit is the most energy-intensive appliance in your home. In the summer, it can use more energy than your gas boiler does in the winter, especially if the outdoor temperature is much above 40 C in your region.
Fortunately, you can now buy low-energy air conditioning systems that use special coolants and heat exchangers to work more efficiently. They’re much better at taking the heat out of the air and recycling it into your rooms.
They’ll also automatically seek out the coldest air source currently available so that they don’t need to cool it down as much. Usually, this means reprocessing the air in your property.
The fans also spin with less friction on special magnets to reduce drag and increase air throughput. This one definitely makes our list of most coveted eco-friendly features!
So which upgrades and most coveted eco-friendly features would you choose if you had all the money in the world? What would be your priority?