Green Building: 5 Eco-friendly Ideas to Build Your Dream Home

Striving to live an eco-friendly lifestyle allows you to make saving the environment integral in your life. It is like making zero-waste practices second nature to you

That said, the key to being more environment-conscious starts at home.

For one, doing your part to save the environment does not have to be grand. Composting, making eco-bricks, and refusing to use single-use plastic are the best places to start.

Second, home is where we spend most of our time, aside from work and school. If you have the opportunity to build your house from the ground up, we suggest that you do it green.

Why Practice Green Building?

Green building is the process of incorporating sustainable practices in constructing an edifice. This can range from the structure of your house to the materials used to build it.

Additionally, green building practices allows you to reap the following benefits:

• Environmental Stewardship. Eco-friendly construction practices ensure minimal damage to the planet.
• Economic Advantage. Sustainable homes pay for themselves through lower utility bills over time.
• Improved Comfort. Green building features, such as insulation, make your home cozier.
• Aesthetic Appeal. These days, you can opt for sustainable construction materials that are visually appealing.

That said, it’s time to ask your contractors to update their construction submittals and includes the following eco-friendly building features:

Use Recycled Materials

One thing you can do to build your dream home sustainably is use recycled materials.

Instead of buying new lumber and turning it into a door, consider reusing your old door. Another option is to reuse the old door as a dining table. That way, you can have a statement piece in your dining area.

Also, look at what items you can bring from your old house to your new home. Perhaps your old cupboards and shelves will work well in your new kitchen.

The secret is to be mindful of where your construction materials are sourced.

Let There be Light

Rethinking your lighting is one of the low-hanging fruits you can do to have an eco-friendly dream home.

Replacing your fixtures with LED lights allows you to save as much as 90% in energy consumption. The less energy your house consumes, the more sustainable it is. Plus, these light bulbs last up to 25 times longer, and you can save $135 throughout their lifetime.

But if you want to save up on lighting, ensure that your home welcomes as much natural light as possible. That way, you do not have to buy extra light bulbs to illuminate your house.

Install Water-efficient Faucets

According to the World Health Organization, clean water for domestic use will become more and more difficult to find. This calls for a new way to use water efficiently.

One way to do that is to install water-efficient faucets. For instance, you can use sensor faucets that allow you to get water on-demand. The key here is using only what you need.

But if that sounds over budget, you can start by fixing pipe leaks.

Here’s the thing: Leaky water pipes can lead to 10,000 gallons of wasted water annually. This is the amount of water you can save when you fix your pipes, in addition to saving 10% from your water bill.

Go for Dual-flush Toilet

In relation to the previous point, a dual-flush toilet allows you only to use the water you need. Why use 5 gallons of water to flush your urine, anyway?

Aside from having two flush options, such a toilet can help you save up to 80% on your toilet water consumption.

If you have the budget, though, we recommend installing a low-flush toilet. They also come with two flush options. The only difference is that they use significantly less water.

Improve Your Dream Home’s Insulation

Proper home insulation allows you to regulate indoor temperature while reducing energy costs.

It is like decreasing your need to turn on the air conditioner to cool down your home during the summer months. On the other hand, you do not have to increase the thermostat to warm up your house during the winter months.

Improving your home’s insulation can be as simple as sealing the ducts or fixing window drafts. However, you can also splurge on a programmable thermostat if you can.

What’s great about the latter is that it will automatically regulate the temperature depending on external factors.

Conclusion

What makes a sustainable home is open for interpretation. For some, it means adding indoor plants. In comparison, some would go as far as getting their house LEED certified.

Regardless, being environmentally conscious in building your dream home comes with many benefits. This includes:

• Building your dream home with minimal environmental damage.
• Save money from utility bills using energy-efficient appliances.
• Make your home cozier and more comfortable from the get-go.
• Use visually pleasing and aesthetic sustainable construction materials.

But more importantly, an eco-friendly home allows you to do your part in saving the planet.