With protecting the environment becoming an increasingly important issue, more and more people are looking at ways they can help. Creating a home that’s more sustainable can make a real contribution. It could also lower your running costs and encourage a healthier living environment for you and your family.
But where do you start? We’ve put together some top tips on ways to create a more sustainable home.
10 simple ways to make your home more eco-friendly
You might think that turning your home into an eco-friendly environment could be costly. But there are a variety of relatively simple and affordable things you can do:
1. Consider installing a smart meter
Giving you a real-time view of how much gas and electricity you’re using and access to a broader range of tariffs, this could help you improve your energy usage and save money.
2. Look at your insulation
Even something as simple as adding draught excluders around ill-fitting doors and windows can make a big difference.
3. Start composting food waste
From vegetable peelings and eggs shells to tea leaves and coffee filters, collecting waste rather than binning it can make a nutrient-rich compost for your garden. And it won’t cost you a penny.
4. Upcycle furniture
Rather than sending an unwanted chair, table or lampstand to landfill, with some TLC and a bit of effort you could transform it into something beautiful with years more life in it.
5. Get your boiler serviced regularly
Having it looked at once a year will make sure it’s operating safely and efficiently.
6. Use eco-friendly paints
The best are manufactured in a way that is kinder to the environment, use sustainable non-toxic ingredients and have fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The London Evening Standard picked some of the best on the market. Find out more here.
7. Use gentler cleaning products
Traditional cleaning products often use harsh and toxic chemicals. Environmentally friendly options are now much more effective than they used to be. The Independent has picked out 14 of the best. Read the article here.
8. Use energy-saving lights and appliances
Traditional light bulbs waste 95% of the electricity they use. Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are a much more efficient and longer lasting option. You can find out more at the Government’s nidirect website. As for appliances, items like washing machines and dishwashers are rated using a scale from A to G, with A being the most efficient. When you’re upgrading, look for the product with the best energy rating for the size you need.
9. Don’t leave appliances on stand-by
According to the Energy Saving Trust, switching off any appliances that don’t need to stay in stand-by mode could save you around £55 a year. You can find lots of other useful tips at the Energy Saving Trust website.
10. Grow more houseplants
Studies by organisations such as NASA show that many common houseplants like Aloe Vera and Peace Lily can improve air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. See the top 12 options chosen by Good Housekeeping.
What are the benefits of a sustainable home?
On top of creating a space that will have a lower impact on the environment, you should find that life in a sustainable home will be more economical. And over time the gains can really add up.
And there are other significant advantages to factor in:
- If your home has been created using green building materials, they often tend to be more durable and require less maintenance
- You may find that you can negotiate cheaper home insurance
- You and your family will be able to live in a healthier environment with better air quality and lower exposure to harmful toxins
- You’ll enjoy consistent temperatures and levels of comfort all year round
- If and when you decide to move on, a sustainable home should have a stronger resale value and prove attractive to a wider number of potential buyers
What’s the best way to find a sustainable home?
While there’s plenty you can do to make an existing, older property more sustainable, there’s no getting away from one simple fact: new-build homes are likely to be more sustainable.
The reason for this is they’re built to satisfy increasingly rigorous sustainability guidelines and higher specifications – not just in terms of the final product, but also in the materials and construction techniques used.
With years of experience to draw on, we pride ourselves on creating spacious and sustainable new homes fit for the future. That has led to us being named Sustainable Housebuilder of the Year 2021 at the Housebuilder Awards. Find out more about our award-winning track record.
Our homes include significant energy saving features as standard, such as:
- Highly thermally-efficient insulation
- Argon-filled double-glazing
These combine to keep the warmth in and costs down. In fact a brand-new home could be 57% cheaper to run, compared to an updated Victorian equivalent.1
Water is an increasingly precious resource. So we use clever design, the latest appliances and innovative kitchen and bathroom fittings to help reduce water consumption by up to 26% per day per person.2
With modern appliances, advanced systems and smart technologies included, all our homes achieve an energy-efficiency rating of EPC A or B. That’s something only 3.1% of existing UK homes can match.3
See what makes our homes sustainable and energy-efficient >
Here to help you
Whether you’re thinking about a stylish 2-bed or spacious 5-bed family home, we’re ready to help you make your move. Why not discover what modern, sustainable living looks like?
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