How to have a sustainable home design

With the recent talk on sustainability and its importance, a lot of people have started to realise how much their homes contribute to damaging the environment. This has made having ‘eco-friendly’ homes extremely essential. If you are wondering how, you can do your bit and make your home more sustainable, here are some tips:

Reuse Gutter water 

One of the easiest ways to create your sustainable home design is by using up the rainwater from your gutters. This will not only reduce water wastage but also help you reduce your effort in several places. One of the best ways to reuse gutter water is by directing it to the garden or near the plants. This will enable them to be watered automatically. You can also direct the water to be collected and can later use it to wash your vehicles, refill fishponds or swimming pools or use it in your toilets. The reuse of rainwater helps a lot with reducing water wastage and maintaining the underground water level of your area. To get your gutters installed in a way that harvests rainwater, click here. 

Renewable energy resources 

One of the best ways to make your home more sustainable is by adding renewable energy resources to power your house. Renewable energy is generated from natural sources like the sun, wind, water, and biomass. These resources are called renewable because they are naturally replenished much quicker than nonrenewable energy resources. Renewable sources also cause exceptionally low pollution if any at all. Also referred to as ‘green energy,’ it helps in combating climate change and increases awareness about the topic. The easiest way to employ green energy for your sustainable home design is by using solar power to generate electricity through your house. All you need to do is get solar panels installed on your roofs. They absorb the sun’s energy and convert it into electricity. It doesn’t have to be sunny outside for them to work, even though they do generate more electricity on sunnier days. Any extra energy can be stored in batteries and used after the sun goes down.  

Another way to utilise green energy is by using air source heat pumps. They are renewable energy systems that use hot air from the outside to heat your house and provide you with hot water. The best thing about them is that they work in all temperatures (even as low as –15 Celsius)

Compost bin 

Compost refers to a mixture of natural ingredients that can be used to fertilise and improve the quality of the soil. It can be prepared by using decomposing plant waste and organic material. By composting your food waste, you can create an impact in the reduction of greenhouse gases (usually caused by having food waste decompose in the open in landfills). The compost can then be utilised in either your garden or can be sold to other people. To start your compost bin, all you need to do is collect all your food waste and organic matter and put them in a compost bin that is usually kept outside. You will be contributing to the climate emergency by playing an important role in reducing the number of greenhouse gases due to the open decomposition of food and organic waste in landfills.  

Recycle and upcycle 

One of the best ways to reduce your environmental impact and create a sustainable home design is by recycling and upcycling. This can extend from the materials used to build your house to the interiors- you can upcycle and recycle as much as possible. If you are unable to do so, try to buy products that have been ethically sourced. This will reduce the environmental impact of the materials as they have been sourced from a place that cares about the environment. You can upcycle furnishings and décor and use recycled materials that are environmentally safe when building the house.  

Another way to be sustainable while designing your space is by using durable material that is biodegradable in the long run. Try to avoid materials made from plastics or those that are rich in microplastics and fibres. This will ensure that your materials and furnishings last a long time.  

Efficient lighting 

You will be surprised to find that by just changing your lighting to LED lights, you will not only save money but also the environment. LED lights promote indoor air and light quality, making them the more sustainable and eco-friendly option. You can extend the use of LED lights to your outsides as well- employing sustainable lighting in your backyard and garden as well as your emergency lighting will give you a lower cost bill for better quality. 

The best way to make your house sustainable though, is to have bigger windows and skylights installed so that you can make the most of the natural sunlight and daylight.