With environmental issues at the forefront of media attention in recent years, many home and business owners are looking for ways they can become more eco-friendly. Of course, there are things you can do yourself to help the environment.

Recycling more and cutting your showers short, for example. However, there are also structural things to consider when building a home that can help. Taking measures to reduce energy consumption in your home is not only beneficial for the environment, it’s also a great way to save money on your bills.

Building Materials

Fortunately, there are lots of ways to make a home more eco-friendly, especially with new builds. Pile foundations, for instance, are better than concrete foundations because they’re quicker to install. They also create limited noise pollution during installation, and can be recycled if the house is ever knocked down.

You should also consider using recycled materials for other aspects of your property. For example, you could install carpets made from recycled paper or composite decking made from recycled wood chippings and paper.

When it comes to furniture, choose to refurbish. Replace old table legs, repaint a chipped dresser. Or change the hardware on outdated cabinets. Refurbishing is a great way o brig new life and customise pieces you already own. All while saving money and having less of an environmental impact.

Another way to keep your home more eco-friendly is to use wood flooring where possible. Tongue and groove flooring is a great option in an eco-friendly home and comes in a variety of style. It’s also relatively simply to install – should you be considering doing the work yourself.

Heating

Single glazing and drafty doors are not particularly eco-friendly as they allow heat to escape during winter. Meaning you’ll have to turn your thermostat up to keep your home warm. Insulation is another thing you should consider, particularly with regards to the temperature in your home.

If you don’t have adequate installation, it’ll be harder to keep your house warm in winter and cool in summer. You’re essentially letting the outdoors in!

Lighting

Sensible decisions regarding your lighting is another way you can be more eco-friendly. Of course, windows should be appropriately located so that you can make use of natural light within the property, rather than switching the lights on during the day and wasting energy.

It’s also a good idea to choose LED bulbs, rather than halogen or incandescent, as they are far more energy efficient. This is because they don’t waste as much energy by turning it into heat and they reach full brightness immediately. So, while LED bulbs might be more costly to install, they will be worth it in the long run.

Water

Be sure to install good quality, efficient faucet fixtures to limit the likelihood of a leak and reduce the amount of water you use.

You should also consider installing dual-flush toilets which provide two flushing options – one for liquid waste and one for solids.

Sizing

When building a new home, bear in mind that a smaller property requires less building materials, and less energy to light and warm it. There are may environmental advantages to a smaller home, so it’s certainly something worth considering.

Solar Energy

Another way to ensure your property is more energy efficient is to install solar panels. Solar cells within the panels are responsible for harnessing energy from the sun, producing the necessary power you need to keep the lights on.

Solar panels are a cheaper power source and will reduce your electricity bill, as well as being better for the environment.

Smart Home Technology

There are lots of benefits of smart home technology, such as increased interconnectivity, remote monitoring, and customisation. It’s also great from an environmental perspective because the greater control you’ll have over your lighting and heating will reduce waste.

For instance, if you head to work and forget to turn the lights or heating off, you can do so remotely via an app on your smartphone, rather than leaving them on all day.

Landscaping

Don’t stick to the building itself when considering how to improve your property’s environmental impact. People often forget they can also make eco-friendly decisions outside as well. For example, placing rain barrels beneath your guttering will allow you to collect water so that you can use it on your plants. You could even consider creating an area where you can grow your own food, to increase the building’s sustainability.

While the above may sound a little overwhelming, building an eco-friendly home is far easier than you may think. In fact, the environmental considerations have become a strong focus of many new builds, particularly with the advancement of technology and the availability of various materials.

There’s no right or wrong approach and your budget will impact many of the decisions you make, but by taking small steps to reduce your environmental impact, you will be kinder to the environment and to your bank account.