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Renovating your home is an excellent way to make it more comfortable and liveable and generally increase its overall value. It also provides the opportunity to make it more eco-friendly, which, in turn, can result in it facilitating greater energy efficiency and becoming a healthier place to live.
If you love the thought of embarking on an environmentally friendly refurbishment that’s both kind to the planet and leaves you with a stylish property to be proud of, there are a few things you should consider.
Keep reading our ultimate guide to eco-friendly home renovations to find out more!
Plan for sustainability
Being environmentally friendly is all about choosing sustainable options. Therefore, before beginning your renovation project, you should always consider how you can adjust your plans to incorporate as many sustainable practices as possible.
One of the main ones you should embrace is the disposal of your construction waste, which can contribute to the damage to the environment if it is not done responsibly.
Using a company like 1300 Rubbish ensures you get rid of your waste materials in a way that is not just clean and safe for the environment but also, through recycling, cuts down the need for new materials.
If you don’t, you could contribute towards pollution and health problems. For example, dumping hazardous solutions like paint, fibreglass, or chemicals can result in soil and waterways becoming compromised.
How to make your renovation more eco-friendly
If you want to make your home renovation more eco-friendly, here are some best practices you should adopt.
1. Choose sustainable building materials
Generally speaking, sustainable materials take less energy to produce and are biodegradable or have a longer life cycle. Therefore, you should always choose them for your home renovation where possible.
One of the best sustainable materials to use is bamboo, the fastest-growing plant on the planet. It is great for cabinets or flooring.
Additionally, reclaimed wood and metal, such as aluminium and steel, enable you to save money and resources that would otherwise be wasted.
2. Energy-efficient doors and windows
In any given household, a significant portion of energy loss comes through inefficient doors and windows.
It is a good idea, therefore, to replace them with more energy-efficient options, such as double-glazing and good insulation. Doing this will not only lower your heating and cooling costs but also reduce your home’s carbon footprint.
This means that you will have a home that is nice and cool in the summer while warm and cosy in the winter.
3. Eco-friendly insulation
It is not just your doors that can benefit from good insulation. Your roof and walls can, too.
Materials like sheep’s wool, recycled denim and cork all provide excellent insulation while being sustainable and having a minimal environmental impact.
Consider using these greener options in your renovations.
4. Use Low-VOC Paints
If you are planning on repainting during your home makeover, you should steer clear of traditional paints that might contain harmful chemicals known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
As these types of paints can be toxic and contribute to air pollution, you would be better off choosing low-VOC or zero-VOC paints that will help you create a healthier environment.
Natural paints, made from ingredients like clay, plant oils, and chalk, offer a non-toxic alternative to standard paints, while water-based paints tend to have fewer VOCs and tend to dry faster.
5. Install water-saving fixtures
Another way to make your home renovations more eco-friendly is to upgrade to water-efficient fixtures and systems.
Low-flow toilets use significantly less water per flush than traditional toilets. Additionally, low-flow water-saving faucets and showerheads can reduce water usage without sacrificing performance.
Both of these options not only help to conserve water, but they can also save you money on your water bills. Here are some other ways you can do that.
6. Go solar
As one of the cleanest and most efficient sources of renewable energy, solar energy reduces your reliance on fossil fuels and, therefore, saves you money on electricity bills. For this reason, if your budget allows, it is always a good idea to add solar panels to your renovation plans.
By generating electricity for your home, solar panels can reduce your energy bills. Congruently, solar water heaters use solar energy to warm up your water, which can also significantly reduce your levels of energy consumption.
7. Switch to energy-efficient appliances
Renovating your bathroom, laundry, or kitchen provides you with an excellent opportunity to switch your old appliances to more energy-efficient models.
The Energy Star label certifies that an appliance meets energy efficiency standards as set by the Australian government. So, try and pick refrigerators, washers, dishwashers, and induction cooktops that have as high a star range as possible.
The higher the star rating, the less energy and water they will use, which will reduce both your utility bills and your environmental footprint going forward.
8. Add more greenery
Introducing more greenery to your home can breathe new life into it. At the same time, it can also significantly improve your indoor air quality and is good for your mental health.
The likes of lavender, jasmine, rosemary and chrysanthemums are all excellent options to use for indoor houseplants and vertical gardens, as they bring colour and vitality into any living space.
