Eco-friendly design tips!

Reducing your carbon footprint in your home really does not have to be as expensive as you might think. It only requires a small bit of creativity. The resources you can use are incredibly varied and infinite. You can use nearly anything to develop designs. Let us take a closer look at some of the things that you can do to make your home more eco-friendly:

Energy

When you want to be more eco-friendly, you can start with making sure that you are using energy friendly appliances. Make sure that they are up to date and running efficiently. Aside from saving energy, this will also save you money on your monthly energy bills. If you want to save even more on your energy bills, check out some of the resources in your area in regards to comparing energy rates and plans to find the one that will best suit your needs.

Doors

Did you know that there is such a thing as eco–friendly doors? There are many different types and there are different things that make them more eco-friendly than normal doors. Some are made using chemicals that are better for the earth while others are made using recycled materials or materials that can be recycled, such as PVC. You would not need to worry about these types of doors filling up our landfills or being incinerated.

Counter Tops

There are all sorts of eco-friendly design tips out there, you just need to know where to look. Some of them are pretty run of the mill and others must have taken quite a bit of imagination- such as this one. Most counter tops are made from materials such as granite, marble, Formica, and Corian. Instead of using the same thing that everyone else is using, consider going green with them instead. You can cut branches from the trees outside and then slice them into small circles before gluing them right onto your counters. Finish the project with grout in the cracks and a layer of urethane over the entire thing.

Architecture

You can save trees and trim your bills for energy at the same time with the type of architecture you choose. If you are building a new home, consider letting the placement of the home be dictated by the existing trees. This will cut down on the number of trees that will be chopped down during construction while also allowing the trees to provide shade to the house that will keep it cooler.

Windows

You can also reduce your carbon footprint with your windows. There are windows that have been recycled and there are windows that can be recycled. Aside from that, if you put the windows in at an angle, this will allow for the maximum amount of light to be filtered in. With glass panels right at the bottom of the windows that open just like little trap doors, the breeze will be let into your home making it cooler so the air conditioner does not need to work so hard.

Building Materials

Choose materials that are durable. Consider using materials that are recyclable and sustainable, such as siding made from cedar planks. This particular material is resistant to both water and pests. It is low maintenance and strong with a gorgeous gray patina that means it would not need to be repainted often. This is just one option in regards to sustainable materials. There are too many other options to list here.

Paint

When you need to paint or repaint your home, consider using a paint that is low VOC. This is great for covering that badly maintained siding that is beginning to turn colors. Paints of this type contain fewer of the volatile organic compounds that pollute the atmosphere, which make them the preferred paint to use for the eco-minded person.

Small Footprint

Build up instead of out. This makes the physical footprint of your home smaller. It is also cheaper to build more stories as opposed to spreading out.

Going green does not mean that you need to put in a lot of extra work. Just think smarter, use the right materials and teach your kids the value of this at the same time so that when it comes time for them to move out on their own, they will do so already knowing how to live a green lifestyle.