7 Elements to Turn Your Home into the Eco-Friendly House of Future

Posted on June 11, 2020

Many people all over the world are becoming more conscious of the impact that technology and other industrial developments have had on the Earth. That is a promising upgrade, taking into consideration that, according to The National Institute for Space Research, the Amazon forest fire rate has increased by 84% from 2018. This is a huge raise that should be considered correspondingly. Today, globalization might positively impact the economy and the political field; however, nature continues to suffer because of our quick changes. Thus, the least that we could do is eat consciously, drive consciously, and last but not least, build eco-friendly houses.

If you are here for this exact reason, welcome to the club. I’m glad you decided to join us. We’ll provide a brief guide on how to build an eco-friendly house and what you need to accomplish that. Have some fun with it!

Use renewable energy

Using renewable energy can contribute to our collective effort of saving the Planet. This type of energy runs on solar power and wind generators and is one of the coolest features of eco-friendly houses. Instead of using fossil fuels and ailment pollution, we should try to switch to renewable energy or clean energy (another name for it). There are many ways in which you can use it, starting from heat and transportation to lighting and many more. Also, if you haven’t heard by now, “clean energy is less expensive than the dirty or non-renewable energy that people use today,” according to services coordinator Jim Lotus. Here are the types of energy you should check out:

Solar energy – using the Sun (natural energy) to power up our homes
Wind energy – one of the cheapest forms of energy by now
Biomass energy – this organic compound comes from nature as well (plants and animals)
Geothermal energy – the Earth’s energy

And there are many others you could look into, but these are the most popular ones.

Reclaimed wood is the key

Reclaimed wood is just another way of saying recyclable wood. Basically, using it saves the Earth because this type of wood was saved from being destroyed and turned into functional pieces. Here are the most popular places to find it:

Etsy
eBay
Craigslist
Independent dealers – there are lists of people or companies who sell reclaimed wood.

Reclaimed wood will not only help you feel better about your efforts but might also look quite ravishing in your home. It has a vintage look that could fit into any modern home.

Choose the right insulation

Insulation is a super important part of your house, so you must make sure that your new home will support eco-friendly materials and efforts. For a long time, insulation has been built by using fiberglass; today, people are starting to look into alternative materials for obvious purposes. You must ensure that this material will retain heat during the winter and be able to cool off during the summer. Here are the most popular resources:

Use cotton or denim
Use sheep’s wool
Use icynene
Use polystyrene
Use aerogel
Use ThermaCork
Use cellulose, etc.

Conserve water

Another important part of the equation is using the right water. Considering that almost 98% of our Planet’s water is too salty to be used by humans, we should think consciously about how we use our resources and change our water supplies in the long run. Here are some of the ideas you could implement in your house:

Don’t leave your taps on while you are gone or even while washing dishes.
Shower for less time and with less water. You could also switch to a more eco-friendly/effective shower head.
Wash your dirty clothes only when you have a full load of them.
If you can afford it, a low-flush toilet would be ideal.
Install water butts to catch rainwater!

Choose smart technology

If you automatize, you don’t have to worry too much about anything. Today, there are smart homes designed to regulate the temperature in your house in order to save energy or turn off the lights automatically while you are not at home (for the same reason). “These new types of technology are easy to install and use and are also cost-effective,” according to a source.

Take on natural light

As you can tell, natural light can help you in many ways. For starters, it will lower your energy bills. It will also bring you more happiness, calm, and peace. Your health will improve drastically, and your moods will change for the better. Here are some quick tips on how to include smart lighting in your home:

Build your house in such a way that it has both west and east sunlight coming in. Have windows on both sides for the light to be able to enter the house both times of the day.
South-facing windows will be helpful during the winter but not in the summertime.
Windows facing north will be helpful during summer and not winter.

When building or redesigning your house, keep these tips in mind as I am sure that they will help you tremendously.

Use recycled items

Instead of buying useless décor pieces that cost tons of money, you’d be better off using some of the coolest recycled items. Handmade décor is much cooler than mainstream décor anyways, which is why you should opt for this. You could use recycled bottles for your plants, recycled wood clocks, recycled wooden boxes or trays, natural ropes for window decorations, recycled paper for wall décor, recycled leather for frames, etc.

Wrapping Up

Turning your house into an eco-friendly environment or building a home that is eco-friendly from the start can only bring about benefits. If you are conscious about how you use your resources, nature will become your friend and not your enemy. Becoming aware and mindful of how you choose to spend your time and money will also become something important to you.