A green home is just as good for your wallet and your health as it is for the environment. Recent utility costs and global warming indicate that our natural resources are becoming scarce and will continue to do so unless we become more Eco-conscious.
As a leading green home building company in Texas, we have explained a few easy ways to make your home more Eco-friendly.
Switch to VOC-Free Products
VOCs or volatile organic compounds are dangerous for your health and the environment. These compounds cause headaches, nausea, and irritation to your skin, eyes or respiratory system. They are usually found in cleaning products and paints, so you can switch to no/low VOC supplies to make your home greener. You can easily find environment-friendly supplies at any local or online store.
Explore Composting
Composting is a great way to recycle organic waste, such as food scraps (except meat), leaves, etc., to enrich the soil and plants. When the food waste is sent to the landfill without recycling, it releases methane gas into the atmosphere, contributing to greenhouse gases. You can prevent that by composting organic waste in a worm or composting bin. Due to the increased environmental considerations, you’ll find many composting sites in your neighborhood.
Conserve Water
Knowingly or unknowingly, you waste a lot of water every day, putting a strain on this already scarce resource. By reducing water consumption, you can preserve this water for future generations.
Installing aerators on your faucets will decrease the heavy flow of water; fix the broken pipes and valves around the building to prevent wastage. For the garden, stick to native vegetation because they require less water and fertilizer. You can also install a grey water recycling system that recycles the wastewater to gardens and toilets. Moreover, try to wash your clothes in cold water and air-dry them to reduce electricity consumption.
Install Energy-Efficient Appliances
HVAC systems, lighting fixtures, refrigerators, washing machines, etc., consume the most energy in a home. Replacing them with their energy-efficient counterparts can significantly affect your energy consumption.
Only buy electrical appliances that are Energy Star certified. Energy Star is the government’s initiative to rate the products according to their energy efficiency. Some electricity providers also replace old appliances with efficient ones, so explore this option too. Once your home is equipped with energy-efficient appliances, your electricity consumption will automatically reduce, and so will the bills.
Use Solar Energy
Photovoltaic panels (solar panels) convert sunlight into electricity to operate electrical appliances. This energy source is becoming increasingly popular worldwide in commercial and residential buildings because it liberates people from using expensive electricity.
Besides harnessing electricity for your home, you can use solar energy for various purposes, like improving indoor lighting, heating the home in winters, heating water, etc.
At GH Builders, we offer custom green homes in the US and embrace eco-friendliness at each step of our home building process, from design and construction to operation and maintenance. Our green builders are certified green by ISO and offer exceptional end products. Check out our home designs.
