Going green with your home design project is a choice made by levels, with layers of chances to select materials and techniques that will yield improved energy efficiency, sustainability and functionality. It is a devotion with a possibly great outcome that involves diligence, research and often extra funds. But even basic green steps can really make a difference in how many resources your house consumes — at the building of it and at the long run. Here are five points to remember as you plan your job.
Portal Design Inc
1. Just build as much distance as you will utilize. Limiting the distance you construct will probably go a long way toward saving money on the immediate and future costs of your job. Besides the cost savings of building a more compact space, you will realize the long-term savings in heating, cooling and cleaning. Think through whether you really need that extra bedroom, additional bath and additional sink. How often will they be utilized? If they are for rare guests or intermittent parties, you may want to rethink the extra square footage.
SEED Homes
2. Buy high-efficiency appliances. Search for the Energy Star label on dishwashers, fridges, light fittings and more. If you’ve got a refrigerator that’s 20 years old, you could be amazed by how much you can save by purchasing a new energy-efficient one and saying goodbye to the old you. Home- and water-heating appliances also arrive in high- and higher-efficiency choices. Heating appliances that are 90 percent efficient or better can vent with flat vents, rather than vertical. These vents are more versatile and also a money saver in the long run. Many energy-efficient appliances additionally arrive with rebates.
Buckminster Green LLC
3. Insulate, and then perhaps insulate more. In cold climates insulate fully with formaldehyde-free fiberglass batt insulation to local building code requirements. You may have space to insulate more, based on how big your loft. You can even substitute more costly rigid insulation or foam-in products to grow the R-value (a dimension of insulation effectiveness). You can even think about blow-in cellulose insulation, or net and blow — cellulose is blown off into netting from inside walls.
Another alternative: Installing rigid insulation to the exterior of your house adds to the R-value but also means deeper jambs at windows. This limits the transmission of heat from within your house through the framing and walls. Consult your contractor about the best and most effective means and ways of insulating based on your climate and the home you are planning. Insulation, ventilation and water vapor direction are all linked, therefore using the correct materials is essential for a fantastic result.
Ecofriendly insulation Choices
Advanced Metal Roofing
4. Use materials that will last. We’ve eliminated our share of low cost, poorly installed and obsolete materials from a wide variety of houses in Seattle. Each decade has its own hallmark dated finishes: The ’80s bamboo cabinets, the ’70s laminated closets with avocado-colored refrigerator, and the ubiquitous pink or green ’50s bathroom tiles are so distinctive, so they show their age.
Choose well-vetted materials that will hold up nicely to use and are not likely to go out of style. This will make sure your remodel lasts for a long time. Try to find a local firm that accepts salvaged building materials, so that which you remove from the house does not go to the landfill. Salvage businesses are usually nonprofits that can offer a tax credit for the donation.
Kenny Craft, CNU LEED AP
5. Buy locally made materials. You may feel tempted to search far and wide for the content you want. Do the math until you’ve got material shipped throughout the nation or across the planet to the own project. There are usually locally made materials that can serve the intended purpose and may be more interesting.
In Seattle a few organizations harvest in-city trees that are slated for removal for one reason or another, and then grind them into slabs suitable for furniture, mantels or other purposes. That kind of locally sourced material isn’t only beautiful but also comes with a fantastic story to tell once your job is complete!
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