Your New Green Home: 4 Key Points to Consider
Posted on: 27 February 2017
Considering potential house designs for your new environmentally friendly green home carries a real thrill. Not only will you be surprised at how many green innovations are available, but you will also be delighted to know that these innovations can result in a beautiful home that has a minimal effect on the environment. While there are numerous green innovations that can be incorporated into the design of your home, there are four key points to consider.
1. The Size
How large does your home need to be? Australia has the largest average house sizes in the world, and of course, the larger a house is, the more resources it consumes. During the architectural drafting phases of the project, ask about ways to be smarter with space. It's not as though you should sacrifice floor space that you will need, but you can find ways to maximise the usability of a smaller space. This can be something as simple as opting for open plan living (with the commensurate insulation and natural lighting needed to keep this space comfortable and environmentally friendly). You should also speculate on your future needs, as much as is possible. For example, will your children be leaving home in the foreseeable future? By thinking about your future needs, your idea of necessary space might change.
2. The Materials
Choose a house construction company that specialises in repurposed or recycled materials. This includes the materials used from your home's foundations and up, and conceivably every component of your home could me made from recycled materials. Across the Tasman, a New Zealand company has even formulated a way to turn old plastic into concrete, a move which could have huge ramifications for the green home industry. So when discussing your home with a prospective builder, be sure to ask just how much of your home can be built from repurposed or recycled materials.
3. The Sunlight
In terms of catching sunlight, the best aspect for Australian homes is to be facing north or northeast. An abundance of sunlight will be of great benefit to the solar panels you should install upon your new home's roof. This positioning of the home makes those panels even more valuable, allowing your home to at least be partially sustainable in terms of power consumption.
4. The Windows
Consider double-glazed windows (made from recycled glass and metal or wooden frames) throughout your home. These will keep the loss of warm air (in winter) and cold air (in summer) to an absolute minimum. You might still need to rely upon more traditional methods for heating or cooling, but a combination of solar panels, double-glazed windows and effective insulation will mean that less electricity will be consumed in order to do a highly-efficient job.
There are of course so many components of green home design that can be utilised. The feasibility of many of these items will depend on your budget and your desired final product. But still, it's great to be designing your dream home with one eye on what's best for the environment!
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