Sustainable Building

We all know that our planet is in a worse state than we’d like it to be, but how much can each of us do individually? Actually a lot! If we all did our share of work and helped Mother Earth just one bit every single day, the overall situation would be much different. Of course, things can’t change overnight, but some changes will be visible after some time. And one of the best ways to introduce a change into your neighborhood is building a sustainable house for your family. This is a lengthy and complex process, but it’s worth your time, money and effort, so here are a few pointers that might help you understand the concept and value of sustainable building.

 

Why is sustainability important?

The reasons for sustainability are varied and numerous, but the easiest way to understand it is by thinking just about one of its aspects – the usage of materials and resources. We all use a ton of water and energy on a daily basis and can’t seem to understand why our bills are enormous, but the answer is quite simple: because of all the electricity we use.

However, if you manage to find a way to produce your own power – by utilizing the power that comes from the Sun or wind, for instance – you’ll start saving a ton of money month after month. Moreover, if you pay attention to local vegetation and find a way to achieve the optimal temperature control and ventilation, you’ll not only pay off the investments you’ve had in just a couple of months, but also help your neighborhood and the planet become greener and healthier.

 

How to begin?

Once you’ve decided to try to build a sustainable house, there are a few preparatory steps you need to take beforehand. First, consider the site for your potential home and examine it – what’s the soil quality, is it rainy, windy, sunny or dry, is there enough natural sunlight during the day, will the soil be suitable for all kinds of vegetation, and is there a river, a lake or a sea nearby? If the answers to all of these questions are satisfactory, you can safely start planning to turn your perfect piece of land into a building site.

After that, it’s time to design your home, which everyone loves. However, keep in mind that the number of rooms and their position aren’t that important right now, because it’s all about sustainability. Therefore, think about the natural shade you’ll be getting from trees and surrounding structures, as well as incorporating second-hand resources and materials into the mix and, ultimately, using the smallest possible amount of new materials and shaping your home so that it achieves the maximum level of sustainability. Keep in mind that your exterior should also be in a great shape. Make a plan and search professional landscapers from Sydney to help you and make your backyard beautiful.

 

New opportunities

Even if you’re not building from scratch, your home can still become sustainable, as long as you pay extra attention to how you’re building your new space. If you opt for secondary resources instead of new ones when designing your annexed suits and manage to utilize solar and wind power in them, you’ll surely elevate the level of sustainability in your entire home. Since these spaces are usually smaller than your house, you’ll need just a couple of solar collectors or small wind turbines to get you going.

These ideas may sound strange at first, but lots of people are getting interested in them today – not only do they expand your living space significantly and are rather affordable, but they also give you loads of new opportunities to explore sustainability, which is always good. However, before looking into them, you should ensure that your building site is completely clean and ready for adjustments, which is why lots of people contact removalists who get rid of all their trash and everything you don’t need anymore, so you can start fresh.

 

Materials and decorations

In the end, you need to think about the materials you’ll be using in your house, as well as the decorations that will take it to the next level aesthetically. Instead of just any floor, opt for cork, concrete or other sustainable options, and when thinking about insulation, go with cellulose, mineral wool and fiberglass instead of numerous popular ideas that are actually damaging both to your health and the environment.

Article written for WhosGreenOnline.com by Emma Joyce, interior designer. Always in the process of searching new styles, inspirations, and advice on how to renovate and decorate.

Emma is also a writer on a blog smoothdecorator.com