Eco-friendly homes are not the future

An eco-house is just what it sounds like: it’s an environmentally-friendly house that’s designed to have very little impact on our planet. However they are not the future they are here right now and they are reducing carbon footprints of the housing sector right now.

Like many sectors including the clothing sector where it is recognized that manufacturing of clothes has a significant impact upon the environment read here .The housing sector has been hard at work building homes that are sustainable eco-homes are no longer a pipe dream

Why’s is eco-friendly house building that important?

Because burning fossil fuels to power and heat our homes is one of the leading causes of climate change. Eco-friendly homes are all about using renewable energy sources, being energy-efficient, and using natural materials. Keep reading, to find out more about how to make a home that’s truly sustainable.

Wondering what the difference is between “eco-friendly”, “green”, and “sustainable”? Read our guide to these common phrases.

But there are lots of secondary advantages to eco-houses, too – such as:

Lower energy bills
Less maintenance work (if you have a Passive House!)
Better air quality
Innovative design
Reduced strain on local resources
Higher property value

Eco Home Materials
Eco building materials are becoming more and more popular due to a variety of reasons including price and accessibility.
Materials used can range widely, depending on the scope of the project, but can include timber, natural stone, slate, LED lighting, solar panels, and less of a focus on uPVC and other plastics.
When considering what materials to use for your own eco-friendly home project you might want to focus on the following three key factors: Recycling/Reusable nature, Biodegradable elements and Location

The last factor, location, is interesting as a trend for locally sourced, eco-friendly, building materials continues to grow. Whilst this might not always be possible, think about your location and what might be nearby.

Construction materials are the top priority in building an eco-friendly house, and it doesn’t get any better than sustainability-sourced wood. It is a renewable source and has minimal carbon emissions.

While other building materials such as brick and concrete are mass-produced and are always readily available, their production also has a massive carbon footprint that is hazardous for our environment.

Using wood and timber in construction is so much better. It’s versatile, has a great load-bearing capacity, provides excellent moisture insulation and even has amazing acoustic qualities.

On top of that, the low-carbon footprint of wood brings it to the top of the list. A wooden home is definitely going to be your best move to enter the eco-friendly market.

These days, designers and engineers are even teaming up to find creative solutions to replace concrete and steel with wood in larger structures as well.

Key Features to Eco-Friendly Homes

Another key feature of an eco-friendly home is its energy source. Regular homes rely on fossil fuels, while in an eco-friendly home, solar panels, biomass boilers, and heat pumps, are used to generate energy in a cost-effective way. This reduces the reliance on non-renewable sources of energy.

Homeowners should know that the installation of renewable sources of energy comes at a huge cost but in countries like India, the government offers subsidies and facilities to encourage people to adopt renewable energy sources.

Smart technology is one of the newest features to be added in eco-friendly homes. Using smart technology to lessen your carbon emission, is an innovative way to make your home eco-friendly. For example, smart thermostats can regulate the temperature in your home. Similarly, smart lighting can turn off the lights when there is no one in the room. It involves making use of technology more efficiently, as per your routine, to minimise the wastage of energy.

Most of the appliances now have star ratings, which showcase the amount of energy it will consume. A five-star rated product consumes less energy than a three-star rated product. These products can save a lot of energy, without having to sacrifice any feature or functionality. Source Housing.com

 

Further Reading

https://katus.eu/learn/courses/eco-friendly-house-ingredients