One example is with natural lighting. Research has found that natural lighting is both great for the environment and our well-being.

As we move closer in to the end of autumn and the start of winter, you’ll almost certainly have noticed the days getting shorter, the return of general greyness is beginning to replace the once blue skies and everything just getting that bit chillier. You know the drill by now – winter is glum, and it makes us yearn for sunnier days and appreciate every bit of natural light we get.

Indeed, natural light sustains virtually all life on the planet, so why have we built our houses to block said light out? Sadly, many of us too reliant on artificial light scattered around the house. This doesn’t just pose health concerns. There are also significant environmental concerns that need to be taken into consideration as well.

Here are three big health and environmental reasons that you should be bringing more natural light into your home.

Health and wellbeing

Perhaps, if we all knew the full extent of the environmental, health and wellbeing benefits of natural light, we’d be keener to get it more involved in the home day to day. Here’s a bigger-than-you-expected list of positive things natural light can do for you:

• You significantly reduce dependence on fossil fuels to heat and light your home. This is one of the biggest reasons our carbon footprint increases in the winter. Heating and cooling account for around 40% of our carbon footprint, which tend to be higher in the winter months.
• It can help improve focus, with natural light linked to better productivity.
• Exposure to natural light for even short periods has been shown to help with reducing stress and anxiety.
• Natural light is key in vitamin D production, which is in turn important for the maintenance of the immune system, bones, cardiovascular system and brain as well as many more key bodily systems.
• Natural light is linked to happiness, with sunlight producing both serotonin and endorphins in the body.
• Natural light helps to prevent Seasonal Affective Disorder (aptly abbreviated to SAD) – a fairly common form of depression that is linked to the winter months upsetting our circadian rhythm and reducing serotonin and melatonin levels.
• Melatonin is also important in maintaining energy levels, with low levels linked to tiredness. Getting enough natural light also helps us regulate better sleep.
• Higher levels of serotonin, which is produced by sunlight, work as an appetite suppressant, which can help with weight loss.
• Natural light is important to eye health, which can be damaged if exposed to too much unnatural blue light from our TVs, smartphones and computer screens.
• Sunlight alters nitric oxide levels in the blood, which helps to reduce blood pressure.
• As you probably already know, sunlight is good for your pants about the house, and plants are good for you.

Help out the environment

If the health benefits for you aren’t enough, what about the health benefits for the environment around you? Research suggests that the average person today is more concerned about sustainability that ever before, and the lockdown has only helped to increase the eco-consciousness of the nation.

With that in mind, installing some VELUX windows or sun tunnels can fill your home with natural light, providing the light and warmth you need through the day. This will reduce your dependence on gas and electricity consumption, which will reduce your environmental impact across the year.

Save yourself some money in the process

There’s a financial motivator to add in with the environmental one. Of course, the less electrical energy you’re using, the lower your electricity bill will become the end of the month.

Not only that but adopting some more naturally lit spaces in your home will also add to its value as a property should you ever come to sell. Therefore, investing in energy efficient home improvements will benefit you in the short and long term.

It’s about time we started valuing natural light for the healthy, environmentally friendly and money saving resource it is. Especially with the vitamin-D deficient winter period on the horizon, make sure you get your share of sunlight these next few months.

Use Natural Light to Bolster Your Health and Protect the Environment

Natural lighting is great for both your health and the environment. The benefits listed above should be utilized if you want to live a green lifestyle.

The post The Profound Environmental and Health Benefits of Natural Home Lighting appeared first on Green Building Insider.

This new roofing trend features green surfaces on top of our asphalt commercial and residential buildings. Green roofs have many advantages in comparison to traditional roofing and could help us lead a better, more affordable, and enjoyable daily routine. So why not explore this phenomenon with us?

What Is a Green Roof?

A green roof is exactly what it says it is: a vegetated landscape on top of your roof! It is made of several layers that are intertwined and create a coordinated system. Green roofs work on the economic, ecological, and social level and can be built for a variety of reasons. Their many benefits have made them a trend among homeowners, as well as business owners. After all, who wouldn’t appreciate having an eco-friendly, cost-saving and long-lasting roofing system?

Green roofs are a great solution if you wish to add value to your home, if you crave a small garden, or perhaps you want to focus on the environment. They automatically improve our mood and make us feel happier and healthier.

Benefits of Green Roofing

Reducing Temperature

Having a layer of vegetation on top of your home can help reduce your home’s temperature during summer months. Plants absorb 50 percent of sunlight and reflect additional 30 percent, helping you reduce the need for air conditioning.

Green roofing affects the entire community’s temperature as well. As a matter of fact, it can reduce the overall temperature of a locality up to 3°C.

Bringing A Positive Change in Biodiversity

Every year we witness tragic reports on biodiversity on our planet. What if you can change that? Green roofs have been proven to have a significant impact on biodiversity in cities. They represent a new habitat for birds and butterflies in places that are dominated by asphalt and concrete.

Extending the Life of Your Roof

A vegetated layer will protect your roof from external conditions – intense sun rays, winds, and extreme temperature fluctuations. As a result, you can expect your roof to stay in good shape for a longer time, even up to 50 years!

Adding Value to Your Home

Added value is a well-expected result of having a green roof. Natural and pleasing aesthetic appearance combined with strong energy efficient properties is likely to be a magnet for buyers in case you decide to sell your home.

What Does Green Roof Installation Look Like?

Green roof installation usually requires professional skill, especially if the roof is planned to cover a big surface. But after the roofing work is done and it’s time to plant the greenery, that’s where you come in! Before discussing which plants thrive best on a living roof, let’s understand some basics about green roof installation:

The technical part of green roof installation is no DIY project so you’ll definitely need to hire professional green roof installers.

Once they inspect your roof and confirm it can handle a growing garden, they will first lay down a waterproof membrane on the roof that will protect your interior. On top of it, they’ll put a fabric that will contain the soil and thus keep the plants vital and fresh.

Finally, they will place a draining membrane that will play an essential role in keeping your plants healthy and will provide additional protection to your home.

Picking the Right Plants for Your Living Roof

Finally, here is a list of plants that can withstand the challenging conditions on the roof. They naturally live in habitats exposed to elevated temperatures, harsh winds, and high light:

Succulents

Succulents are thick plants that are perceived as water storage plants. They are profoundly low maintenance and come in a variety of colors.

If you are looking for a plant of smooth texture, then sedum might be it. It was the first plant ever used in green roofing. It comes in many colors and allows you to get creative with the aesthetics of your roof.

As well as sedum, sempervivum comes in different colors and doesn’t lose its looks in the winter. It will keep your roof looking polished all year round.

Grasses

There are many kinds of grass you can use on your green roof but keep in mind they will require specific maintenance. Two commonly used types of grass for green roofing are thrift (Armeria maritima) and smooth black sedge (Carex nigra). Thrift is an ideal grass for properties, and black sedge requires less soil.

If you don’t appreciate the idea of higher maintenance, you can consider getting roll-out grass that also provides a high-quality vegetation layer.

Wildflowers

Wildflowers are what many people construct their green roof for in the first place. They create a beautiful green habitat for wildlife and look compelling.

A lot of homeowners pick Alpine aster (Aster Alpinus) because of their durability and bold purple color (they’re also a real magnet for butterflies!). Aromatic yarrow (Achillea Millefolium) is a great choice for large roof gardens as they can withstand foot traffic pretty good.

You could also go for a pregrown mixture mat that can be rolled out just as grass can be.

Herbs

When it comes to herbs, you can get creative!

Herbs that are meant to grow in a dry area have a vast potential for developing on your green roof. For instance, thymes is only a few inches tall, it is desirable in the kitchen and has a specific, sweet aroma to it. And if you are a fan of pizza (and who’s not???), then you will adore the possibility of growing oregano on your roof garden. It grows about 5 inches and is easy to grow.

Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) is also pretty resistant to foot traffic and smells incredible!

Vegetables

If you wish to grow food on your roof, then ensure deeper soil on your roofing. Growing food means transferring to an intensive type of green roof that demands more care. You need to pay extra attention to the irrigation system which should be correctly installed.

Some of the green-roof-appropriate-veggies include potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, lettuces, onions, peppers, squash, and many others! Isn’t it perfect to have your own fresh food right there on your rooftop?

Green roofs bring countless benefits: not only for you, but for the environment and your community as well. While you spend quality time gardening and being outside, your roof will provide additional insulation, save energy, and contribute to purifying the air.

Author: Matthew James

Short bio:

Matt James is a freelance writer specialized in home improvement, smart technology, architecture & design. He has a love of outdoors and spending time with his dog Cooper. You can reach him on Facebook and Instagram.

The post Everything You Need to Know About Green Roofs appeared first on Green Building Insider.

For a lot of people, this concept is closely tied to ideas such as switching to solar-powered energy or installing a gray-water system. But contrary to popular belief, going green does not have to entail taking up major, costly projects. There are small things each and every one of us can do around the house that can significantly improve our quality of life while saving us a lot of money along the way.

Here are some simple ideas to get you started:

Become Water-Wise

Water is one of the resources that is wasted on a regular basis through different habits. Whether it is washing the dishes, clothes, or showering and bathing, we tend to be unaware of how much water we use. At the same time, we forget that not everyone has access to clean, safe water soures.

One of the first steps we can take towards living a more sustainable lifestyle – and saving money on utility bills – is to try to raise awareness about water consumption, both our own and our family’s. Once we’re mindful of what we’re doing, it becomes easier to remember not to let the water run unnecessarily during any kind of washing up.

The next thing you can do is get practical and check all your faucets and shower heads. They can be leaky, broken, or simply older models use more water than modern, more efficient designs. In either case, it’s a great idea to replace them.

This is a pretty simple DIY project that will not cost you a lot. Many types of low water-usage or energy-efficient shower heads and faucets are available on the market at very affordable prices. They will decrease your water usage, and if you have many of them around the house, the difference on your monthly bill will be significant.

Switch to Green Lighting

Changing your lighting is another simple change you can introduce into your household. Replacing your old light bulbs with new, energy-efficient ones will save you both energy and money.

CFL and LED incandescent lamps last much longer than the regular, old ones – up to 5 years. They are more expensive, but when you take into consideration that one can last for years and will waste significantly less energy, it really comes out cheaper in the end. Of course, you still need to remember not to leave the lights on when you leave the house!

Seal All the Air Leaks

Air leaks around the house present another source of energy waste and increased utility bills. Luckily, it is a problem that can be easily solved by caulking and weather stripping.

Try to locate the leaks by checking all of your doors and windows – there will usually be a small draft there. Then, add weather stripping to your doors, or replace the old ones, and caulk or put foam on all of the other leaks.

Unplug Your Appliances When Not In Use

Many of the appliances around the house consume energy, even when they are turned off. They don’t use a lot, but it adds up when you consider how many of them you have. It’s a good idea to unplug your televisions, computers, stereos, and even your phone chargers when they are not in use.

If you don’t have the time to always unplug everything, then another solution is to get a power strip. It is a small, affordable control device that cuts power to all of those devices.

One appliance you could consider unplugging for longer periods of time is your tumble dryer. Dryers use a lot of energy. And there are free, natural alternatives for drying your clothes. Simply put a clothesline outside in your backyard or on the balcony, and use it whenever you can – especially during spring and summer when the temperatures are higher.

Program Your Thermostat for Energy Efficiency

Setting your thermostat to optimal temperature is a great way to save energy on heating and cooling. If you want to maximize your energy savings, the ideal temperature during the winter would be 68 degrees, and during summer 78 degrees. Even if you’re not used to those temperatures, don’t worry, your body will adapt quickly and your indoors will be nice and comfortable!

Another thing you could do is get a programmable thermostat. You can set it to automatically adjust the optimal temperature according to the season and the time of the day, as well as to turn the heating off when there’s no one home and turn it back on just before you arrive.

Water heating requires a lot of energy as well. We usually leave it on all the time, but that is not really necessary. Even if you turn it down a bit, you can save energy and money on your utility bills. 10 degrees lower than your usual setting, or somewhere between the ‘low’ and ‘medium’ mark is usually more than sufficient.

Save Money and the Environment

Living green does not have to be complicated or expensive. Just the opposite. With only a little effort you can make a big step towards reducing your living costs and taking care of the environment at the same time.

Do some research, get informed on the benefits of green, sustainable homes and don’t be afraid to make that first step. You definitely won’t regret it.

The post Saving Money with DIY Green Living Projects appeared first on Green Building Insider.