We want to talk about the different steps that you can take to perform eco-friendly home remodeling projects and live sustainably in other ways. Keep reading to learn more.

Eco-Friendly Home Remodeling and Green Living Ideas to Lower Your Carbon Footprint

Climate change is at the front of many people’s minds because they are wondering how they can live a more eco-friendly lifestyle, while also enjoying many modern amenities. It all seems daunting, but one person can make a big difference even with small changes over time. Fighting climate change involves being aware of what you buy, where you drive, and even how you pay for your purchases.

Green building practices can do a lot to help lower your carbon footprint. Other changes might not make as much of a difference on their own, but are easy to implement and are worth doing to help the planet.

By making small changes, you have the power to reduce your carbon footprint and fight back against global warming. These eco-friendly remodeling and green living tips will help you fight climate change in your day-to-day life.

Use Recycled Materials for Home Improvement Projects

When you are working on home improvement projects, you need to take the necessary steps to reduce your impact on the planet. One of the best ways to do this is by using recycled materials. Recycled building materials are going to minimize the need to waste scare natural resources. We have a list of great eco-friendly building materials that are worth using.

Use the Right Amount of Insulation

Insulation will also reduce energy loss. You will want to make sure that you use enough when renovating your home.

Use LEDs or Solar Lights to Reduce Energy Needed for Lighting

When you are creating eco-friendly buildings, you also want to pay attention to the lighting. Solar lights can help make your property eco-friendlier. You may also want to invest in LEDs to improve energy efficiency.

Choose a Better Credit Card

Did you know you can choose the right debit and credit cards to help offset your personal carbon footprint? Credit cards are linked to companies that make money each time you use your card.  What if those fees went into projects and causes that helped to improve the environment, instead of harming it? By choosing a more eco-friendly alternative – such as green credit cards – consumers can make a significant difference with their spending. Proceeds can benefit companies that are funding projects that help improve the environment, instead of contributing to more pollution.

Buy Local

Buying local food, goods and products is a great way to combat climate change. It reduces the amount of carbon emissions that would be created by transporting your purchases across long distances. Local businesses also tend to be more environmentally friendly, so you’re doing your part for the environment while supporting other small businesses in your community. Buying local can also help strengthen the economy of your community by supporting local jobs and helping create more opportunities for growth.

Shop in Bulk

You can help reduce your carbon footprint by buying in bulk. By doing so, you’ll be able to save money and have fewer trash bags thrown away. You can also use reusable containers for things like food storage, toilet paper, and paper towels—anything that you might typically buy in a package can be purchased in bulk at places such as Costco or Sam’s Club. Buying bulk saves you trips to the store and also reduces the amount of packaging that you waste.

Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies

Making your own cleaning supplies is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Natural ingredients are gentler on the environment, and they’re often cheaper than store-bought cleaners. Plus, you can recycle containers that were already being used for something else, instead of buying plastic bottles or jugs.

You can make small batches of cleaning supplies by filling a container with any combination of these ingredients: vinegar, lemons or limes, castile soap, and even hydrogen peroxide and water. These cleaning supplies are not only better for you, but they are better for the environment and contribute to less waste overall. Additionally, these more natural solutions won’t pollute the local water the same way that chemical cleaners do.

Use Cloth Shopping Bags

Reusable shopping bags are a great way to fight climate change. Plastic bags create a lot of pollution; from being produced in factories to getting thrown away, these bags create a lot of waste. Use reusable shopping bags or cloth bags instead. If you don’t already have a set of reusable shopping bags, it’s easy to find them online or at your local grocery store. You can also repurpose old t-shirts into reusable shopping totes by cutting off one sleeve and sewing it together with two other shirts that are similar in size and color.

Turn Off Electronics When Not in Use

Electronics waste a lot of energy when they aren’t in use. From the red light on your television to the computer in sleep mode instead of being turned off, energy waste is a big contributor to climate change. Turn off your computer at night and keep the monitor turned off when you’re not using it. Unplug your cell phone charger from the wall when it’s not charging. Unplug your electronics when they aren’t in use so you don’t lose energy to their vampire-draining tendencies. By turning off these technologies you can help reduce climate change and in the process save money on your electric bill.

Use These Eco-Friendly Home Remodeling and Green Living Tips to Lower Your Carbon Footprint

If you are truly committed to living a sustainable lifestyle, then you need to practice green living in every way. This includes practicing tips that go beyond using the best green building practices. The guidelines listed above can make a huge difference as you strive to lower your carbon footprint.

The post 6 Home Renovation and Lifestyle Ideas To Fight Climate Change appeared first on Green Building Insider.

However, while interest in sustainable homes has grown significantly, green homeowners still face a learning curve and encounter some challenges. They often question whether they have to make certain sacrifices when it comes to living in their home in order to promote sustainability.

One thing that some people believe is that they can’t make extensions to their home if they are living an eco-friendly lifestyle. They are worried that the carbon footprint of these extensions is not justifiable.

However, there are a number of steps that you can take to ensure your new additions are constructed sustainably. In fact, many people do renovations to increase the value of their eco-friendly homes. You should know what you can do to trim the carbon footprint of the construction process, so you don’t have to skimp on having a new addition to your eco-friendly home.

Tips to Do an Extension on Your Eco-Friendly Home

Building an eco-friendly house is not always a walk in the park. Sometimes, you think you have everything in the plan, only to realize later on that you might need to add an extra room for your workshop or home office area. Building an extension can add more room to your house and also boost its value.

There are a lot of ways to handle this process in an eco-friendly manner, as Eco-Friendly Princess discussed. You will want to do your due diligence.

Most homeowners think that building an extension for their home is a simple task that may not need a specialist. However, this is wrong, and even though it can be a smaller project, hiring a specialist will ensure that everything goes smoothly and according to plan. You will find that it is worth investing in the process properly if you want to do an addition to an eco-friendly house, because you have more variables to consider. In this guide, we will discuss some of the factors to consider when building an extension for your eco-friendly property.

Make Sure Eco-Friendly Resources Will Be Used

One of the most important factors to take into consideration when working on any eco-friendly project is the materials that will be used. You need to make sure that the materials used will leave as little of a carbon footprint as possible. You will need to talk to your contractor to make sure they understand your goals and know which sustainable materials will be used.

Plan Your Budget

The amount of money available plays a significant role when it comes to any construction project, including doing renovations for eco-friendly homes. So, before you set out to look for masons or a construction company, make sure you have your budget set in advance. It is always wise to consult a quantity surveyor to get rough estimates of what will be required and how much the materials needed may cost.

A rule of thumb, do not to go for what you cannot afford. If the project is not that urgent, you can hold on until you have enough cash available.

Get a Planning Permission

Different states have different rules when it comes to construction, even for eco-friendly homes. In some towns or states, you may not be required to get planning permission if your project isn’t that big. However, to be on the safer side, make sure you consult with a construction consultant. You can always get more information on what is needed before you break ground. They always know what the rules are and can also help you in getting all of the required permissions.

Your planning permissions may take a while before they are ready. However, keep in mind that poorly created documents will get rejected by the authorities, and it may cost you more to create new ones.

Consult an Architect

Building an extension should complement if not improve your property’s aesthetics. You don’t want to set up something that will feel off or look out of place. Consulting an architect can help curb some design challenges you could be encountering.

Hiring an architect can be quite expensive. However, there are a few hacks that can help you save some money. You can choose to hire a freelance architect who might charge you an hourly rate. Sometimes, these rates could be cheaper compared to some architects who request for a certain percentage of the project’s total value.

Bottom Line

The cost or budget of building an extension for an eco-friendly home may vary depending on various factors. Things like materials, labor, size of the extension, and consultancy fees will be huge factors when streamlining your budget. It could potentially be more expensive initially when you are making sure the extensions are eco-friendly, but you will likely save more money on energy costs down the road. However, don’t ignore the need to hire a construction consultant before you start anything. They will help you get all the documents in order while also guiding you through all of the steps you need to follow.

The post Factors When Building an Extension for an Eco-Friendly House appeared first on Green Building Insider.

It’s admittedly easy to overlook energy expenditure when pulling a project together. You might find yourself overwhelmed with unexpected setbacks, problems with installation and a wide variety of other issues associated with renovations. Even with these difficulties, it’s essential to set aside time to review your energy usage.

Fortunately, you have no shortage of options to reduce your expenditure. Many of them will effectively lower the final cost of your project, as well as decrease your carbon footprint. You’ll preserve both your savings and the planet by approaching your home improvements in a cost-effective, eco-conscious way.

Here are five energy-saving strategies and everything you need to know about green technologies and techniques. It doesn’t take much to make a difference, and even a small adjustment can cut your energy consumption by a significant margin. Consider some of the solutions below.

1. Use Energy-Efficient Building Materials

Conventional building materials are often inefficient and potentially hazardous. You don’t have to choose the standard options most homeowners limit themselves to, because energy-efficient building materials are available if you expand your search. These materials are particularly attractive:

• Spray foam insulation: As a substitute for fiberglass and cellulose insulation, spray foam serves the same purpose while trapping more conditioned air within the home. It also contains rapidly renewable material that doesn’t produce harmful emissions and is both water- and shrink-proof.
• Insulating concrete forms: Created when concrete pours between multiple layers of insulation material, these forms improve the strength and durability of a structure and meet high code requirements for energy efficiency. Additionally, they prevent certain issues like mold, mildew and rotting.
• Thermostat barrier radiant sheathing: A building product from Georgia-Pacific, this sheathing functions in both the roof and the walls as a sort of buffer zone against heat penetration. When properly installed, it reduces energy usage and lowers attic temperatures by up to 30 degrees.

Any of the three products above can help you reduce the energy expenditure in your home. Some materials, like insulating concrete forms, are only functional for certain kinds of projects, but spray foam insulation is far more flexible in its application.

2. Push for Improved Tools and Practices

The numerous motors and auxiliary components that comprise machine tools require a substantial amount of energy. While you’ve likely delegated this type of work to contractors, you can still make suggestions. As an example, switching off specific energy consumers during nonproductive phases can reduce energy use.

Start a conversation with your team and brainstorm ways to tackle the project with greater efficiency. If your project involves an air compressor, moving the intake into a shaded area outside is an easy and energy-efficient alternative. A reduction of 20 degrees Fahrenheit can lower operating costs by almost 3.8 percent.

3. Purchase an Energy-Saving Outlet or Strip

You can manage your energy expenditure with the simple purchase of a smart outlet. Many products are available, and any of them will reduce your usage when plugging power tools into your walls as you move through your renovations. They’re a wise investment, helpful even after you’ve finished your home improvements.

Depending on your needs, you’ll find some options more relevant than others. If you’re intending to use multiple outlets and need a convenient solution, you’ll likely see the appeal in a smart strip. It has various outlets for different devices. When you shut it off, the strip automatically cuts power to any peripheral outlets.

4. Hire Contractors With Relevant Experience

Over the course of your renovations, you’ll likely need the assistance of one or more contractors. Each of these professionals will conduct business differently, and some aren’t concerned with reducing their energy expenditure, only the final result. Take these three steps far in advance of hiring a contractor:

• Contact former clients and ask about the contractor’s performance, touching on their attention to energy efficiency and green construction.
• Search online for reviews and recommendations for the contractor, visiting sites like Angie’s List, CitySearch and Google Local for details.
• Meet with the contractor and question them about their approach to home improvements, their areas of expertise and relevant experience.

Once you’ve met and settled on the right contractor, you should move forward with the renovation process. As you continue with your project, you can feel confident the professional you’ve chosen will hold themselves to a high standard of energy efficiency. Still, it’s essential to compromise when necessary.

5. Choose Minimal Framing for Wall Installation

If your plans include a large-scale renovation with the addition of new walls, you should research your building codes.

Depending on the details of these codes, you could choose minimal framing for the installation, which will require fewer nails and less lumber. You’ll also reduce your energy usage in terms of power tools. If you choose metal framing, it cuts down on wood waste.

In addition to your savings, this suggestion has secondary benefits. When you minimize the framing in your walls, you have more room for insulation, and by extension, greater energy efficiency. Among other tips for an energy-efficient remodel, this is one of the most effective for homeowners with more involved projects.

A Green Approach to Home Improvements

As you organize your plans and evaluate your options, review some of the suggestions above. While you’re likely concerned over supplies, labor, schedule and budget, it’s essential to set aside time to assess secondary details like the energy efficiency of your remodel. These smaller considerations are no less important.

When you begin on your renovations, take a green approach. Use energy-efficient building materials, purchase smart outlets and collaborate with contractors who have your best interests in mind.

After you finish and step back from your work, you’ll feel satisfied with your project and proud of how you accomplished it.

The post 5 Simple Ways to Save Energy on Home Improvement Projects appeared first on Green Building Insider.