Eco-friendly house ideas to help save you money whilst also thinking about the environment.
With temperatures reaching 40.3°C in England this July, global warming is more apparent than ever. During the last 120 years, the level of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere has risen by 40%, and worldwide temperatures are rising with it. While this ‘greenhouse effect’ is partially down to natural causes, there is no doubt that the trend is primarily due to human action.
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Why Be More Eco-Friendly?
At the last United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) the UK claimed to be carbon neutral by 2050. However, we are yet to see any real change regarding the use of fossil fuels – the main contributor to climate change.
We use fossil fuels in a variety of ways across many industries including agriculture and packaging, but the real estate sector is responsible for the most carbon dioxide emissions worldwide. UK houses in particular are not energy efficient due to a combination of poor insulation and ineffective heating systems.
The UK government is currently phasing out the need for gas boilers and moving to greener energy providers to create eco friendly homes. However, there is a long road ahead to make all UK homes more eco-friendly. Completing this mammoth task is an essential part of hitting our eco-targets.
See what you can do to make your home more eco-friendly. Lower your carbon footprint and play your part in combatting climate change. Here are some eco-friendly house ideas to get you started…
Things We Can Do To Be More Eco Friendly
Improve Your Insulation
UK homes are by and large poorly insulated, especially the country’s older housing stock. Reduce the amount of energy required to heat your home and save yourself a significant amount of money overall. By improving the insulation in your home, you will be able to lower running costs in the long run by stopping heat loss through poorly insulated walls and lofts.
Most lofts and attics have some mineral wool insulation but adding extra layers to improve the density will dramatically improve its functionality. This will help you hen it comes to heat recovery and being able to manage your homes temperature.
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Properties with cavity walls – typically those constructed post-1920 – can be further insulated by injecting a special material into the internal space.
Replacing old timber frame doors and fitting new uPVC triple-glazed windows to reduce draughts will improve the overall insulation of your home. Lowering your energy bills in the process and avoid the need for things such as air conditioning units.
Live Closer To Public Transport
Another solid option involves choosing a location for your home carefully. Instead of living in the suburbs and driving miles to work, you can set up your residence close to a public transport hub.
For example, in London, many people buy zone 3 shared ownership apartments that are close to Tube stations. These mean that they can walk to the Tube and then get into central London, where they work, or they can easily get around London on public transport if their workplace is located in a different area or district. Overall, locating close to public transport is one of the most eco-friendly ways to reduce carbon emissions and ensure living arrangements remain sustainable.
Update Your Heating System
Other eco-friendly house ideas also include simply updating the systems you currently have in your home. Once you’ve taken steps to insulate your home, set your mind to the way in which your home is heated. Most UK houses have a central heating system powered by a gas boiler. It’s these gas boilers that are one of the main culprits with regard to producing CO2 emissions.
In contrast, many new build homes are being constructed with air source heat pumps which run at lower temperatures than boilers. They, therefore, use less energy to achieve the same results and save you money in the process. These are particularly efficient for underfloor heating systems.
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Other options include fitting solar panels on the roof of your home. Harnessing the power of the sun to provide you with hot water. Or replacing your traditional gas boiler with a greener option such as a biomass boiler.
Reduce Your Usage
A less costly way to make your home more eco-friendly is to be more conscious about your usage of energy and water. Turning off lights when you leave a room. Making sure appliances do not sit on standby, and using energy-efficient lightbulbs are all simple ways to save electricity. When it comes to reducing your water consumption, the easiest method is to repurpose rainwater.
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Install a water butt to collect rainwater and use this to water your garden. You can go one step further and invest in a rainwater harvesting system which allows you to collect and recycle rainwater. This collected water can then be used in your home to fill the toilet cistern or washing machine. In addition to cutting down shower time and minimising baths, special ‘low flow’ shower heads are a great way to avoid wasting water.
Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle
When you’re furnishing your house, don’t go straight to the leading homeware brands where prices are a premium, and little thought is given to the environment. Many of the products sold by these companies are not made in an ethical and environmentally friendly way. Many are shipped, flown, and driven thousands of miles to be delivered to your door.
Instead, browse your local businesses to find gems that you can take home directly. Suitable small businesses that will greatly value your support can be found online. Try using websites such as Etsy to find products that are best suited to you. However, be sure to buy from people and brands who are committed to using recycled or ethically sourced materials.
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You can also consider buying used furniture. Either from local residents selling through a social media platform like Facebook Marketplace or from nearby charity shops. There are often good-as-new items on offer which would otherwise end up dumped in a landfill. Often selling for a fraction of the price of their brand-new counterparts. Shopping in this marketplace is not only eco-conscious but will also help to support important non-profit organisations that care for the community.
What would some of your favourite eco-friendly house ideas be?
Hi Becky,
One thing I have learned by house sitting around the world: well-insulated places save heaps on energy bills. When we spent 2 months in the deserts of Oman, even though the blistering sun beat down on the apartment daily, we remained cool inside without barely touching the AC, with temps of 80 F. The insulation was epic; kept the chill in. On the flip side, some poorly-built places in New Zealand were always drafty during fall and winter months and needed constant fire-heating due to poor insulation.
Ryan
Oh yes, my husband grew up in Oman on the airbase and he said the heat at times was just unbelievable. OOH, the places in New Zealand don’t sound as fun!
These are some amazing house ideas on a budget! Thanks so much for sharing. Wonderful Post! Have a great day!
Oh thank you for taking the time to read it. Hope you have a lovely day too.
We’re using reuse, repurpose and recycle. These are good tips. 😊😉😊
Glad that the like button is okay now.
Yes, finally! Thank you for pointing it out. Had to get the developers to sort it out as i had no idea – haha!