Many home design trends come and go as time goes on. For example, the once-popular wood-paneled walls and floral wallpaper borders are now complete DON’TS in modern home design. A trend however that is bound to stand the test of time is the move of home design from convenience towards sustainability. While creating a sustainable home is obviously beneficial for the environment, the biggest benefit to homeowners is often the money it saves them in the long term.
5 Sustainable Home Ideas to Help You Save Money
Before starting the home design process, talk with your design-build team about what measures can be taken to reduce your carbon footprint and lower your utility bills. If you choose an experienced remodeling contractor, it is likely that they’ll have some unique and unexpected ideas to take this a step further. To help you out, we are here to share 5 sustainable home ideas to help you save money now and long into the future!
1. Implement Energy Efficiency Into Your Sustainable Pennsylvania Home
Solar Panels are an obvious way to incorporate a renewable energy source into the design of your home. It takes an average of 30-35 standard-sized panels to fully power the average-sized home. However, solar panels can be expensive and out of reach for some depending on budget limitations.
Luckily, there is another way to reduce your use of electricity even in a state that gets as cold as Pennsylvania. Talk with your remodeling contractor or home builder about installing expansive windows throughout your home. Using energy-efficient windows locks in light and keeps the home well insulated to help you reduce the need for artificial lighting and heating.
2. Conserve Water With Updated Plumbing Fixtures
Toilets, sinks, and other plumbing fixtures have gotten major upgrades in the last decade. Many toilets for example now include dual-flush systems where you can choose between lower and higher flush rates as needed. There are also several sinks that feature automatic settings and altered faucets to reduce water usage. With this trend becoming increasingly popular, there are tons of options and styles to choose from to maintain your aesthetic while still being environmentally conscious.
3. Use Recycled And Locally Sourced Materials in Your Sustainable Home
One of the best ways to save money in your sustainable Pennsylvania home is to use recycled and locally sourced materials for your design. Wood, brick, plastic, glass, concrete, metal, tiles, doors, insulation, and steel beams are all examples of materials that can be reused and repurposed from older homes.
A major design trend in 2021 is to use exposed reclaimed wood beams as a focal design point. To take this a step further, many people have begun to flip old furniture that they own or find at flea markets to make unique decor pieces that reduce the need for manufacturing and save money.
Another way to reduce the carbon footprint in your home is to use locally sourced materials. Transporting a large, heavy marble slab for your countertops is expensive and requires a lot of energy consumption. Using locally sourced materials lowers the fuel needed for transportation and saves you lots on shipping costs.
4. Invest in a Smart Home System
A new and unexpected way to make your home more sustainable is to invest in a smart home system. Smart Homes don’t just answer your questions about the weather or play your favorite Lady Gaga song when you tell it to. They can actually be programmed to learn from your behavior in order to optimize your comfort and lower your energy consumption.
Smart Homes can be programmed to have different settings based on what time of day it is or for when you leave the home. For example, when you leave the house you can have a one-click setting to change the thermostat, turn off the lights and turn on your alarm system. Your smart home system can remember to set these energy conserving settings that you may often forget.
5. Focus on Indoor Air Quality In Your Sustainable Home
A recent trend in sustainable home design is ductless air conditioning systems. Systems without ductwork save you money and lower energy consumption by reducing inefficiencies and air leakage. Other major benefits of ductless systems are that they are programmable from room to room and have filters that can be treated with enzymes to break down allergens.
Improve Sustainability With Your Home Builder
Protecting the environment for future generations is a responsibility that falls upon all of us. Luckily, while it can take a bit of research, implementing sustainability into your home is beneficial for your health and your wallet. Ensure that before the home design process begins, your Design-Build Team is on the same page with your sustainability efforts. At LBK Design Build, Our clients are included in all remodeling activities and decisions using our remodeling app where they have access to organized, 24/7 access to their remodeling selections, costs, photos, conversations, and more! We will always communicate with you to ensure that your home meets the sustainable requirements that you expect.
Let’s Talk About Your Ideas - Schedule A Consultation
Tired of your outdated and disorganized home? Schedule a consultation with Nick to discuss your remodeling ideas and how our simple remodeling process can give you a home you love!