A better use of natural resources can go far beyond separating recyclable waste or excluding plastic bags from your routine. Sustainability can and should start from the moment of building a house.
No one doubts that sustainability has gained an increasingly relevant importance in our lives. From consumption habits to the way we behave, there are many ways in which sustainability can and should be present in our lives.
But there is a specific topic where the importance of sustainability is still taking its first steps and that is in the construction sector. Where to build a house? What materials to use? What kind of construction should we do? What are the most important topics you should pay attention to? These are some of the questions you might ask when starting a new construction project or a new architectural project.
A better use of natural resources can go far beyond separating recyclable waste or excluding plastic bags from your routine. Sustainability can and should start from the moment of building a house. The new architectural projects today think about the reuse of materials, objects made of natural and sustainable materials and even the use of certified appliances.
Here are five simple ways to make your home friendly to the environment:
1. Align ideas with the architecture and construction teams
First, talk about the importance of sustainability in construction and how it is a priority for you in this new project. Nobody better than the architecture team to be able to follow this process and know exactly the best ways to include sustainability in construction, in a project that is being done from scratch.
2. Natural Resources Optimizations
Light and solar orientation are two important features that make all the difference in a home that knows how to use them. Knowing which areas will benefit from more light and natural heat will help to optimize resources for air conditioning the house both in summer and winter. Solar orientation is very important in building a sustainable home.
3. Use of local materials
The building materials chosen are an important part of a home's sustainability. Natural materials such as stone or wood are generally touted as sustainable building materials, but it is important to know if they are local, if they are certified, if their extraction respects the environment or if the way they were treated respects the rules of sustainability. Here too, the architect plays a key role in the construction of a sustainable house.
4. Installing good insulation
Insulation in construction can make all the difference in the use of resources in a home. Paying attention to the type of windows, insulation on the walls and even on the roof of the house, the use of natural resources in air conditioning are automatically reduced. Here too, we can add materials such as wood or some types of stone that are an additional help for a truly sustainable home.
5. Sustainable decor and equipment
Finally, reaching the end of the construction project, it is time to talk about sustainability in decoration and home appliances. Bearing in mind that the house already has characteristics that help in sustainability, namely in the materials used in the construction and in the finishes, the decoration and materials used in the furniture must also pay special attention to its origin, manufacturing methods, resources used, among others. With regard to household appliances, there is nothing like following the energy validation recommendations, with A+ ratings.