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Eco-friendly homes have been increasing in popularity over the past few years.
The main reason for this is because of how many harmful chemicals are found in our everyday products, such as cleaning supplies and furniture. This article will explore 10 different ways to make a home eco-friendly by discussing their benefits and drawbacks.
What is Eco Friendly Home?
An eco friendly home is a house who practices environmentally responsible behavior when handling natural resources. It is also a place where energy is saved, and pollution levels are kept to a minimum.
A house that does not meet the requirements of being an eco-friendly home will be referred to as non-eco friendly homes. These properties are usually very large in size and have a high energy consumption.
Benefits ofeco friendly homes
There are many different reasons why someone should use their home to help the environment. Some of the most popular benefits include:
-Less pollution :
One of the biggest problems in our world today is pollution, and an eco friendly home can prevent this from happening as much as possible. Increased energy efficiency : Another positive point about these homes is that they use around 30% less energy than another non-eco friendly home would.
-Reduced cost of living :
Since the homes are more efficient, you will end up saving a decent amount of money over time. This is due to the fact that you will be using less electricity and natural resources.
-Less waste material :
Less pollution and energy means less trash.
-Use of renewable resources :
The materials used to build an eco friendly home are usually found in nature and can slowly be replenished. They also have a very low carbon footprint, so the land will not be ruined for future generations to enjoy.
Top 10 Eco-Friendly Home Designs
Green Roofs
Green roofs are very common on eco friendly homes. This is because they help the home reduce its carbon footprint, as well as protect it from extreme weather conditions such as hurricanes and tornadoes.
They repel heat during the summer and prevent heat from getting trapped in during the winter. Another bonus of these roofs is that they improve the air quality around your home, while also providing extra insulation for the house.
One downfall to these green homes is that they are more costly to install then their traditional counterparts. Overall this design can reduce a home's energy bills anywhere between 35% to 50%.
Hydro-Power Generator
A hydro-power generator could come in handy if your home is close enough to a large body of water such as a lake or an ocean. The power from this type of home usually comes from the kinetic energy stored in water that has been pumped up to a higher level using electricity.
One benefit you might enjoy is having access to cheap and clean electrical power whenever you need it. You can also sell excess power back to the local utility company. It is also considered to be a very eco friendly source of energy.
Another benefit to having hydro-power generators installed in your home is that you will not have to worry about nuclear or fossil fuels polluting the environment.
One issue that comes up when using this type of power though, is that it can be rather dangerous if not installed properly. There is a decent amount of planning and construction that needs to be done in order for it to work effectively.
Solar Panels
Solar panels are a great way to use the natural resources that the sun has to offer. They do this by converting sunlight into energy. This is then used for everyday tasks such as powering lights, and charging electronic devices.
With these solar panels installed on your roof you can expect to save up to 30% of your home's energy costs. They are also free to install, so you will not need to pay any money out of your pocket. There is a down side however, since they do require some maintenance work from time to time as well as cleaning.
One important factor that needs to be addressed when using solar panels is the angle of the sun. At times it may be more effective to use the sun's energy during the afternoon, and other times you'll want to try and capture the solar rays in the morning.
Grey water systems
Grey water systems are very useful for those who live in a dry climate, and is an alternative to traditional sewage lines. They do this by collecting grey water from showers, baths and washing machines so that it can safely be disposed of rather than being released into the local environment.
This type of system is best suited to homes with limited funds since they can be built and installed fairly cheaply. This type of system is better since it does not use a lot of chemicals to disinfect the water, which saves quite a bit of money in the long run.
Water-Efficient Toilets
These types of toilets are very efficient when compared to traditional models. They do this by using a lot less water then their counterpart, which in turn saves users quite a bit of money over time.
Oftentimes these kinds of toilets are more expensive to install compared to traditional ones. There is also the issue that they require a small electrical source to run on as well. This is because they usually have a built in pump that is designed to recycle the water after each use.
Roof with vegetation
It should be noted that this type of roof must be put on top of an existing structure rather than using it as a stand alone replacement for the traditional style home you may currently have. These roofs also require some maintenance work from time to time.
A nice green roof such as this is often quite effective at absorbing rain water, since the vegetation usually acts as a natural sponge. The roof then has multiple ways that it can be used in order to conserve water, and reduce your home's overall environmental impact on the world around you.
Warm air systems
This is a passive system that requires no outside energy source to operate. It does this by using the heat from inside the home in order to increase the temperature of the air being blown out into your living space.
This type of system works best when there are multiple people in your home, so be sure about how many people will be around wanting that perfect temp setting before installing one of these. It can also be a bit of an issue since the system must rely on you setting it to high temperature in order for it to work effectively.
One other benefit to having this type of system installed is that your home will use far less energy over time, and thus cost you less money in general.
Natural Materials
Many products, such as building supplies and furniture, contain materials that are not good for the environment. So using eco friendly products is a great way to help reduce your carbon footprint. Natural material will also last much longer then most man made products.
If you do decide to use these types of materials, it is important that you get high quality goods to ensure they will last for a long time.
One thing to look out for with natural products is that they can often be hard to find, and you may need to shop around quite a bit in order for it to work out. Also the durability of these materials does not always make up for their initial cost.
One of the most popular types of natural building material is wood, and as a result all sorts of different products have appeared that consist largely of this material. There are a number of companies that now offer unique items such as furniture made completely out of wood.
Another material that is often used in the construction of eco friendly homes is concrete. This material comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes, so it can be a bit tricky to find just what you are looking for when trying to use it on your home.
Controlled Light Exposure
One way to save electricity, reduce your energy bills, and help out the environment is by making sure you control how much light comes into your home. This can be done in a few different ways depending on what looks best in the area you are trying to adorn.
One of the most popular ways is to use window tinting in order to reduce light that comes into your home.
This can be a very easy and cheap way to get started on reducing your energy usage, as well as helping you stay cooler during those hot summer months. The only issue that is often reported with this type of method, is that it can make your home a bit darker then you would like.
Another way to control light coming into your house is to use curtains and shades. These can be placed over the windows themselves in order to reduce the amount of light that comes into your home during the daytime.
In order to use the different methods mentioned above, you will need to look into getting them professional installed. This is because it can be quite difficult to install them yourself in a way that looks good and becomes functional at the same time.
Clean Water Systems
An important part of any eco friendly home is water conservation. The best way to do this is by installing a water filtration system in your house. This type of system can harden up your regular water supply, so that it doesn't waste as much over time due to evaporation and other factors.
These systems are often installed on the outside of the home, meaning they look nice, and will not greatly affect your interior decor when it comes time to get them installed.
Water heating is another big issue in homes today since the majority of energy used by the average house is spent on this single purpose. Eco friendly builders have tried a number of different methods in order to reduce water heating costs, but one of the most popular methods is by installing solar water heating.
These systems work by collecting the energy from the sun, and using it to heat up water that is contained in a tank on your roof. This method can be used to either supplement your regular hot water supply, or as a completely new source of clean water for your home.
Eco Friendly Construction Materials
There are lots of construction materials available today that are better for the environment. These include things like bamboo, hemp and other similar types of products.
This type of construction is quite a bit more expensive then traditional methods and most people think it would be too pricey to use on a regular basis. Also some of the materials are not strong enough for specific uses such as flooring or siding, which limits how much you can really do.
Eco friendly construction materials are usually made of natural products, which makes them particularly sensitive to the environment. Because of this fact, they need to be overseen carefully during all stages of their manufacturing and installation in order to keep them from becoming ruined or damaged by the elements.
Some most popular eco friendly homes
- Passive Home:
Passive homes minimize the use of energy for heating, cooling and ventilation. Passive homes are super-insulated to ensure proper indoor air quality. They have windows on all exterior walls that can be opened to ensure cross ventilation. The walls, ceilings, floors and doors are made of very high thermal mass materials such as masonry or adobe.
- Solar Home:
Solar houses are built with the intention of keeping them off-the-grid. These homes are not connected to any major power system, but draw power from solar panels, water-powered turbines and sometimes wind turbines.
These homes also use passive techniques for heating and cooling like super insulation, a thermal mass floor and windows for cross ventilation.
- Earthship:
A type of passive solar house, this self-sufficient design uses earth and natural materials to ensure proper heating and cooling. The shape of the house is usually a dome or cylinder which allows for optimum use of energy from the sun.
Earthships use recycled materials to build eco houses that can be completely sustainable. Rainwater collection tanks are used for water collection.
Earthships feature passive solar design, as well as a composting toilet, recycled greywater systems and geothermal energy sources like the sun or ground.
- Earthen Home:
These homes are constructed with an adobe style design. The walls and ceilings of these houses are made from earth materials such as dirt or sand that has been shaped into bricks, much like the homes built by Native Americans hundreds of years ago.
In order to keep the homes cool in the summer, earthen walls are prepared with a thick plaster which creates an insulating vapor barrier. The soil used for these walls is often taken from wells or riverbeds and is usually very dense clay.
Earthen homes often feature renewable energy systems like solar power or wind turbines and may also include solar water heating.
FAQs
- What are the benefits of using eco building materials? -
Using eco-friendly building materials will typically lead to a more pleasant environment, and help protect both the people that live in the house as well as the land around it. It can be difficult however to get contractors who are willing to work with these types of products due to their very nature.
- Can I install solar water heating at my home myself?
It is possible to install solar water heating at your home yourself, but you will need to have experience with installing things like this. Because of the type of work it can be difficult for a single person to complete without help or proper planning beforehand.
- How can I incorporate these types of materials into my home design?
You will need to hire an architect, or someone who knows how to design homes in order to help you integrate eco friendly materials into your project. In order for them to be used however, they must first be researched and tested for their safety as well as functionality.
Conclusion
Eco friendly homes are not difficult to create, but they do require extra consideration. The best way to achieve this is by researching and testing eco-friendly materials before you decide on what types of products you want in your home. This will help keep it from becoming ruined or damaged by the elements as well as ensuring that your construction process is safe and healthy for everyone involved in its creation.
We hope our guide has given you some good ideas about how to incorporate these principles into a new project at your own home!
