From Guest Blogger Joanne Miller: Energy Efficient Solutions for Two Storey Homes
In the last few years, people have realised the importance of living in eco-friendly homes. With technological advancements, green homes have become a lot easier to design and build. In fact, designers and architects can even hide eco-friendly and economical features of your two storey house in a very inconspicuous way. Making your two storey house green helps not only your finances, but also your surroundings.
In order to create the perfect energy efficient home for your family, you should follow few important steps. In this post, I will focus on these steps and help you understand how you can build the perfect eco-home.
Design Lays the Standard Foundation
When you’re trying to create an environment friendly home, you will have to focus on the design of the home. There are many people who don’t realise, but an airtight or properly insulated home can be very energy efficient. Making your home airtight is one of the most effective ways to make it more environment friendly.
In an insulated home, air does not leak outside. Thus, your home will not lose any unnecessary heat. In addition to this, airtight homes always have self-contained climates. Temperature in the home is regulated with vents and fans.
It is true that insulated homes cost more than traditional building structures. However, they help you save some good money in the long run. Since airtight homes don’t lose a lot of heat or get heated quickly, they can significantly lower your carbon footprint and energy bills.
Alternate Construction Materials
Using alternative materials for construction is another good way to make your home more environment friendly. Wood can be one of the best materials to make your home energy efficient. If you’re worried about deforestation, you can source wood using ethical means. Recycled wood can also be used for constructing an energy efficient home.
Wood can easily retain about 50% more heat than bricks or building blocks. Due to this, it is the ideal material for construction. Moreover, wood can be used in modular building blocks to construct a home within weeks.
It is also better to use recycled or natural materials in various construction and design stages. Newspapers, denim, straw and wool can act as excellent insulators. Once you’ve insulated your home, you should test it for air tightness. This way, you will understand if there are any sort of leakages.
Reduced Water Usage and Harnessing Solar Power
In order to create an environment friendly home, you will have to take certain measures to reduce your water usage. You should start making use of natural water. Rainwater harvesting can be a perfect way to save water and use it for daily activities, like sprinkling water in the garden, watering plants and so on.
You can also use a composting toilet in your home. Since composted waste has a high concentration of nutrients and minerals, it is even safe for your plants. These days, you can easily buy composting toilets at affordable prices. There are also other kinds of toilets in the market. While some people reuse water to wash hands, others regulate the flow of water on the basis of usage. Simple measures can help you reduce your water usage significantly.
Harnessing solar energy to generate electricity for certain appliances is always the best way to make your two storey energy efficient home. There are many other alternatives like wind and hydro-power. You can easily set up and install them in your home. Depending on your location and the climate in your area, you can choose a particular method to generate power in your home.
With some simple steps, every home can be easily turned into a more energy efficient and eco-friendly haven. You just need to practice some useful measures to protect and safeguard the environment.
