With all the emphasis on "going green" these days, it stands to reason that much of the focus is on the home. Efficiency, recycling, and reduction of use of materials and energy all play a part in the success of green building and remodelling. Building a new home presents the perfect opportunity to incorporate many of the recommended ideas designed to minimize a home's carbon footprint. However, even a simple remodel may allow for a nod to environmental responsibility. And there are many things just about any homeowner can do, even if they are not building or remodelling.
Following are twenty products and practices that can help you have a home with a responsible environmental impact. Many may save you significant pounds on energy costs; some may even help maintain the your health and that of your family.
Fast and Easy Ideas
1. Install low-flow showerheads and faucets in bathrooms and the kitchen. By using devices that deliver approximately 2.5 gallons of water per minute (gpm), you can realize a water savings from 25 to 60 percent--enough water in a year to do up to 14 loads of laundry. This will also help reduce the energy cost to heat the water for showers and baths.
2. Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, which use about 30 percent less energy a year. You don't even have to replace all the bulbs. Choose the five most used lights and replace only those. For even more energy efficiency (ten times more efficient than compact fluorescent bulbs), consider light-emitting diode (LED) technology.
3. Choose paints and other finishes with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Products that contain VOCs emit harmful gasses that seep into the air in your home and can combine with elements in the atmosphere to create ground-level ozone. Almost all major paint manufacturers now produce a line of low- or no-VOC products.
4. Use a timer on the water heater and include a programmable thermostat on your heating/cooling unit. These devices are relatively inexpensive and save you money (and conserve energy) by adjusting temperatures to a comfortable level at those times when you are home to use them. When no one is at home (or at night when all are in bed), temps can be adjusted to a minimum level.
5. Set up a home recycling center. In some areas, recycling is mandated required. Even if it isn't in your area, you can do much to improve the environment locally, nationally, and globally by reusing, reducing, and recycling. Keep it simple so that you and your family are more likely to use it. Begin with bins for recycling newspapers and cans. Once everyone is comfortable with that idea, add a bin for glass, copy paper, and other recyclables.
For A Few Pounds More
6. Choose appliances that have received the Energy Star seal of approval. Energy Star is a program of the Environmental Protection Agency that tests and rates the energy efficiency of appliances such as dishwashers and refrigerators. Not only will you realize savings on your energy bill, but also if only one in ten households used Energy Star appliances, it would have the same impact as planting 1.7 million new trees.
7. Introduce as much natural light as possible into your home with windows. If building a house, orient it to take advantage of passive solar heat to bolster your HVAC system in the winter. Be sure to buy the finest quality windows you can afford, however, or you'll defeat the purpose. The best are wood-frame windows with double glazing, two low-e film layers, and argon gas fill.
8. Install flooring that is produced from a naturally renewable source: bamboo, cork, linoleum. Besides being sustainable products, these materials are healthier options as they seldom emit off-gasses and may be installed (bamboo and cork) without harmful glues.
9. Replace your gas or electric water heater with a solar version or at very least turn down the temperature on your current model. For every ten degrees of lowered temperature, you'll save between 3 and 5 percent on your energy bill. Adding an insulation blanket (about £15.00) will save you up to 9 percent.
10. Put in ceiling fans. Not only are they an attractive addition to your décor, they will improve the performance of both your heating and cooling unit. You may find that in warmer weather, you can stay comfortably cool without turning on the AC if the ceiling fan is circulating the air in the room.
11. By law, all new toilets installed must be high efficiency toilets (HET). This means that they use 1.6 gallons per flush or less. To get maximum flushing power, however, opt for models with a dual flushing system (light or heavy flushes as needed) or those with a power-assist option to move the lower volume of water at a greater velocity for a more powerful flush.
Getting Serious
12. Seems like a no-brainer, but adding insulation is one of the best ways to cut energy costs AND make your home more comfortable in both hot and cold weather. Bumping up your home's insulation could save you as much as 20 percent on energy costs over the course of a year. Don't neglect the small spaces where air can leak in as well: around doors, windows and vents--anywhere there's an opening to the outside. Seal those spaces for optimum insulation.
13. Use "smart" ductwork for all HVAC needs. Ducts that run through non-insulated spaces may lose between 20 and 30 percent of energy in the air they distribute. If you cannot avoid running ducts through non-insulated spaces, then opt for surrounding the ducts in insulation and ensuring that all ducts are properly sealed to prevent air leakage.
14. If building or remodeling, use as many recycled materials as possible. Reclaimed brick and lumber are available for construction purposes, which in addition to being earth-friendly, are often beautifully weathered. Companies that specialize in procurement and selling of these materials are easy to find on the Internet.
15. Use recycled glass tile. Available from a number of manufacturers, the tile is suitable for backsplashes, countertops, showers, bathtubs, and even pools. Many are made from 100% recycled materials.
16. Choose a horizontal axis (front loading) washer/dryer. This combination appliance puts clothes through the wash and dry cycles automatically without having to transfer wet clothes to another appliance. Compact and highly energy efficient, this machine works well in small spaces such as apartments. It comes with a high price tag, but perhaps less than buying a separate washer and dryer.
Go All Out
17. Combined heat and power (CHP) systems use a fuel source (natural gas normally) to produce both electricity and heat. While it is possible to produce enough electricity to put a home off the grid entirely, most units are designed to be a supplement to commercial power or to act as a backup generator in case of emergency.
18. Install permeable pavers and pavement instead of standard concrete and blacktop. Rainwater seeps through these ecologically friendly choices and is filtered through the soil naturally before entering surface and ground water supplies.
19. To reduce solar heat gain in hot months and heat loss in cold months, install radiant roof barriers. Most attach to the roof sheathing, though some are included as an integral part of the sheathing. Efficiency gain can be as much as 18 percent for the average home.
20. Heating and cooling your home can account for as much as 40 percent of your energy costs. To keep those costs at bay (and protect the environment), install high-efficiency heating and cooling units. For heating units, look for AFUE ratings of 90 or better. In air-conditioning units, look for SEER ratings of 20 or better.
These are only a few ideas that will help you green your home. Remember that even if you are unable to take all of these steps, doing just one or two can make a difference--in your energy budget, your family's health, and in the preservation of the planet.