Photo by Sieuwert Otterloo on Unsplash

You should feel excited if you have finally got the money together to build the home of your dreams. In this modern age, what better way is there to give back to the environment and live in a naturalistic manner than using eco-friendly techniques in the design of your new house. These steps will not only provide benefits to the earth; the green trends can make you healthier too as there are fewer dangers in your home. 

Learn more about how to build the eco-friendly house that you desire with the tips below.

1. Use Solar Energy

When working with home builders in North Carolina or your home state, ask them if solar energy is available where you live as it can help the environment and save you money. If so, try to have the contractors face your home towards the location of the sun during the brightest part of the day to collect the most power. Often, when needing panels, the solar companies will even pay for the installation, allowing you to send payments back to them every month. Plus, these pieces of technology will help to give your home a more modern look while reducing the carbon footprint that electric energy leaves on the earth.

2. Choose Lighting That is Energy-Efficient

When installing the lights in your home, you should choose energy-efficient bulbs. The best for this eco-friendly benefit are LED lights, and these offer the same brightness, if not more, than standard halogen options. These bulbs use significantly less energy, reducing your monthly electric bill even further and your carbon footprint. They also last much longer, meaning you do not have to spend more money changing them out as often. LED lights also do not get as hot, so there is a lower risk of your loved ones burning themselves.

3. Use Recyclable Building Materials

Talk to your home builders about using recyclable materials in certain portions of your home to reduce waste. You can use renewable wood, for instance, for the exterior of your home or any of the trims and the walls. Recyclable metals are also available to build a unique countertop or other surfaces in your house that no one else will have in the world. By utilizing these materials, you keep the trees alive, minimize the risk of fire, and save a significant amount of money on new products.

4. Look Into Energy-Efficient Appliances

Many appliances, including dishwashers, stoves, and washing machines, for instance, are energy-efficient now too! When selecting these products for your home, you only have to look for the gold-star label, and now, most of the time, the stickers will show the typical amount of energy utilized. Look for those appliances that use the least to reduce your carbon footprint and protect your home from potential hazards from overheated machines. You will receive the same quality, and the products may even operate better as they are more modern than those that do not have efficiency ratings.

5. Consider Alternative Water Sources

It is essential that on this planet you conserve water so that the natural resources continue to last well into the future. Homes use tens of gallons every single day through showers, washing dishes, and doing loads of laundry, among other tasks. You can conserve some of this water by considering alternative sources when building your home, ranging from rain barrels to greywater technologies made just for your house. Do not worry, as the rain barrels will filter the water naturally so that you can still have a toxin-free drink or source for all of your needs.

Final Thoughts

Since temperatures continue to rise and climates continue to change, it is more important than ever before to take steps that help the environment. One of the best ways is to consider an eco-friendly house when building by using recyclable materials and energy-efficient products. It is easy to go green just by installing a rain barrel or asking about solar panels as your primary power source, for instance. Whether you want to work with a contractor or take matters into your own hands, you can start implementing these eco-friendly steps into the design and build of your new house.

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