HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOME MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

Published on : 26 July 20216 min reading time

An ecological house is, by nature, a house that respects the environment through its construction and operation. It uses natural and healthy materials and above all, it saves a lot of energy.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOUSE MORE ECOLOGICAL?

Here are some useful suggestions to make our house more efficient and at the same time more ecological, for the well-being of the whole family.

Eco-sustainability is one of the most felt needs, in this historical moment when we learn to understand how important it is to take care of our planet.

And when we say that each of us can do our part, it means that even in our daily lives, we can make choices that are environmentally friendly and also globally important.

Starting with the choices we make for our home: from the use of certain materials to the management of consumption, to small daily habits, our home can become green in every way.

In this article, we will discover together how to have a more ecological house, with some small advice.

BUILDING MATERIALS: ECOLOGICAL BUILDING MATERIALS

Especially in large cities, we are now accustomed to think of our homes as buildings built in brick or clay, but it is important to remember that even in the choice of building materials, we have the opportunity to use ecological construction.

This term refers to the use of absolutely ecological and sustainable materials, primarily wood.

The latter has an excellent performance as an element of the load-bearing structure, but it is also possible to use inside the house green materials, such as cork panels, cellulose wool or vegetable fibers, which among the many properties also have an excellent performance in the aspect of thermal insulation.

RENEWABLE SOURCES: CLEAN AND AFFORDABLE ENERGY

While bio-construction materials can help us retain heat inside our homes and thus limit our heating consumption, there are systems that can provide us with this energy in an absolutely eco-sustainable way.

These are all technologies that use clean renewable energy sources to provide us with electricity and heat.

A photovoltaic system, for example, uses solar energy to bring electricity to our homes at no cost, which is ideal for powering the lighting system and all household appliances.

PHOTOVOLTAIC WITH STORAGE SYSTEM

Generally, such an installation means that the electricity produced must be consumed at the same time it is produced. But there is a solution to overcome this small limitation.

In fact, by equipping this plant with a storage system (these are simple accumulator batteries), you will be able to store the surplus electricity produced for later use, even when the sun is not shining: for example, in the evening or during rainy periods.

SOLAR THERMAL SYSTEM AND HEAT PUMPS

Another important choice, in this sense, is represented by a solar thermal system, able to supply our house with hot water in a constant and absolutely ecological way.

And the list could continue, for example, with heat pumps, which use clean sources such as air or heat naturally present in the basement to provide us with a pleasant temperature inside our home at any time of the year.

INCENTIVES FOR RENEWABLE SOURCES

It is true that all the installations described so far involve a significant initial investment, but it should be considered that, on the one hand, the initial expense is amortized in a short time thanks to significant savings in consumption and, on the other hand, it is possible to take advantage of practical incentives offered by the public authorities.

For example, the purchase and installation costs of a photovoltaic system can be recovered up to 50%, thanks to the tax deduction system provided by the “renovation premium”. And this same incentive also covers half of the expenses related to photovoltaic storage systems.

THERMAL INSULATION FRAMES

The choice of door and window frames is equally important: models with thermal break, for example, can limit heat loss and keep our home sufficiently insulated from changes in external temperature.

Among other things, the purchase of insulating frames is also subject to incentives and tax benefits from the state, which makes their installation even more convenient.

GREEN LIGHTING WITH LOW CONSUMPTION LAMPS

Respect for the environment also manifests itself in the choice of consumables that we make at home.

For example, it has been proven that energy-saving LED bulbs are by far the most efficient and environmentally friendly choice for home lighting.

These bulbs provide perfect lighting and, at a slightly higher price compared to past technologies, they guarantee a much longer life, thus also reducing the creation of technological waste.

WASTE MANAGEMENT AND SEPARATE COLLECTION

And household waste management is another important aspect to make our house more ecological and really have a green house.

Separate collection is now an essential practice for every family. A very practical choice is to install in a corner of the house a series of baskets to properly distribute, from the start, organic waste, plastic, glass, paper and small technological waste (batteries, light bulbs to replace).

And don’t forget to take the most bulky technological waste (WEEE) to the appropriate green islands in the city (e.g. old cell phones, televisions, refrigerators, computers, printers)

THE BENEFITS OF COMPOSTING

For organic waste, however, a choice that combines economy and respect for the environment is to practice composting: a simple wooden box is enough to fill a little soil and waste such as nutshells, dried fruit, eggshells, leaves and vegetable stems.

In this way, we will create a very fertile area of land, ideal for use as a fertilized vegetable garden.

In addition, the practice of composting is often subsidized by local authorities, which provide citizens with composters to keep on the terrace, balcony or yard.

RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT STARTS WITH SMALL DAILY HABITS

Finally, it is important to remember that respect for the environment and the well-being of the whole family also starts with our daily habits.

No waste, therefore, starting with water consumption. In this sense, it is advisable to choose taps and shower heads that limit the flow of water, and it is essential to pay attention every day to the amount of water we use to wash dishes or take a shower.

The household appliances, in this sense, should also be used only at full load, to limit the consumption of electricity and waste of water.