At the dawn of human civilization, all residential setups were quite green or eco friendly beyond doubt. From the days of living in caves and forests to earlier days of civilization, human beings lived in close proximity with nature. However, with advancements in fields of technology and science, humans have become detached from natural way of living in several ways. The dependence on technology and machines have increased so much that pollution and health hazards have become major threats for human sustenance. It has led to the phenomenon commonly called global warming. To counter the ill effects of relying excessively on technology, amenities and modern life, a trend has caught up among urban people to revert to eco friendly ways of living.
There are many ways to make your home greener. It does not necessarily mean you have to ditch your plush apartment in a metropolis and start living in a tent amidst forest! With a little research, planning and thoughtful changes in your home, you can turn your home and lifestyle greener than what it is.
Zero Carbon Residential Setups and Green Homes
These are the two terms that environmentally conscious people use a lot nowadays. However, you should know that a green housing setup is not necessarily zero carbon home. The latter denotes a housing setup where the energy that is produced is consumed totally, without leaving any excess. The dwellers of such houses do not use any form of fossil fuel either. Hence, they do not generate or emit harmful greenhouse gases as such. In nations like the UK, the government norms have become stricter on compliance with green norms. Denmark is another country where green residential setups are coming up fast. To make suitable carbon neutral homes, builders need to deploy green building techniques. Insulated and thick concrete usage and rooftop solar panels setup are used in such homes.
Using Solar Power to the Maximum
There was a time solar power deployment was limited to sporadic energy generation or at best, swimming pool heating purposes. However, you can find many household setups are equipped with solar panels for partial or full energy generation for consumption all over the year. Initially, cost of setup was a big deterrent for mass embracement of solar power generation. With falling cost and advancements in this technology more homeowners are opting for solar power generation at home. Apart from using solar panels on your roof, you may also think of using solar power driven appliances.
Power Saving Appliances
Even if you are more comfortable with using appliances that are driven by fossil fuel based energy, you can still save on consumption. Exchange your old refrigerator or heater that consumes more energy and bring home energy efficient devices. There are intelligent devices that cut down on power consumption when possible like inverter technology air conditioning units and refrigerators that alert users when beverages or food stock reaches below a level.
Use Water Just as much as you need
Even if you live in an area where water availability is not an issue, you must try to eliminate water wastage and try reusing water in every possible way. In many homes, rainwater collection system is used and the collected water can be used for keeping plants alive. This water may not be worth drinking but you can wash stuffs and dishes with it for sure.
Green Flooring Options
There are of course other ways to live a greener and healthier life. Using floors made of bamboo is one such example. Other green materials include cork and recycled wood. You may also opt for stone flooring though the initial cost is higher.
The author of this article is associated with iBuild2.