Eco-friendly lifestyles are gaining popularity because of climate change, increasing costs, and a global movement to protect the environment. Alberta is leading change in renewable energy, but the rise in eco-friendly homes is another promising development.
Green construction, also known as sustainable or eco-friendly building, involves reducing environmental impact by incorporating renewable energy and lowering carbon emissions.
An eco-friendly home offers environmental, financial, and social benefits to you, your family, your community, and beyond. Let’s take a closer look at 5 noble reasons to build an eco-friendly home.
1. Reduce Environmental Impact
An eco-friendly home is built to reduce environmental impact in various ways. In addition to using materials designed for sustainability and implementing building processes to reduce waste, an eco-friendly home reduces our carbon footprint by facilitating green living.
Thoughtful incorporation of environmentally friendly components into your home enables you to do your part without extra effort or sacrifice. Seemingly insignificant changes can make big steps toward a lifestyle that’s better for the environment. For example:
● LED light bulbs,
● Programmable thermostats,
● Closed foam insulation,
● Sealed attic spaces,
● Low emissivity windows, and
● Efficient water fixtures
Features like these not only benefit the environment but also benefit you and your family, too.
Solar panels are a significant difference between a traditional home and an eco-friendly one. Using solar energy allows your home to be self-sufficient instead of relying on sources of energy that negatively impact the environment.
2. Save Money
Do you think an eco-friendly home costs more money? That’s a common misconception. In fact, an eco-friendly home can reduce your living expenses, saving you money while you protect the environment.
Rising energy costs are a good motivator for exploring alternative energy sources. High efficiency fixtures, more efficient insulation, energy-efficient appliances, improved air sealing, high performance windows, solar energy, and strategic lighting all work together to make your home comfortable in all weather and require less energy usage.
Some of these eco-friendly features require additional cost at the beginning, but over time, what you save in energy and utility costs will more than compensate for that initial investment.
But reduced energy costs are only part of your financial savings. An eco-friendly home is designed to last. Eco-friendly home builders choose materials intentionally to reduce waste. Instead of using materials that demand regular replacement or maintenance, an eco-friendly home is constructed with long-lasting alternatives. This saves you time and money that’s usually spent on repairs or renovations.
3. Protect Your Health
The environment in which you live affects your physical and mental health. This means that your home is a contributing factor to the health of your body and mind. This is because of two key factors:
Air quality, and
Light.
Air Quality
The air quality in your home largely depends on the materials used to build your home. Traditional building materials contain carcinogens, irritants, and toxins that can cause air pollution. They also tend to encourage moisture buildup, which leads to mold and mildew (which are both harmful to your health).
An eco-friendly home uses fewer traditional building materials, relying instead on moisture-resistant products and materials with fewer plastic by-products.
Better air circulation and improved thermal sealing make eco-friendly homes ideal for individuals who suffer from allergies. But everyone can benefit from living in a house with better air quality.
Natural Light
Especially for Canadians, getting enough vitamin D can be a challenge. “Low vitamin D status has been associated with an increased risk of type 1 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, cognitive decline, depression, pregnancy complications, autoimmunity, allergy, and even frailty,” according to the Mayo Clinic.
The good news is that we can get it directly from sunlight, even through the windows of our homes.
Bigger windows and more strategic natural lighting improve your quality of life by maintaining comfortable temperatures and providing you with the best source of Vitamin D you can get. This is a key factor in mental wellness and reducing stress.
4. Increase Property Value
The value of your property is increased with an eco-friendly home. Even if your home doesn’t have third party green certification, sustainable and energy-efficient features are still desirable qualities for home buyers. The durability of sustainable homes adds value, too. Take a look at the data:
● 68% of home buyers want an environmentally friendly home.
● 49% of home buyers are willing to pay up to $9,999 extra on a home with eco-friendly features.
● 37% of home buyers are willing to pay $10,000 extra or more for a home with eco-friendly features.
The trends show that eco-friendly homes sell faster and for more money than their traditional counterparts.
5. Improve Your Quality of Life
An eco-friendly home is a healthy investment that benefits you, your bank account, and the environment.
● Reduce outside noise with better insulation and high quality windows.
● Enjoy better views with bigger windows and more natural light.
● Protect the environment and adopt a healthier lifestyle. Eco-friendly homes are usually built in neighborhoods that promote walking, biking, or public transit to reduce carbon emissions.
● Save money on energy costs and home repairs.
● Reduce respiratory and immune system distress with improved air quality and ventilation.
All of these benefits plus the knowledge that you’re doing your part to create a more sustainable future lead to healthier, happier lives for eco-friendly home owners.
You Can Build an Eco-Friendly Home Today!
Whether you’re looking for an investment property to rent out or resell, or you’re planning to build a new home for your own family, an eco-friendly home is an obvious choice.
Are you ready to build an eco-friendly home and enjoy the benefits?
Reduce environmental impact.
Save money.
Protect your health.
Increase property value.
Improve your quality of life.
Melcom Homes is your eco-friendly home builder for Calgary, Airdrie, and surrounding areas. We build sustainable homes that look great and last forever. Contact us today to learn more about how you can build an eco-friendly home.