Green Renovation: 5 Important Aspects To Consider

So you’ve decided to turn over a new leaf for your new renovation project, going green! Congratulations! You’re doing it on point because green renovation is an ideal opportunity to make your house more efficient and sustainable.

From the design through to the construction, opportunities exist to reduce your environmental footprint and craft a sustainable living. These changes can range from short-term aspects (e.g. safely managing and recycling building waste) to long-term improvements in the energy efficiency of your home.

Once you’ve made the conscious decision to renovate a green and sustainable home, there are a few aspects throughout the project that you might need to pay attention to. Do you know what are they? Read on and find out!

1. Set Your Budget

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The primary concern for most homeowners when it comes to renovation is the minimum budget required and that whether doing it green will increase the cost of the project or not. We are not going to lie to you and say it’s cheap because the initial cost can sometimes be very intimidating.

However, do bear in mind that it is only expensive in the beginning only, along the way and moving into the future, you’ll eventually save more of your hard-earned cash. Actual costs depend on the kind of renovation work you are having done, and the range of green features you choose to incorporate into your renovation project.

Therefore, before getting started, be realistic of your availability and budget. We recommend to you to set a budget you can meet and stick to it. This ensures you know tentatively how much you will have to fork out, as well as the quality of the service and product you will be paying for.

And if you wish to increase the market value of your home for investment purposes, make sure that you're paying for excellent workmanship and quality materials. This will help your green renovation project to be smooth sailing.

If your renovation plans go beyond your budget, talk with your renovation specialists about alternatives and options, including breaking your project into several phases to spread the costs over a longer period.

2. Find A Trusted Contractor

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A fundamental step in planning for your green living and sustainable home is to find a contractor to design your home. Find one that has the same green living goals as you do. If they do not have the same interests as you do, they may not operate on the same level as your eco-friendly building plans.

As you may be spoilt for options in the market, many contractors openly advertise themselves as green contractors. You will have to research carefully each contractor. Ask questions regarding their practices, ideals, etc. Gather as much information as you can. The information you received will indicate if the contractor is a good match.

Once you have chosen a green contractor, liaise with the company to help you choose the materials to build your green home. Take into account the interior design, material choices, and home durability. Each aspect contributes to your final green living home, and ultimately, your long-term budget.

3. Use Energy-Efficient Appliances

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One of the best ways to do green renovation is to replace old and inefficient appliances with new and economical ones that are Energy Star-certified. By EPA’s definition, Energy Star is a voluntary program which provides certification to buildings and consumer products which meet certain standards of energy efficiency.

Having an eco-friendly home can change the quality of life for you and your family in many significant ways. Thanks to Energy Star, new home appliance models have been invented to account for performance and reliability. Ultimately, they help to save money and protect the environment through superior energy efficiency.

4. Select Eco-Friendly Products

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Knowing what you purchase for your green renovation is arguably the most challenging aspect. In this case, homeowners should always look for environmentally, sustainable friendly products. They should also understand the lifespan of the materials and their potential impact on health as well as the environment. These concepts are essential to help create a sustainable home.

All sustainable products are not equally created. Always read the label carefully, as ‘natural’ and organic’ products, sometimes, may only contain a small percentage of natural ingredients. Like Energy Star, there are certifications that indicate a level of sustainability, such as the Greenguard certification. This will help optimize the indoor air quality of your home. Also try to avoid building materials that leak toxic chemicals into the air such as particular paints and glues.  

Homeowners should also avoid volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as they pose long-term health problems. In general, natural home products are more durable and effective than man-made products. For instance, a wool rug will outlive a synthetic rug by about 45 years. In the same manner, natural linoleum lasts twice as long as vinyl flooring. Granite is one of the most popular countertop materials since it can last for a lifetime.

5. Go Minimalist

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Until fairly recently, the idea of green living has had a radical, revolutionary tinge to it. While it’s certainly proven to be revolutionary, the effect of green living movement are so far-reaching that it’s become a standard for homeowners looking for new ways to pursue sustainable living.

To make it possible, one of those new ways that is highly sought after in recent times is minimalist interior design. Indeed, rather than adapting an overly large and inefficient space, homeowners today prefer to make the most of their available square footage. In many ways, minimalism equates to being eco-friendly because it simply involves a great deal of common sense and creativity in home renovations that one would consider “green”. At the end of the day, homeowners can’t go wrong as long as they stick to the mantra of doing more with less.  

All in all, by embarking on a renovation journey, you have already made a green choice. While it is a personal decision for the most part, a growing number of people has gradually put a premium on “living green”, and simply want their home to be healthier to live in and have less environmental impact.

To reiterate, renovating your home with sustainability in mind will contribute to a positive impact on the world’s energy consumption and certainly save your expense in the long run. We hope you now have some good, eco-friendly ideas to help you make the right decision for your health and well-being after reading this article.

So which small changes will you make today? Cheers to green living!