For many people, creating the ultimate green home is a lifelong ambition. It’s not just about swapping out your light bulbs for LEDs or any other type. It goes beyond that. Many are looking to reimagine the circular economy, but on a domestic level.
Energy generation
Energy generation and management are core elements of a green home. They enable property owners to move towards net zero and make headway when it comes to CO2 emissions. Energy management is also becoming integrated into battery storage systems like Enphase and the Tesla Powerwall. These have smart energy monitors that detect which appliances are draining the system and help to optimise it without running the risk of losing parity when solar panels don’t operate.
Water conservation
Water conservation systems are also making their way onto properties. Historically, homeowners did this by installing low-flow faucets and showers, but technology is moving beyond this and allowing people to do much more with their existing resources.
For example, a lot of homes now recycle their graywater and divert it to sinks and showers, using it to flush toilets and water the garden. This type of water use allows existing water to go further and puts less pressure on ecosystems. Large-scale homes can also facilitate rainwater harvesting. Rainwater is particularly beneficial for the environment because it reduces the CO2 cost of moving water from one location to another. It can also enable smart drip irrigation to optimise soil moisture levels during the day for herb gardens.
High-performance heating and HVAC
High performance programmable heating systems are also becoming more accessible. These allow homeowners to properly manage their energy usage in their properties, automating tasks and making use of intelligent systems that can make better decisions throughout the day.
Air-source heat pumps are perhaps the most efficient energy systems available right now, able to draw heat from the ground and the air outside the home. Energy recovery ventilators are also being used indoors. They can change stale air to fresh outdoor air while recovering temperature, reducing the risk of energy loss.
Sometimes homeowners are looking for geothermally active areas of land where they can tap into the constant temperature of the Earth. Usually this varies between 50 and 60°F.
Conscious materials
Finally, the use of conscious materials is also important in the design of green homes. Many homeowners look for reclaimed or certified wood that has the FSC or Forest Stewardship Council stamp on it. This indicates that the wood has come from a sustainable source and the land has been managed properly.
Many properties also make use of low VOC paints or finishes. These are designed to prioritise indoor air quality and reduce the risk of asthma and allergies. They also remove the risk of volatile compounds being deposited into the environment when materials are disposed of.
Lastly, there is the development of EV charging stations within homes. These support more fossil fuel-free transportation and further reduce the energy footprint, CO2 footprint of green homeowners.
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