With a lot of residential construction going on & showing no real signs of abating, it’s worthwhile discussing this. There is an element of building that Government bodies & the public alike are embracing, in both new & renovated homes. That being, how to make your home more environmentally friendly? It basically comes down to ‘’energy’’ use . The Department of Environment breaks down the usage within the home as follows:-
Cooling / Heating 40%
Electrical appliances 33%
Hot water 21%
Lighting 6%
So in looking at the above here’s some trigger tips to make the home more environmentally friendly:-
Design
Using thermal mass to store the suns heat for night time warmth
Locating window & door openings correctly for ventilation & heating / cooling
Sealing up openings that create draughts
Using plants & awnings as appropriate screening
Electricity
Using intelligent / master power boards to cut mains power supply rather than having appliances on standby mode can save up to 10% on annual electricity bills. New homes can have master switches installed into power systems.
Be careful when purchasing appliances , looking at energy star rating levels
Hot Water
Consider the various options of solar , electricity, heat pumps, natural gas etc.
Photovoltaic (solar) panels explore the use of a home battery system which can store solar generated power.
Water
Consider installation of rainwater tanks & grey water recycling
Diversion switches can be installed to send ‘’grey’’ water from sinks & showers to use on gardens & lawns , resulting in significant savings in water usage . Some figures touted at 30% plus .
Rainwater tanks can be plumbed in to supply to laundry & toilet cisterns (see - http://tankulator.ata.org.au)
Garden
Planting native plants , reducing water requirements & attracts wild life
Indoor plants can remove toxicity inside the home built up through use of benzene , formaldehyde & other such toxic chemical agents.
Growing herbs & vegetables in window boxes etc , which can have similar effects to point (2) above.
Building Materials
Choose sustainable insulation materials, essential to an energy efficient home.
Solar coating materials using the photovoltaic technology (see – www.ecospecifier.com.au)
Finally for more info on green rebates go to www.yourenergysavings.gov.au/rebates
Happy building!