Today the word “sustainable” has very wide use. It is some kind of trend to have a sustainable house, to use sustainable materials when building a new home and care about sustainability. So far, the real definition of the work and the meaning may be lost. To sustain, in fact, means to make something last long and serve to future generations. So, environmental benefits are the most important factor to build sustainably. Generally, green building or sustainable design means to try to increase efficiency. If your new home is energy-efficient, you use less energy, less water, and fewer materials when building it, your house is more likely to be sustainable. This way you also reduce your building impacts on nature, environment and human health. Doesn’t this seem enough important to you? Sure, it does! Well, let’s go deeper and see all in details –  why we should build sustainable and/or upgrade our current homes to become more energy-efficient. Here are some main benefits and reasons we should go for sustainability.

Environmental, economic and social benefits

As we’ve mentioned above, environmental issues are very important here. By building a green home we protect the ecosystem, reduce energy and water waste, we do not impact on natural resources, thus helping them restore. It’s so important to understand how useful wind and sun energy can be and how we can use rainwater. This is the best way to save irrecoverable resources. Coming to economic benefits, I’d like to mention operating costs first of all. Sustainability lets us reduce those costs. We also have chances to improve occupant productivity and optimize life-cycle economic performance. And, at last, green building has social benefits, such as better quality for indoor air and overall quality of life. By means of adding green features to our homes and building sustainable houses, we get all the mentioned benefits ourselves and invest in our children’s and grandchildren’s future. Even if we don’t think about nature and the environment, we should definitely think about our families and future generations. All this has led to some fundamental changes in high schools and architecture. Students now are taught sustainable design as a separate course at schools of architecture. And it’s really hard today to propose design and architecture services if you do not consider green and smart features.

Here are some more reasons we should build sustainably:

Last a lifetime

Remember the definition of sustainable homes? The main idea is to use sustainable materials and make them last longer and save on maintenance costs. This also helps to have less up-keep. Solar panels, bamboo flooring, metal roofing, natural wool carpets are some of the sustainable materials we should think about when building and/or remodeling our homes. Today making our world a bit greener is a must for all of us.

More money in your pocket

Building a green home means a bit more expensive material at the beginning, but more saved money during the next years. As we’ve mentioned above, you save on operating costs, due to such green feature as extra insulation, smart water heaters, lighting fixtures, and smart appliances and use of natural light. Besides, for many green buildings, you save money on construction costs up-front.

Healthy and comfortable homes

Let’s talk about better indoor air and other benefits in details. First, let’s admit green homes are healthier and more comfortable. This means fewer odors and toxins. Compare flooring with toxic glue and laminates that do not need that glue. What about synthetic and natural carpeting? There is no second opinion here. Besides, green homes consider smart ventilation systems instead of mechanical ones, which help to improve indoor air quality. This is so important especially if you or one of your family members is sensitive to allergens.

Energy-efficiency

Actually, you don’t have to be an expert to understand how green home concept works.  You just need to choose eco-friendly materials and methods to use them. This refers to heating, cooling and insulating. Make sure to use solar panels and energy stared products for your new home as well as for your current house if you’re just remodeling it.

Read also: 12 awesome tips to save energy during fall and winter

Local products

This may sound a bit surprising, but buying local materials is really very important. By buying locally-made materials you save money first of all in their cost, as you do not have to pay for global shipping and you help local businesses grow and keep your money in the locale. It feels good for both your pocket and your country.

Wood is good

When talking about green buildings we can’t forget about wood as a building material. Sure, this is not about destructive clear-cuts. You should be sure the wood you’re buying is reclaimed from old buildings. Recycling is an important component of sustainability. The more products are reused, the better it is for our environment. Wood products as bamboo and cork are the best sustainable materials and they are eco-friendly as well.

Resale value

Money is really the best motivation for us, isn’t it? )) Think about your home’s value. Green features dramatically add value to your home and improve its resale speed. Specialists mention that sustainable homes sell for 8% more money on average. You can even have a certificate for your green home.  In the end, just remember how much you save with your energy-efficient home and how you could benefit due to the healthy home. So, health efficiency is on the top of your list when talking about reasons why you should have a green-built home.

Read also: Smart Technologies That Improve Home Value

By: Hermine Aslanyan

Additional Resources: 

The Smart Home Features That Are Really Taking Off via Erika Lewis / Realtor .com

How Has Smart Home Technology Impacted Real Estate? by Kyle Hiscock

The top 8 ways to create a sustainable home via EnergyAustralia

Green Home Improvements by Anita Clark

Green Home Improvements to Combat California’s Drought via The Hunter Group Real Estate