Even though building or buying a green home is mostly beneficial for our planet, there are also numerous benefits such buildings offer to homeowners. They allow you to save money, they are very durable and they offer a better quality of life, and many other benefits you’ll find listed in this article. So, before you start building your new home or searching for a new home on the market, stop to consider investing in an eco-friendly home.
Water conservation
Besides energy saving, green homeowners can also benefit from water conservation. By building or buying homes with low-flow faucets, showerheads and toilets they can prevent water waste and put a few extra dollars in their pocket. Water can also be conserved by choosing the appropriate landscaping plants and collecting rainwater, but make sure to check your local laws before you build your system since rainwater harvesting is actually illegal in some countries.
Sustainable and recycled materials
Even though building or choosing a home made out of sustainable and eco-friendly materials has no direct benefits for homeowners, it affects us all indirectly. By choosing green, reused and recycled materials we reduce the environmental impact of our homes and help keep landfills empty. Also, the amount of energy that is consumed during the repurposing process is much lower than during the production process. All of this helps keep our environment less polluted, and the people in it healthier and happier.
Energy savings
Energy conservation is one of key elements and one of the biggest benefits of having a green home. Energy-saving strategies aren’t cheap to implement, but with them you can save quite a lot of money. For instance, by implementing some advanced insulation techniques and materials (like structural insulated panels) you can reduce your energy bill by almost 50% even though you might spend some extra money from the start. You can also choose to buy or build a home with energy-efficient lighting and appliances, or invest in renewable energy sources like solar or geothermal energy. Of course, when it comes to mounting energy-efficient lighting, it’s best to do what the Australians do. For example, future homeowners from Sydney always consult the best Sydney electrician before doing anything. All of these green improvements might cost you money, but they will certainly pay off in the long run. On the other hand, there are green building techniques that cost basically nothing. Before you start your building, you can check out passive design strategies that will cost you very little but that will save you a lot of money. The goal of the passive design is to reduce the consumption of energy from non-sustainable sources without compromising the comfort. Elements like building size, shape, orientation and composition can all affect the passive design and reduce the building’s energy requirements.
Safe and healthy indoors
A sick building syndrome is affecting many people who spend a lot of time indoors. It is believed to be caused by toxic building materials and paint, inappropriate ventilation, odours and biological organisms that are found in most of the non-eco-friendly buildings. The indoor air quality in these buildings is usually two to five times worse than outdoor air. However, green buildings contain as few of these toxic elements as possible which reduces the risk of a sick building syndrome.
Availability
A green home is just as durable - if not even more durable - as any traditional home, but, unfortunately, not many people know that. Owning a green home means that you can save money on repairs, updates and maintenance in the long run. Durability is especially important in areas with extreme temperatures like Australia, but the number of green homes there is still low, so many homeowners in the Land Down Under opt for contacting an experienced buyer’s agent to help them find a home that’s sustainable and affordable at the same time if they can’t build a house themselves.
Higher market value
Today, green homes have a higher market value than their non-green counterparts. The reason buyers opt for homes with a sustainable design is that they know their utility bills and maintenance costs will be lower and they can even get some tax benefits. That’s why green homes tend to cost more.
Opportunity for tax benefits
To encourage building and buying of green homes, some federal governments offer great tax benefits for green homeowners. Also, some state and local governments also have benefits for people who buy energy-efficient appliances and make green home improvements like opting for Energy Star windows and doors, efficient heating and cooling, green roofing and insulation.
As you can see, homeowners can benefit a lot from building and buying green homes. If they decide to go green they will have more durable, energy-efficient, water-conserving, and generally healthier and more beautiful homes. Plus, they will help our struggling environment and leave a better future for their kids and grandkids.