How to be More Sustainable When Renovating Your Home

With sustainability being on the tip of everyone’s tongue, people are thinking about how they can integrate it into different parts of their lifestyles. This has been a global trend and Deloitte’s findings indicate that consumers in the UK are embracing different areas of sustainability more than they have been in previous years. From food to fashion, transport to cleaning hacks, sustainability can be considered in most scenarios – but what about your housing renovation plans?

There are now lots more options you can consider to make the process less damaging to the planet. Some house renovations can be costly, with some opting to boost their credit score throughout the process. Here are a few examples.

• Insulating your home: We’ve all experienced wintertime amidst soaring energy bills, showing just how valuable insulation can be. If your home is well-insulated, this means you’ll save money on your bills and simultaneously reduce your carbon footprint.
• Buying reclaimed furniture: The rise of second-hand shopping means more people are comfortable with opting for preloved over brand-new pieces. By taking part in the circular economy and buying second-hand furnishings, you’ll reduce the amount of new materials used and emissions created.
• Install water-saving products: Whether it’s a tap aerator or a regulated showerhead, water-saving devices will reduce your water usage and relieve your bills. Particularly handy if you live with several others, they can be a great choice when renovating your home. Both your kitchen and bathroom can benefit from these simple switches.
• Swap your light bulbs for LEDs: LED lights are less energy intensive compared to standard lightbulbs. When planning out the electrics in your home renovation, consider making this swap to not only reduce your energy consumption, but also reduce your bills.
• Using eco-friendly paint: Eco-friendly paint is non-toxic and doesn’t contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Instead, they contain organic materials, from milk proteins to citrus. They won’t have the same level of odour and the manufacturing process itself is less intensive on the environment.
• Install sun tunnels and solar panels: Sun tunnels leverage natural light and direct it down into the room below so that it becomes naturally lit. On top of this, solar panels are a great way to make the most of sunny days and tap into the renewable energy shift. There are grants available, so check whether you are eligible.
• Get a heat pump: Another form of renewable energy, heat pumps generate heating and hot water for your home by extracting thermal energy from the air, ground or local water source.
• Install a green roof: If you want to add something unique to your home, while also encouraging biodiversity to thrive, you could consider a green roof (otherwise known as a ‘living roof’). This means your roof will be covered in plants and vegetation to attract local wildlife and help it thrive.
• Add tall and slimline radiators: Tall and slimline radiators can be a great addition to your home renovation project, providing a minimalist look with sleek lines and enhancing the overall design of your living space.