Lowering your energy bill and increasing the value of your Chicago home sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Then, you should consider green remodeling!
Green remodeling, also known as green renovation, involves using sustainably sourced building materials, post-industrial or post-consumer recycled materials, or resource-efficient products for your home remodeling project. The goal is to reduce energy consumption, maintenance and replacement needs, and overall carbon footprint.
Are you ready for green remodeling? Don’t know where to start? Here are some excellent green remodeling ideas to get the ball rolling!
Use Glass or Compressed Paper Countertops
Many Chicago homeowners go for granite or quartz countertops for their kitchen remodel. Unfortunately, these individuals are often unaware that compressed paper or recycled glass surfaces are more eco-friendly. Instead of exploiting natural resources, you’ll be using already recycled materials, such as paper or glass.
Invest in Energy Efficient Appliances
The initial cost of energy-efficient appliances can be high, but these items will save you more money on energy costs in the long run. Some utility companies even offer rebates for replacing older appliances with energy-efficient ones, and the company will even collect your old appliances.
Use Passive Design
You don’t need to have solar panels to harness energy from the sun. Instead, you can use passive solar design to enhance your home’s efficiency. This technique involves capitalizing on the sun’s natural rays for heating and cooling your home.
According to the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme, incorporating passive solar design into home renovation projects increases the home’s energy efficiency while keeping the costs low. For example, you can use thick concrete, brick, or plaster walls that soak up the sun’s rays during the day and release them at night when the temperatures drop.
Invest in Smart Thermostats
Smart home technologies qualify as “green” if they improve a home’s energy efficiency. For example, highly programmable thermostats are among the most popular smart home products in Chicago. You can program these high-tech thermostats to regulate heating and cooling processes depending on the time of day and whether someone is home or not. As a result, these thermostats significantly improve energy savings, reducing your heating and cooling bills.
Use High-Quality Insulation
The better your home is insulated, the safer it is from extreme elements. Your living space will remain warmer during the winter so that you can keep the thermostat at a lower setting. Likewise, your home will stay cooler in the hot summer months.
Use Low VOC Paints
Low VOC paints are environmentally friendly and healthier for your loved ones. These paints have low levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). These low-level toxic emissions often leach out in the air, causing symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, and respiratory problems.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the effects of VOCs are 2-5 times higher indoors than outdoors. If you are stripping paint during a home remodeling project, research shows that this number can rise to up to 1,000 times higher.
You can use low VOC paints to reduce pollution and improve indoor air quality during home building or renovation.
Conclusion
These green building ideas are excellent for your home and beneficial for the environment. Get in touch with our certified home improvers for professional home remodeling services. We look forward to hearing from you!