8 Factors How Home Building Impacts Our Environment

More homeowners are electing to build their own homes instead of buying established properties. There are several reasons for this. Some people want to be in charge of the design and construction. They want the final say on what their house. New homes also tend to be less expensive in terms on maintenance costs. There’s no need to worry about renovation for a while. Many new homes are being built in newer neighborhoods that are relatively safe and free from crime.

If you are considering building or renovating a home but don’t know where to start, there are plenty of companies that can help you. Go online to find out information. You can find out about building timelines, get estimates, and view past successful projects. You can also search for local commercial contractors in your area. New homes can also be healthy for the environment. Here are 8 important factors to prove that home building can improve the environment:

1. Reduced reliance on shared resources

As our global population continues to grow, more and more strain is being put on our natural resources every year. There is only so much to go around, despite the best efforts to replenish what we’ve used. We tend to use more resources than we replace every year. If this trend continues, it won’t be long until most resources are completely exhausted.

Using building materials and techniques that are energy efficient and use less of our existing resources helps put less strain on these resources. It also ensures the longevity of natural resources for years to come.

2. Efficient materials

When most homes are built, the end results usually wind up having a lot of extra materials laying around. Glass, wood, concrete, bricks and asbestos tiles are some of the materials that are often left over after a renovation or demolition. Some of these materials are damaged or small to be effectively re-used. Other products are too harmful for people or the environment to ever be used again. They end up taking space in local landfills, which consume more space as they sit there for decades.

Companies nowadays are looking to use processes and materials that are more efficient. They want to create less waste. They also want to have materials that are less hazardous to humans and the environment in general. They take the time to design green homes, so that only the required materials are used and there are little to no extras afterwards. There are also no wasted materials that can’t be used elsewhere.

Certain firms try to use recycled or reprocessed materials whenever possible instead of having to create new materials from scratch. You can find out more about what different companies’ practices are regarding new and recycled materials on our website.

3. Lower operation costs

Most modern buildings are designed in ways that are energy efficient. This tends to reduce homeowners energy costs in the long run. Maintenance costs can be over half the lifetime costs of a home or more.

More and more homes are being built with good natural lighting that saves their home owners hundreds or even thousands of dollars on their electricity bills over their lifetimes. Efficient buildings generally are cheaper to operate and maintain over time.

4. Better indoor air quality

New homes are often constructed with air quality in mind. Better and more air efficient flow is the goal of many new heating and cooling systems. There are systems that can be controlled room by room, so only rooms that are currently used are being served at one time.

This is not only a significant cost saving for homeowners, but can help provide better indoor air quality for all of a home’s residents.

5. Overall energy efficiency

Blueprints are often drafted for new housing that increase a home’s energy efficiency. Using more natural lighting and solar panels can reduce dependency on artificial light. They also encourage more efficient ways to use energy in the home.

Non-renewable energy sources are not only expensive, but they can also harm the environment over time. Finding natural ways to warm and heat homes are great for saving money and providing a cleaner eco footprint.

6. Efficient use of water resources

Older homes sometimes have design flaws and problems that can waste large amounts of water. Newer homes take into account the fact that our water resources are limited in certain areas. Buildings in general consume trillions of gallons of water every year.

That is why ideas like using recycled rainwater and installing energy efficient plumbing solutions are key factors in many new homes’ construction. This allows the homeowners to only use the water they need, and not waste as much. It’s a saving for the homeowner that also helps preserve and recycle existing resources.

7. Better personal health

More and more construction companies and remodelers have been using environmentally friendly building materials. They are getting rid of products that have been known to cause cancer, asthma, allergies and other potentially toxic health conditions.

The end result is that homeowners and their families are healthier in these newer homes. It reduces stress and medical costs and improves their overall quality of life.

8. Healthier for our environment

Using eco-friendly products are also good for our environment as a whole. Reducing emissions from coal, wood and other pollutants can help improve our outdoor air quality. It also helps lessen the effects and slow the pace of climate change.

Parting Shot

It is very possible for us to use current resources and materials in creating homes that are actually very beneficial for the environment. Many companies and manufacturers are thinking of their products’ long-term effects on individuals and the environment, and are designing safer products with those considerations in mind. They create building materials that give off fewer carbon dioxide emissions.

Instead of ending up in dumps or landfills, a lot of construction waste can be reused or recycled for other uses. It also takes less time and energy to transport these materials to be reused or recycled. All of these efforts help make our world a much safer place to live and work every day.

Salman Zafar

Salman Zafar is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of EcoMENA. He is a consultant, ecopreneur and journalist with expertise across in waste management, renewable energy, environment protection and sustainable development. Salman has successfully accomplished a wide range of projects in the areas of biomass energy, biogas, waste-to-energy, recycling and waste management. He has participated in numerous conferences and workshops as chairman, session chair, keynote speaker and panelist. He is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management and environmental sustainability across the globe Salman Zafar can be reached at salman@ecomena.org

See Full Bio