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Having a sustainable home is not a utopia. We are increasingly aware of the footprint we leave on the planet. And not only the footprint that people leave, but also the one left by our homes. We bring you some easy-to-follow tips so that you can reduce the environmental impact of your home.
Because the good life is also about respecting the environment.
Furniture that last forever
When it comes to having a sustainable home, even if you are a trendy person, furniture can be adapted and customized to serve you and meet your aesthetic requirements for many years. We love the combination of contemporary furniture with antique pieces such as doors, cabinets, headboards, lamps…
To give them a new look, you can use super sustainable materials such as cork and bamboo (known as vegetal steel) and ecological paint, made from plant substances that do not contain oil or synthetics and are biodegradable. Make sure it has the Ecolabel logo.
Keep in mind that, if you reuse pieces of furniture that you had forgotten about, you will have a unique and very personal home. Advantages all around!
Your garden at home
Every cloud has a silver lining, and the coronavirus crisis has encouraged local consumption and proximity trends. So much so, that some people have started to grow their own urban garden at home. Self-consumption ensures natural, cheaper and, above all, sustainable food.
Although at first it may seem very complicated, you can create an urban garden almost anywhere: at a small garden, a patio, a terrace, a balcony… even a window! At planethuerto.es they have a very practical manual that can help you out.
Speaking of greenery, we also love the idea of garden roofs -that is, roofs with plants- combined with solar panels. The good weather and the hours of sunshine we enjoy on the Spanish coast are perfect for taking advantage of solar energy. You will see how it reduces heat and helps you save energy. You can also go for a vertical garden, even inside your home.
Energy efficiency
For years, we have been hearing about how important it is to choose efficient appliances, but we still find it hard to understand what this actually means in terms of electricity bills. Always choose appliances that have an energy label which, as you know, classifies the performance according to seven letters, from A to G. At Sonneil we recommend that you never go below B. You should also choose low-energy bulbs for your lighting system. This is a must for your sustainable home!
The orientation of your home will also influence energy efficiency. It is best to take advantage of the maximum possible hours of sunshine by choosing a home facing south, southeast or southwest. And, if the thermal and acoustic insulation is adequate, you will also save on heating and air conditioning.
Other tips…
We can do much more than we think to make our home more sustainable:
- Faucet aerator. It sounds a bit weird, indeed, but it will be your water saving ally at home. Faucet aerators mix water with air and can reduce consumption by up to 50%.
- Smart house. Home automation systems can help us know how much energy our home is consuming and where that expense is coming from. Great, isn’t it? Having control over lighting, heating, electrical appliances… will help you avoid unnecessary expenses if, for example, you leave home and forget to turn off an appliance. Smart lighting systems are also highly recommended.
- Dual flush system. Cisterns with a dual flush system reduce water consumption by up to 50%.
- Recycling. It seems basic, but there are still some people that do not recycle. In this post we tell you how to recycle in Spain to make it even easier for you.
In short, there are many options to make your home as sustainable as possible not only for the good of the planet, but also for the good of your pocket. They are all advantages, so at Sonneil we hope that you will carry them out in your ideal home.
