to 10 a small greener steps home
Aside from a fabric first approach, there are lots of ways self-builders can make a big impact on a home’s green credentials, as Tim Pullen explains...
When defining what we mean by ‘a greener home’ we need to take into consideration both energy consumption and the sustainability of the house itself. If we ignore the big things like the construction system and fabric first approaches, we’re still left with plenty to think about. Here we present some small steps that can be taken to make a very real and important difference.
1 LED LIGHTING
By now, this should be a given and barely worth mentioning. The low cost of LED lights, the tiny amount of energy they use, the variety of shapes available and light quality they offer means that there is no reason to install anything else. Manufacturers claim longevity for LEDS of 20,000 to 50,000 hours which, for a lamp that is used for four hours per day, gives a lifespan of 14 to 34 years. Install a good quality one today and you may never have to buy another.
2 RAINWATER GOODS
One of the simplest changes you can make is perhaps the least often considered: installing metal rainwater goods rather than PVC. Copper, zinc and cast iron are all good options, but avoid aluminium. Metal rainwater goods are slightly more expensive, but add value to a house, with none of the ecobaggage of PVC. They’re low maintenance and durable enough to potentially last the life of a house, after which they can be recycled as new rainwater goods. They look great, and simply by not being PVC they make a very visible statement that could help other people think about opportunities to be greener.
3 BOYCOTT THE NASTIES
You are unlikely to be wholly successful in avoiding problematic materials, but indicating to your architect or designer that you wish to try your best will at least keep their inclusion to a minimum. You should particularly be looking to avoid plastic and, perhaps less obviously, aluminium. Manufacturing aluminium is a complex process, as it does not occur naturally in a useable form and has to be separated from other compounds. The process uses huge amounts of energy; it is not uncommon for aluminium smelting plants to be built near power stations. As a consequence aluminium has a higher CO2 footprint than any of the alternative materials.
4 DESIGN IN A VEGETABLE GARDEN
…and by extension, a compost area. The point of the compost area is the circularity it brings. There will be waste and left overs and dealing with them properly provides a
“One of the simplest changes you can make is installing metal rainwater goods rather than PVC”
valuable resource. There are few things more satisfying than harvesting ripe fruit or vegetables and eating them. This will not only offer you a great pleasure in life, but will also improve the local wildlife and biodiversity (admittedly, with some species that are less welcome than others), provide education and interest for younger people and improve the sustainability of your home as a whole.
5 USE RECLAIMED MATERIALS
While reclaimed materials are often used in renovation projects, they’re often overlooked in a new build. They may not be ideal for structural elements, but there are plenty of places where they can make a valuable contribution. Used roof tiles, floorboards, skirtings, and reclaimed bricks as outer skins to timber frame walls can not only add character but also save on the embodied CO2 of new materials.
6 ECO-FRIENDLY FINISHES
The finishes are the most visible aspect of the home and can make the biggest statement about its green credentials. Avoid vinyl- and oil-based paints and paper and instead choose from water-soluble, plant oil and resinbased paints with mineral pigments or plant dyes. Sustainable wallpapers often include natural materials such as hessian, cotton and wool that are more pleasant to work with than the non-natural options.
7 CHANGE YOUR HABITS
Altering the way you interact with your home is the cheapest measure you can take, and perhaps the most impactful. The Energy Saving Trust suggests that we could reduce our electricity bill by 10% (and consequently cut back our CO2 emissions) by simply remembering to turn stuff off when we leave a room. Consider how you live in your home, including why, when and how you use energy and water, and whether there’s a better way to do it.
8 INVEST IN LOCALISED HEATING CONTROLS
It may be that you have already taken steps to minimise your home’s heating demand, but it’s worth considering any rooms in your home that you tend not to use every day. A heating control system that allows you to determine when, and to what temperature, each room is heated could further reduce energy consumption.
9 EMBRACE SOLAR ENERGY
The closure of the Feed-in Tariff scheme in 2019 and the Renewable Heat Incentive this year have skewed the financial picture making it difficult to justify solar thermal (for hot water) or PV (for electricity), on purely financial terms. But the current sky-rocketing energy prices means that both can make a good, useful contribution. Passive solar gain is simply a design function for every newbuild and should never be overlooked.
10 COLLECT RAINWATER
Water is fast becoming a precious resource and using less of it at an individual level leaves more of it available for food production, manufacturing and other people. Not only that, rainwater is the best possible option for the vegetable garden that you are, by now, planning.