Add eco-friendly style around the home
New-home buyers in California can take comfort in the fact that builders do most of the work when it comes to eco-friendly construction and energy efficiency. That’s because any California home built in 2020 or later follows California’s green building guidelines in the state’s Building Code.
At the very minimum, new construction homes include solar installations and building specifications and energy-efficient appliances aimed at reaching net-zero energy use. Low-emissivity windows, for instance, greatly reduce the amount of air that can move between inside and outside, which moderates indoor temperature use, reducing the workload of HVAC systems.
Most builders also use radiant-barrier insulation on exterior walls and the roof plus an extra layer of roofing underlayment. Depending on the home plan, many builders will also incorporate multizone heating and airconditioning systems.
Now comes the fun part: Buyers can incorporate eco-friendly design to get even more out of their energy-efficient, newhome features.
Doing so involves informed decisionmaking that opens up design and decorating options buyers may not have imagined. Sustainability can factor into decisions on everything from flooring and cabinetry to fabrics and materials used in furnishings and home accessories.
Bamboo, for starters, is one of the most versatile of renewable resources. A fast-growing grass that requires little water, pesticides or fertilizers, it is used to manufacture everything from cabinets and furniture to clothing, bedding and accessories.
Ask the builder’s design center if bamboo is available for cabinets and floors. When choosing items such as shower curtains, window coverings and tablecloths, look into fabrics made of bamboo viscose, which is soft and breathable.
Furniture and accessory manufacturers are quite inventive with bamboo, too. Don’t worry; bamboo is durable, resilient and versatile; furnishings don’t look like they came from a rainforest.
Next, try making up your beds with tencel, also known as lyocell. This long-lasting, breathable, silky, soft and highly sustainable fabric is made from wood pulp harvested in certified forests. Its production requires 95 percent less water than cotton and only about a third of the energy.
Tencel is also used in upholstery, as is hemp, a fast-growing plant that also requires minimal watering and no pesticides. Hemp is also used for bed linens, pillowcases, curtains and clothing.
Some manufacturers even use hemp in building and roof insulation. Ask your builder!
For flooring, in addition to bamboo choices ask about materials that include cork or recycled wood or other recyclable or renewable materials. Then cover them with rugs made of sustainable produced jute, wool or organic cotton that is colored with nontoxic dyes.
Next, let the light in! Ask the builder about larger or additional windows in high-task areas such as the kitchen, home office, living room or gathering spaces to reduce dependence on electricity. If extra windows in rooms can’t be added, ask about skylights — especially on vaulted ceilings or in common areas, top-floor bathrooms or closets.
Other ways to make your new home as eco-friendly as possible include leveraging its smart-home technology to the fullest. Program the smart thermostat to change temperature only when most needed.
Many physicians say the optimal temperature for sleeping is between 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re worried you won’t be able to climb out from under the covers into a 60-degree room, set the thermostat to raise the heat half an hour before you need to get out of bed.
Likewise, keep bedroom windows open on cool, dry summer evenings, closing them in the morning. Also take advantage of automated lighting systems. You can even look into automated window blinds and shades that can be programmed to open and close for lighting and temperature control.
A new home is an excellent investment. Making it as environmentally friendly as possible not only improves savings of energy and natural resources but increases the home’s comfort level.
It’s a gradual process; use construction time and the first several months of life in the home to determine your household’s needs and desires for sustainable products and services that align with your way of life.