Having an eco-friendly home comes with many advantages. Aside from reducing your electric consumption, green features also allow you the unique opportunity to reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable world.
Here are the top 10 eco-friendly features that belong in your luxury home:
- Sustainable and locally sourced materials
Using sustainable and locally sourced materials is one of the simplest way to turn your luxury home into one that’s eco-friendly. If you’re building from scratch, renovating, or erecting outbuildings, consider using recycled steel for beams or girders. Reclaimed or recycled wood make for great accent pieces. You can also source your materials from local manufacturers to support the local economy and reduce the carbon footprint associated with using imported materials.
- Energy-efficient lighting
Energy-efficient light bulbs are one of the most popular eco-friendly fixtures. According to the Department of Energy, LED lights, CFL lights, and halogen incandescent bulbs use around 25% to 85% less energy than traditional bulbs. It also lasts longer.
- Energy-efficient windows
Also known as energy-saving windows, this home feature stops hot or cool air from escaping your home. Due to the window’s increased insulation, your energy consumption decreases, along with your electric bill.
- Smart thermostat
Control the temperature of your luxury home with a smart thermostat. This device can be programmed to turn on or off at predetermined times, which saves energy. A smart thermostat can switch off when you leave the home and switch on when you return. After a while, the smart thermostat will learn your habits and patterns without needing to be programmed.
- Smart showerhead
A smart showerhead reduces the amount of water you use when you shower. Smart showerheads also come with other features that allow you to play music, take calls, and many more.
- Solar technology
Look to the innovations of late-model solar panels. Building-integrated photovoltaics or BIPV allow builders to seamlessly integrate solar technology into home canopies, facades, and skylight systems. In fact, BIPV can take the place of more conventional building materials. Solar skins, on the other hand, are an aesthetic improvement matching the color or design of solar panels with your home or environment.
- Geothermal heating and cooling
Proper insulation is important in maintaining an eco-friendly home. A geothermal heating and cooling system employs an underground loop of pipes that transfers the heat trapped in the ground from the sun to your home. The technology applies to both heating and cooling your house. An AC powered by geothermal energy reduces electricity use from 25 5o 50%.
- Rainwater harvesting system
Rainwater can be reused for your sprinkler system, fill ornamental ponds and fountains, and flush urinals and toilets. Install a rainwater harvesting system appropriate to your needs and location.
- Smart irrigation system
Instead of wasting gallons of water each day randomly dispersing water on your front lawn or garden, consider installing a smart irrigation system. By efficiently monitoring weather and soil conditions, smart irrigation will pump out just the right amount of water your plants need.
- Vegetable garden
Start your own vegetable garden. Plants naturally clean the air and ground, prevent soil erosion, and reduce your carbon footprint. You can also avoid synthetic chemicals or fertilizers if you mix your soil with organic matter like compost or peat moss. According to a top horticulturist, the easiest vegetables to grow are bush beans (plant a mixture of green, yellow, purple, and red varieties), peas, cherry tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, lettuce, and garlic.
Adding eco-friendly features to your luxury home in Beverly Hills is one of the most effective ways to increase its value. Learn more about selling your home for top dollar by getting in touch with me, Sasha Rahban. Give me a call today at 310.963.9680 or send me a message here.
