How Can You Make New Homes More Sustainable?

There’s a growing awareness that we should all be doing more to help the environment. Living more sustainably is much easier if you have homes that are geared up for doing so.

A recent article in Planning & Building Control Today highlighted some of the top ways in which developers or self-builders could transform properties into eco homes.

Even if you’re not building a new property, there are still modifications you can make to an existing home to make it more environmentally friendly.

Among the suggestions was fitting solar panels on the roof. The news provider noted that if you’re constructing a new home it’s advisable to consider this at the design phase, so that you can make sure the roof is in the optimum position to take advantage of the sunshine.

Rainwater harvesting was another top suggestion, predominantly to give people water supplies for their gardens.

When you’re constructing a new home, it’s also best to choose the most sustainable materials you can. Wood is always a good option, provided it comes from the right sources, but there are a host of other green materials that can be introduced to a home during construction.

Last month the government added a further incentive for new homes to be equipped with solar panels. It announced that any new homes or businesses that have solar panels, or other renewable power sources such as wind turbines, and export energy to the grid are guaranteed payments from energy suppliers.

This means that they will be financially compensated for any energy they give back to the grid, as well as generating their own power free of charge.

If you’d like advice on renewable energy in Cumbria, get in touch with us today.