As the demand for eco-friendly housing continues to increase with each passing day, several builders are putting up their residential properties for sale as 'green' real estate products. Since many of these properties attract high prices, some cons are making supernormal profits by selling substandard products to unsuspecting clients.
To cushion yourself against the risk of being swindled of your hard-earned money, here are some parameters you should check to gauge just how eco-friendly a housing unit you are interested in buying is.
Choice of materials
Construction materials are not rated equally in terms of how environmentally friendly they are; some materials are considered to be a better choice ecologically than others. To help make a sustainable choice, go for materials that are renewable like timber, durable like concrete, or readily available like mud.
Water supply and wastewater management
Look into the option of getting private water supply because many municipalities are finding it difficult to provide homes with reliable water supply due to the ever-increasing demand for clean water. That aside, consider getting a house with a rainwater harvesting system so that water that runs-off from the rooftop can be collected and stored in a tank for future use.
In addition, consider the possibility of recycling wastewater for use in household chores, such as gardening and lawn watering.
Building design
What type of roof, foundation, floors or walls does the structure have? These are all factors that impact on the overall design of a house. A "cool" roof is an eco-friendly roofing option if you intend to purchase a house located in a region that receives plenty of sunlight for the most part of the year, for example. This light-colored roof will redirect the sun's rays away from the roof surface, reducing solar heat absorption in the process.
Energy sources
High consumption of electricity can lead to expensive monthly electricity bills that can be rather stressful to pay up. If you can find a home that reaps from renewable sources of energy, like solar and wind energy, which can be tapped free of charge, then you have a greater chance saving up on your energy expenditures.
Tree coverage
Trees can add value to any residential property because of their many ecological benefits. They usually provide a cooling effect that will keep your home feeling comfortable, especially during the hot summer days, while cutting down on your energy costs. What is more, trees can prevent soil erosion by holding the soil together through their roots. This way, you won't have to worry about storm water runoff leaving your yard looking dilapidated.
By carefully examining the above-elaborated checkpoints, you have a better shot at ensuring that you end up with a truly environmentally friendly eco home.
Share15 July 2016
Welcome to my blog! My name is Richard and my big passion in life is looking for old buildings to restore. My love of old buildings started when I was seven years old and I visited my grandparent's house in Alice Springs. It was a large Victorian building which looked magnificent even though it was in a bad state of repair. Once I grew up and made some money, I decided I would like to invest in old buildings to bring them back to life. I hire a range of different contractors to complete the work on my behalf but I take a keen interest and I have learnt a lot of things.