When you decide to remodel your investment property or home, a brave new world of styles and designs opens up and you get the opportunity to transform your property into a true masterpiece. With the recent evidence of drastic climatic changes and detrimental effects of global warming, sustainable design and green remodelling have become a growing trend.
With only a few changes regarding the materials you use and certain upgrades you introduce, you can easily turn your rental property into an energy-efficient hub.
Here are several ideas to get you started on your greenovation project:
Choose natural materials for your rental property
Be picky when it comes to the materials you use. Not all sustainable products are equally good, so it might be challenging to choose the right ones. Look for certifications such as Energy Star and Greenguard and purchase materials that don’t contain any volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These compounds are a health hazard as they emit toxic chemicals over an extended period of time.
On the other side, natural, organic materials are toxin-free and much more durable and effective. For instance, natural linoleum is twice as durable as vinyl, granite countertops can serve for generations, and wool rugs can last up to 45 years longer than synthetic rugs.
Construct an eco-friendly garage for your investment property
Most people don’t even consider their garage to be a part of their eco-friendly renovation plan, but as most garages are quite spacious, often utilize a lot of electricity and even heating, and are often connected to the main house, they can raise many environmental issues, such as indoor air quality and environmental impact.
If you’re considering constructing a new garage for your property, instead of using traditional materials whose production is a common industrial source of CO2, think about ordering a pre-fabricated garage directly from a reliable, locally sourced manufacturer such as Best Sheds garages, which comes with all the necessary insulation and installations, so its impact is much lower.
Think triple R: reduce, reuse and recycle
In order to reduce your carbon footprint, make an effort to reuse and recycle everything you can during the remodelling project. Think sustainably and repair things you can and reuse whatever is still functioning. In order to have it match your new design, repurpose them and give them a new life and function, from light fixtures, cabinets, doors, to shutters and mouldings.
Recycling is an integral part of living a green lifestyle, and repurposing materials and objects saves you from unnecessary cost. It also protects natural resources and reduces air pollution that comes from manufacturing and transporting new materials.
Insulate your investment property
Insulating your property is a costly project, but it’s also the one that will have the greatest impact long term and offer biggest return on investment. You can start by insulating the most vulnerable parts of your property, such as the basement and attic, and gradually envelope the entire house.
An important part of proper home insulation is having good quality windows and doors, as they are the weakest link in the insulation chain. Any cracks in construction and installation lead to major heat loss, so by replacing old windows with double-glazed models, you can cut your energy loss up to 50%.
Switch to LED lighting
Switching from traditional light bulbs to LED lighting is probably the easiest and most budget-friendly upgrade you can do. It might cost a bit more initially, but due to the longer life span of LED bulbs and their efficient use of energy, you will be saving power in the long run and cutting your bill significantly.
Take care of the heating/cooling system
One of the biggest energy consumers in every real estate property is the heating/cooling system. Traditional HVAC systems can easily incur huge costs if not regularly and properly maintained. In order to uphold the desired indoor temperature throughout the entire year, the system needs to work impeccably.
Therefore, your main concern is making sure the filters are regularly cleaned so that you don’t push the system into overdrive. Also, a minor adjustment of the temperature on the thermostat can make a significant difference. By lowering it only by one degree when you’re not at home or your tenants are not in your rental, you can have a drop of overall temperature by 3 to 4 degrees, which will significantly reduce your energy consumption and give a savings of up to 15% per year.
By going green in your remodel and incorporating energy-efficient tricks, you’ll not only take a responsible approach to your and your tenants’ health, but you’ll also give a huge contribution to the preservation of our environment. With the money saved up over time, you will enjoy your new, remodelled investment property or home with a clear conscience.
This article has been contributed by Robert Clayton.