Doing your part to reduce the impact we have on the environment has become a bigger priority for homeowners everywhere. Here in Utah, that has taken on additional importance with the ongoing drought conditions our state is dealing with. More and more homeowners are choosing to buy or build homes with eco-friendly features. Thoughtful Floor Plan Your home’s floor plan has a powerful impact on how enjoyable and comfortable your home is. However, a floor plan does more than just that. It can actually have an impact on how eco-friendly your home is. When designing an eco-friendly home, it’s important to consider how its layout impacts the orientation of the windows. The sun will impact different areas of a house in different ways at various parts of the day. West- and south-facing rooms, for example, may be especially warm during the summer. Investing in quality curtains can help you control the level of heat in these rooms. You can leave them open during the winter to help warm your home naturally, and close them during the summer to reduce the amount of heat that gets in. Because these rooms are exposed to a lot of natural light, you can also take advantage of that during the day to reduce your energy usage even further. Quality Insulation Insulation is another important part of the eco-friendly puzzle. Make sure that the walls, floors, ceilings, and roof of your home are all insulated using high quality, eco-friendly materials. Don’t forget about the doors and windows. These are common sites of energy loss, so you’ll want to make sure they’re well-insulated as well. Smart Home Technology Everyone forgets to turn lights off or adjust the thermostat when they’re away from time to time. When you have a home equipped with smart home technology, however, you are able to take that control back. No more needing to forget about making the necessary adjustments to save energy before you leave home. You can use smart home technology to control such things from your phone, regardless of your location. Even smart appliances like a smart refrigerator can help you save energy by allowing you to see what’s inside without having to open the door. Eco-Friendly Landscaping As a homeowner in Utah, you’re likely painfully aware of the state’s drought conditions. That makes having eco-friendly landscaping more important than ever. Save yourself some trouble and look for homes for sale in Utah that have eco-friendly landscaping already. Utilizing xeriscaping as a part of the landscaping on a property can help you cut down on the water you use. This is another area where smart home technology can come into play. Unless you decide to go without plant life altogether, you’ll need to water your yard at some point. A smart sprinkler system can help you make better use of the water you use. Energy Star Certification You’ve probably heard of Energy Star appliances. These are appliances that are certified as being energy efficient, and are definitely features worth looking for in any eco-friendly home for sale in Utah. Did you know that a home can be Energy Star certified as a whole? An Energy Star Certified home is designed to be more eco-friendly from the beginning. These homes use an average of 20% less energy, which can save you money long-term, as well as time spent on upgrading your home to be more energy efficient. When you’re looking at homes for sale in Utah, one of the things to look at is how eco-friendly it is. That means looking at features like the floor plan, insulation, the presence of any smart home technology, the landscaping, and Energy Star certification. If those features aren’t present in the homes on the market you’re looking at, you can always modify the home to include them, find a new move-in ready home that has them, or have one built and designed specifically with eco-friendliness in mind. If making your home more eco-friendly is your goal, there is a way to make that happen. Holmes Homes designs homes with eco-friendliness in mind. Click here to see our move-in ready homes that will help you achieve your eco-friendliness home goals.
