10 ways to make your home more sustainable
From the furniture we buy to the materials we install, this user-friendly guide will introduce you to several ways you can start making your home more eco-friendly
Want a more sustainable home? We’ve rounded up the best energy-efficient improvements you can make to your family home to ensure it’s eco-friendly and future-proofed. Read on for our top 10 ideas…
1. BUY SECOND HAND
The boom in pre-loved clothes is making its way into the homes and interiors industry and we at @nest_magazine are all for it; watch this space for co-editor Sophie’s upcycle project reveal in upcoming weeks… Online reselling sites such as Vinted, Narchie and Facebook Marketplace are offering a more environmentally friendly way to consume and help everyone make a little extra money in the process from things they no longer want. It’s a win-win solution! And it doesn’t have to stop at accessories and furniture either – a pre-owned or ex-display kitchen from companies including Rehome the Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom outlet and the Used Kitchen Hub will not only save you money, but tonnes of carbon waste in the process.
2. CHOOSE RECYCLED MATERIALS
An increasing number of home and interiors brands are designing smarter products that can be reused and recycled at the end of their lifespan, while also being made from recycled or recyclable materials to help combat plastic waste and reduce carbon emissions.
For kitchens, there’s an array of recycled surfaces on the market, from recycled timber kitchen cabinetry from brands such as Symphony and Omega, to surface materials such as Richlite – a solid, through-colour composite material made from compressed paper.
For bathrooms, try sourcing sustainable sanitaryware, such as Kaldwei’s products, which are made from 20 percent recycled steel. If you’re after acrylic sanitaryware, look for those containing recycled plastics. Duravit has a recyclable DuraSolid Nature shower tray, Sustano, which can be returned either to Duravit to make new shower trays, or to a local recycling centre, at the end of its life.
For the bedroom, opt for eco-friendly bedding. Earthkind is currently leading the way with all its products made from items saved from landfill and repurposed for new pillows and duvets. For example, its synthetic 10.5 tog all year round duvet is handcrafted in Britain from reclaimed plastic bottles!
3. ADD INSULATION
Improving the fabric of your home is a sure-fire way to improve its energy efficiency. According to Energy Saving Trust, about a third of all heat lost in an uninsulated home escapes through the walls. But, by installing cavity wall insulation in a semi-detached house, which on average costs around £2,700 to fit, you could save £300 a year on utility bills and reduce your home’s carbon dioxide emissions by 650kg. While adding loft insulation, which is likely to set you back around £930 to install up to 270mm wool insulation in the loft of a semi-detached house, will likely save up to £285 a year on energy bills and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 620kg!
4. GO FOR LEDS
LED light bulbs are so much more energy-efficient and eco-friendly than older halogen or incandescent light bulbs as they use a lot less energy and last much longer. According to lighting brand Philips, LEDs use 90% less energy than traditional incandescent lights, while producing the same warm and familiar light. They can last up to 22 years, which is equal to 25 incandescent bulbs. So not only will you have fewer bulbs to change, there will be less waste as a result.
5. FIT SOLAR PANELS
Solar panels, also known as photovoltaics, work by capturing the sun’s energy and converting it into electricity helping a home generate its own renewable energy source. However, there are lots of cost and technical implications, which means they’re not suitable for every home in the UK. Make sure you seek advice from a reputable installer with an MCS certified accreditation who will be able to advise on the pros and cons.
6. INSULATE YOUR BOILER
Updating a boiler with a new, efficient model will certainly help make your home more eco friendly. But let’s face it, with the current cost of living crisis, it’s just not financially feasible for everyone. If budget won’t allow for a full boiler upgrade, insulating the hot water tank will go some way towards targeting the inadequacies of your old boiler.
7. USE LESS WATER
Did you know, UK homes use around 142 litres of water per day, with the toilet being the second-biggest use of water in the home? According to NI Direct, we flush away as much water in a day as we drink in a whole month. Crazy right? Reduce the amount you waste by installing a water displacement device in your WC’s cistern, which will help reduce the amount of water used for each flush by up to two litres. Plus, go for water-saving, low-flush or dual-flush toilets – these use around six litres of water per flush compared to nine or more for other standard toilets. What’s more, installing aerators on taps can help steady the flow of water, which will help save on water usage. Hansgrohe offers an EcoSmart aerator across a range of its shower products.
If you’re not updating your bathroom, there are other ways to save water. Sounds obvious, but if everyone in your household halved their time in the shower to 4 minutes (the average shower is 8 minutes long and uses almost 100 litres of hot water), you could save £165 a year on energy bills, and an additional £100 on the water bill if on a water meter according to Water’s Worth Saving. If you’ve got teenagers at home, you might want to set a timer to help them stick to your household’s new morning bathroom routine! Plus, turning off the tap while brushing your teeth could save the average household £40 and 12 litres of water.
8. DRAUGHT-PROOF YOUR HOME
Looking for a quick and effective way to save energy and money? Try draught-proofing. Use strips to block gaps in your window and fit a ‘cap’, normally made from terracotta, or buy a chimney draught excluder to block off unused chimneys. According to iHeat, blocking the cold air flow with a chimney draught excluder can save you up to £70 a year per chimney. They just advise you to remember to remove the draught excluder before you light the fire!
9. DECORATE CONCIOUSLY
There’s a whole host of eco and vegan paint companies on the market or those that offer kid-friendly with no or ultra-low VOCs – Volatile Organic Compounds that are harmful chemicals that vaporise at room temperature and can continue to be emitted up to five years after painting a wall. Little Greene’s paints are virtually VOC free and its Intelligent Paints are washable, hardwearing and carry the child-safe certification, making them the perfect choice for children’s rooms. The brand has also introduced its Re:mix collection, which sees damaged and unwanted stock blended and reformulated to create a beautiful matt finish for interior walls and ceilings. YesColours is completely VOC free and the packaging is fully recyclable (no more trips to the tip with tins) and uses fewer fossil fuels, less water and generates fewer greenhouse gasses than traditional packaging.
10. TURN DOWN YOUR THERMOSTAT
One simple way to not only be more eco-friendly, but also save money is by turning down your thermostat by one degree. It can typically save you around £80 per year according to the Energy Saving Trust, while thermostatic radiator valves could save you around £75 a year, while also helping reduce your carbon emissions.