These days, people buying homes are increasingly aware of their carbon footprint and are keen to reduce it significantly. It comes as no surprise, then, that when looking at a new place to live, future owners are particularly interested in how eco-friendly the house for sale is.

Climate protection is one thing to consider, but choosing a home with eco-friendly solutions is also about saving money. Preventing heat loss or using energy-saving light bulbs has an impact on how much money is left in the wallet of new homeowners.

So investing in renovations for energy efficiency is always a brilliant idea! We’ll show you the most interesting and efficient upgrades that will make your home more valuable. And by the way, you’ll be doing a service to the planet. How great is that?

Instal Solar Panels

While coal has to be mined, transported, and burned, the Sun provides us with energy in a more ecological way. The initial investment in panels can be expensive, but you can always use green loans. Besides, this investment pays off after just a few years. Of course, photovoltaic panels increase the value of your property. So, when you decide to sell your home, you can additionally factor in the value of the entire photovoltaic installation.

Solar panels lose about 0.4% in efficiency per year, but they are extremely durable and can last for decades. It is standard for manufacturers to provide a 12-year product warranty and when it runs out, photovoltaic panels can still work for many years. In fact, the oldest solar power plant in the world has been in operation for over 60 years!

Let In More Natural Light

Rooms that get plenty of light are energy-efficient and also more pleasant to live in. Exposure to sunlight can even reduce symptoms of anxiety! By letting the sun into a room, you make it take less heating, which will reduce your’s and potential future occupants’ heating bills. More light from outside also means less need to use artificial lighting. Which is another saving.

When putting your home for sale, big windows letting a lot of sun inside will become beneficial. Why? They just make rooms look more attractive and bigger. The natural light also allows you to set beautiful sun-loving potted flowers. Any visiting buyer is going to appreciate such natural, soul-soothing additions.

So when deciding on windows, definitely go for the biggest ones. But don’t forget that for them to be energy efficient, they need to be modern and well made. Such as smart windows…

Invest in Smart Windows

More and more houses are controlled by intelligent systems that guarantee comfort of everyday use. Among the intelligent solutions there are doors, windows, roller shutters or, for example, entrance gates.

When it comes to smart windows, you can use a dedicated application to control their dimming and in seconds regulate the amount of light entering the room. You can also manage how often you want to ventilate the room by setting the window tilt.

Another advantage of such modern windows is maximum air-tightness. They have excellent technical parameters, guaranteeing high thermal insulation. Energy-efficient windows provide warm and comfortable interiors, and reduce the amount of energy used in homes, needed for heating in winter or air conditioning in summer.

Look For Ways to Save Water

Only 3% of the world’s water supply is fresh water. So it’s very important to manage your water supply wisely. There are companies involved in large-scale water conservation proposals. Fortunately, there are a lot of products on the market that will help you easily reduce your water consumption at your home.

The most effective way to stop water (and money) running through your fingers is to choose eco-friendly bathroom faucets and shower heads. These solutions are able to save water without reducing its pressure.

This is possible by using a flow regulator, which reduces the water flow. Even though there is less water flowing, residents won’t even notice it because the water pressure remains the same. This solution saves up to 30% water and energy compared to shower heads and bathroom faucets without a flow regulator.

Use Energy Efficient Appliances

Electricity definitely makes our lives easier. However, the way we manage it is often unsustainable and has a negative impact on the environment. Also, we often forget about the fact that non-ecological solutions may increase our electricity bills. So it is worth using these easy to implement solutions to make your home smart and energy-efficient:

 

  • Use LED Bulbs

 

LED bulbs use up to 85% less energy and last up to 20 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. So if you want to help reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, replace traditional light bulbs with energy-saving LED technology.

Proper lighting makes your home cosier and makes you feel more comfortable. At the same time, as much as 25% of the energy used worldwide is for lighting. That’s a lot, isn’t it? Choosing LED bulbs means: energy savings, better light quality and less destructive impact on the environment. It will also be good for your wallet.

 

  • Choose an Induction Hob

 

With an induction cooktop, you can cook more economically and almost twice as fast as with a vitroceramic cooktop. Induction cooktops are extremely energy-efficient as the induction technology transfers the energy directly to the magnetic pot. This allows for fast and thorough cooking.

The Bottom Line

Eco-friendly improvements undoubtedly add value to your home. However, renovations towards creating a planet-friendly residence have many other benefits as well. First and foremost, you gain a home that can be independent of outside energy suppliers. This invaluable energy security makes it easier to sell such a property. Also, you will get paid more for it than for a home with standard features only.

Buyers are willing to pay more money for a house with an existing photovoltaic installation and other ‘eco’ facilities. Therefore, any green investment, even the smallest, is sure to result in long term monetary savings. Which is certainly very profitable for you and very attractive to the potential buyers.