How to Make Custom-Designed House Plans More Eco-Friendly
There’s so much to consider when building a custom home for yourself and your family. In these socially-conscious times, that means thinking about more than just your needs and the individual needs of your family. More and more property owners designing and constructing new homes want to find eco-friendly methods and materials to use throughout the process. Read on to learn more about building a custom-designed house that’s eco-friendly in Albuquerque, NM.
How can I make my custom home plans eco-friendly?
As you develop eco-friendly custom home plans, it’s essential to consider the many options for implementing sustainable practices while building a more environmentally-conscious living space:
- Floor plan: Incorporating the natural surroundings and existing landscape into the floor plan reduces building costs and, further down the line, your utility costs. It’s also a fantastic way to build an aesthetically-pleasing home that lives in harmony with the land.
- Room layout: Sunlight and prevailing winds impact the internal temperature of rooms in your home. As you work on the floor plan, consider where rooms sit in accordance with external factors. If you prefer your bedroom cooler at night, situate that room on the north side of the house to minimize direct sunlight.
- Size: Bigger homes have a larger carbon footprint that requires more materials to build and more energy to use. Consider keeping your custom home cozy rather than cavernous. If you’re worried about having enough space, you can always add more rooms rather than more negative space.
- Windows: Recycled aluminum is an eco-friendly material for constructing window frames. The position of windows also determines how much natural sunlight and wind come into your home. This affects the internal temperature.
- Alternative energy sources: Adding solar panels or geothermal heating is a must for any eco-friendly custom home plan in Albuquerque, NM. Renewable energy sources in your home reduce your dependency on traditional energy sources. Alternative energy methods put less demand on oil, diesel, coal and other limited natural resources.
- Green roof: Expand the outdoor space you can enjoy with your custom home build by incorporating grass or a living garden into the roof. Other green roofing options include drain systems that collect rainwater and reuse it for irrigation.
- Building materials: The materials that constitute the actual structure of your house impact your home’s eco-friendliness. For example, bricks, cement and sand absorb the sun’s heat really well, but don’t absorb condensation as much. These building materials require less maintenance and better maintain your home’s temperature, so you don’t have to excessively run your HVAC system.
Those are just a handful of the options available for the eco-conscious homeowner.
Get help with your custom home
When you’re considering a custom-designed house that’s eco-friendly in Albuquerque, NM, put your trust in Perry House Plans. We have more than 60 years of experience in the world of construction. From home architecture to commercial construction and beyond, we have the experience, knowledge and tools required to build the perfect home for your needs. Call today or visit us online to find out more.
Categorised in: Home Design