Do you want to build sustainably and design your house ecologically? A great idea! More and more people are consciously deciding to build in such a way that they do as little harm to the environment as possible. The ideas and measures go far beyond the type of house and the aspect of energy efficiency.
In this article, I present the 10 best tips for eco-friendly house building - so that you can use them for your upcoming construction project. Let's go!
In advance you will find here a short Table of contents for the contribution:
- Use state subsidies
- Focus on photovoltaic and solar energy
- Building as space-saving as possible
- Using a sustainable heating system and insulation
- Prefer sustainable building materials
- Working with resources
- Renovate as sustainably as possible
- Set on well or rainwater cistern
- Greening the outdoor areas
- Note the orientation of the house
Notice: Sustainable building is a huge field with a wide variety of possibilities - in this article, for the sake of simplicity, I will mainly refer to the construction of a detached house.
Why should you build sustainably?
Before we move on to the tips, a brief digression on the motives for building a house that is as ecological as possible. You could probably write a pretty big book on this alone. That's why I'll try my hand here short and compact to hold:
- Conserve resources: Both during construction and in the subsequent use of the building, you can Natural resources protect the environment. For example, by using sustainable insulation and technology to save energy.
- Save money: Lower energy consumption, government subsidies and durable building materials - these are the ways in which save money through sustainability.
- Enjoy a beautiful home: Sustainable buildings are more minimalist, more symmetrically planned and therefore much more aesthetically pleasing. The inclination towards nature (whether building material, environmentally friendly technology or combination with garden) creates a pleasant atmosphere.
- Stay healthy: By using natural building materials, you create an environment that is as natural as possible.
- Value received: Anyone who opts directly for energy-efficient or future-oriented technologies when renovating or building a new home helps to preserve the long-term value of their investment.
Can you think of any other reasons for sustainable building? Then write me as always happy to comment!
10 tips for sustainable house building
Whether it's a modular house, Swedish house or architect's house - anyone can build their dream home in the most environmentally friendly and resource-saving way possible. Here are the promised 10 tips that you should take with you into the planning and construction phase!
1st tip: Use state subsidies
To nip the "sustainability is too expensive" argument in the bud: there is a wide range of financial support for energy-efficient, sustainable construction. Whether through the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) or the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (Bafa), for example, you can get low-interest loans, repayment grants and subsidies.
Tip: The funding amounts are constantly changing - so you should always keep up to date with the funding and its deadlines.
Tip 2: Rely on photovoltaic and solar energy
The idea that all the electricity you use to charge your electrical appliances or even your car, from renewable energies is already great. But it's even better if your home generates this electricity itself using a solar or photovoltaic system and the power of the sun. The investment in such a system can pay for itself after just a few years in sunny regions. Incidentally, even when the sun is not shining, the energy stored from previous days can be used. If you want to build sustainably, you should definitely take this tip to heart!
3rd tip: Building to save space
The more space your own plot of land and the house on it take up, the more difficult it is to build a sustainable house. This is mainly due to the global population growth and the scarcity of building land - and the fact that a larger living area per resident can be kept warm or cool must. In addition, land sealing by residential buildings and access roads contribute to soil degradation and the species extinction at.
If you want to build as ecologically as possible, you should only use as much space as you REALLY need for the common good.
4th tip: Use a sustainable heating system and insulation
Heating accounts for the largest share of energy consumption during the use of a property. However, it is difficult with fossil fuels, sustainable heating! After all, this type of heating is based on limited raw materials. Instead, you should switch to green alternatives, such as a Heat pumps with geothermal probe set. These extract their energy from the ground and use it for heating. If the electricity for operating the pump also comes from renewable energy sources, you have an extremely environmentally friendly and cost-saving option for keeping your four walls warm in the long term.
Tip 5: Prefer sustainable building materials
If you want to build sustainably, you should also rely on environmentally friendly raw materials! This means, for example, that they As renewable as possible, biodegradable, regional, durable and recyclable are. Wood, clay, straw or cellulose, for example, are among the most environmentally friendly raw materials. People often forget the amount of artificial adhesives and glues that turn many building materials into hazardous waste during the next renovation.
Tip 6: Conserve resources
Not only the building material, but the entire construction work should be thought through with the environment in mind. Before you decide on a construction company, you should therefore first Familiarize with the company philosophy. Ideally, it should be a company that works primarily with regional partners. This saves long transportation routes for deliveries and the associated high energy consumption.
Tip: Also a so-called Finishing house can be an ecological and affordable alternative for builders! The shell is built by the construction company, while you can do all or part of the interior work yourself. This is particularly recommended if you want to decide on large parts of the building material yourself.
Tip 7: Sustainable refurbishment
Of course, the tips in this article are not only applicable to new builds. You can also renovate an entire building or parts of a building sustainably! Often, for example, the Exterior facades newly insulated or multiple glazed insulation windows installedto save energy. Replacing the heating system is also a popular measure as part of a sustainable refurbishment.
8th tip: Green the outside areas
Nothing is more unsightly and harmful to the environment than a lifeless, paved-over gravel garden! Turn the garden around your new or renovated house into a Mecca of biodiversity and enjoy the birdsong from the hammock. So you yourself can contribute to Stop species extinction.
How does that work? Simply use the following articlesto lay the foundations for an ecological garden design right from the planning phase:
9. tip: rely on wells or rainwater cisterns
The larger the garden, the more water is needed for irrigation. So far, so logical! But to save money and protect the environmentyou can also use groundwater or rainwater from the garden hose. This works with your own well (well builder & permit required) on the property or a rainwater cistern buried in the ground.
Tip 10: Observe alignment during planning
If you want to build sustainably, you should consider the incidence of daylight and sunlight before you start building. For example, make sure that both your Photovoltaic system and large south-facing window fronts to generate as much electricity as possible or to reduce the heat requirement. Your Refrigerator should not be placed where it is regularly hit by the sun. Otherwise it will be constantly fighting against the heat from outside - and that eats up energy and money.
Building sustainably - an investment for you and future generations
As you can see, environmentally friendly, sustainable house building is all about energy efficiency, resource-conserving building materials and environmentally conscious garden design. I hope that I have been able to give you some useful tips that you can put to good use.
Do you have any questions or suggestions? Or can you think of any other tips for sustainable building? Then I look forward to your comment!
Stay sustainable,
PS: You can also find more tips in the article about sustainable living. You are also welcome to DIY furniture blog inspiration and take a look at my homemade upcycled oak planks dining table on. Have fun!
Sustainability is very important to us as a family. That's why we also attached great importance to it when building our house. Thus, I can only recommend No.9 building a well, it is practical and sustainable.
My husband and I want to start building our house soon and sustainable construction is very important to me. I was not aware that we can also save money, since there are also government grants. I will look into it in more detail right away, thank you for the tip.
We would like to have a well built. Good to know that these are even very sustainable. Hopefully we will soon find a professional who can create the well.
Good to know that the heat pump with geothermal probe is a sustainable heating system. My uncle wants to have a house built in the countryside. He hopes to equip the whole house with heat pumps with borehole heat exchangers to ensure the sustainable heating of the house.