Is Your Home Green Enough?

The trend towards going eco-friendly continues in America, reflected by the growth in electric vehicles, green jobs and diversified energy usage. In the housing market, too, realtors are being pushed towards green housing, with one survey in USA Today finding that 56% of homebuyers valued sustainability. Essentially, being green matters.

Ask yourself the question, then – is  your home green enough? The benefits of having a green home are well established, and you will be living healthier and with a fatter wallet if you opt in. Taking it to the next level, the very value of your property could be boosted by making it an environmental powerhouse.

Many of the techniques that make your home greener, like energy insulation and water retention, are fairly low-cost to implement. Bigger schemes, such as opting for solar power, can be expensive. However, this is changing rapidly. As Reuters have reported, solar power has gained a $1.3bn subsidy leading into 2020, which will fall positively for homeowners. What’s more, the rate at which you are paid for your excess energy, paired with your zero-sum electricity usage, are substantial. It can be worth using credit or releasing equity tied to your home to pay for the improvements, as you could make a small profit all whilst improving your environment.

Another advanced way in which to enhance your home’s green factor is through composting. At a basic level, composting can be done with some form of barrier and the organic matter you’re passing through. However, much more sophisticated devices can be sought out and will provide excellent return on your investment. SmartAsset report that Middlebury College, Vermont, have saved $100,000 a year in landfill fees through composting. The plus side is that this can then be sold on, or used in the home, as an alternative to the extremely polluting alternative – landfill.

If you’re looking for new furniture, fittings, or building materials, seriously consider upcycled items. It will save you a lot of money and using this means that another item will not need to be produced at the cost of emissions, transport, and so on. It can also add a certain panache to your home, and if you know the supply chain, you can establish if your items were produced in a green manner.

Going green is a way to make your home friendlier to the environment, your health, and your pocket. Increasingly, new homeowners will be looking for green aspects, too, and so its resale value will explode if its an environmentally conscious home. Investing today to make the changes necessary could be a great decision years down the line.