Just because you are working with a professional renovations team in Ottawa doesn’t mean you can’t find eco-friendly ways to improve your home. Here are six ways you can make your renovations eco-friendly:
Reuse
You know the term “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle“; well it now includes “Rethink”. When adding professional renovations to your home consider ways you can reduce the amount of garbage you are sending to the landfill by rethinking what you have to tear out and what you can reuse.
A kitchen is a perfect example. If your cabinets are sound you can reface them for the same effect without the need to completely tear everything out. You can also do the same for bathroom vanities. Look at items such as old doors and consider if they can be made into something like a headboard or even a table. Rethinking the way you look at items in your home can really reduce garbage as well as allow you to reuse items that will save you money.
Sustainability
This is the new buzz word of the home decor world. Look for sustainable materials such as bamboo and cork floors, and recycled glass for countertops or back splash and bathroom tiles to cut down on the depletion of our natural resources.
Local
Working with a local professional renovations team from the Ottawa area, as well as local suppliers will not only help your local economy but also lessen transportation demands. This in turn reduces the amount of fossil fuels involved in the delivery of your goods as well as the staff traveling to and from your job site. This then reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Reduce
You can reduce your energy and water consumption by choosing eco-friendly fixtures and HVAC equipment as well as Energy Star Appliances, windows and doors. Look for low flow toilets and shower heads for the bathroom and energy efficient appliances for the kitchen and laundry room. Not only is this good for the environment, but it will also save you a lot of money on heating/air conditioning and energy.
Low VOC
Ask your professional renovations team to use low VOC paints and finishes to keep your home environment free of toxins. Use natural materials in carpeting such as wool.
Think Small
Consider the finite details and make sure your professional renovations team is using eco-friendly light bulbs, sealing up leaky doors and windows with caulking and saving materials wherever possible.
These six considerations will keep your renovations eco-friendly and help save the planet. To reach out, schedule renovations, you can fill out an online form or give us a call at (613) 727-9427
