Sustainability = Survivability
Our world is changing. Rising electricity and gas bills at home, hot summers, fiercer floods, winds and storms.
Coupled with these changes in our environment is growing awareness of our impact and a desire to do more.
Building or renovating your home is a wonderful opportunity to incorporate a more sustainable way of living. There are a number of practical steps that can be done. For example, reduce energy needs through insulation, double-glazing, using energy efficient appliances and smart lighting. Use solar energy to heat water. Harvest rainwater to reduce water usage.
If you would like to think about ways to incorporate sustainable architecture in your home, we would love to talk with you.
Tips on greening your home
What can be done?
Energy basics
Energywise - Simple-ways-to-lower-energy-bills
-
Turn off lights when not in use
-
Change existing lights to LEDs: Energywise-lighting
-
Use dimmers where possible
-
Choose A-rated appliances: Energywise-appliances
-
Eliminate uncontrolled draught
-
Use temperature thermostats
-
Change or upgrade loft insulation: Energywise-insulation
More options:
-
Ventilation: Energywise-ventilation
-
Upgrade or use high performance double glazed windows (cut heat loss by up to 50%): Energywise.govt.nz
-
Steel: crittall
-
Timber: alltimberjoinery
-
Timber: mcnaughton
-
Solar Water Heating - meets your 50-75% annual requirements: Energywise
-
Solargroup
-
-
Photovoltaic (PV) panels - convert solar energy into electricity: Energywise
-
Home heating: Energywise heating-and-cooling
-
HeatPump: Canstarblue-Heat-pumps
-
WoodBurner: Indoor-domestic-fires
-
Flued gas heater:
-
Rainwater Harvesting:
-
Wind Turbines: Energywise