Ecological footprint

The call for a reduction in our ecological footprint in the western world has got certain implications on the way we build and live in our homes (average UK footprint is 5.35ha while average UK supply is only 1.64ha per person). In many ways it has become much easier to reduce our footprint with solar hot water and photovoltaic systems readily available. However there is far more to it than throwing technology at the problem. The construction industry and home owners needs to start using local building materials and those requiring minimum processing, non-toxic materials which should be durable and easily recyclable and need to take into account the potential for flexible occupancy to extend the useful lifespan of a building.

Advantages of a sustainable home

Many people think it requires a substantial investment to make their homes more sustainable. This doesn’t have to be the case. While it is tempting to advertise our environmental conscience with solar panels on the roof or a wind turbine in the garden, we should be thinking about reducing our energy and water consumption first rather than producing more (even if it is ‘green’ energy) to feed our growing energy demands. The cheapest source of energy is conservation – simply using less. There are multiple advantages of living in a sustainable house, such as:

• Better air quality by reducing the risk of asthma problems
  
• Higher comfort levels through insulation
  
• A better house, which will be easier to sell
  
• Taking responsibility for our environment and our children’s future
  
• Better quality of living

Heating/cooling

Heating buildings is one of the main agendas of energy saving but with rising summer temperatures predicted for the future, cooling will become equally important. In the end it boils down to our dwellings feeling comfortable. These are some ideas of how to save heating/cooling by doing less.

• Draw curtains/shutters on doors and windows at night when temperatures drop below comfortable outside.
  
• Use draught excluders on doors during the day
  
• Keep the heat inside habitable rooms – close internal doors
  
• Turn down heating by 1 degree and wear clothes appropriate to the season (it will save approx. 10% of heating energy)
  
• Turn down heating while on holiday
  
• Draw curtains/blinds/shutters on south/west-facing side in summer for solar shading
  
• Cooling down buildings by allowing cooler air into the house at night

Waste

Waste reduction plays a central part in sustainable living. The construction industry produces an enormous amount of it but I would like to concentrate on household waste here.

• Reuse plastic bags, or even better use cotton bags/baskets/collapsible boxes for your shopping (bring your own)
  
• Buy products with as little packaging as possible
  
• Try to avoid the plastic bags when buying loose fruit and vegetables
  
• Buy products in recyclable packaging (and make sure you recycle afterwards) or are recyclable themselves

Water: a precious resource

Water is one of our most valuable resources. To maintain a constant supply we need to be careful in our consumption.

• Taking showers rather than baths (long showers under a large shower head defeat the object)
• Use hot water only when necessary (Do we need it for washing hands?)
• Reuse run-off cold water usually wasted while waiting for hot water
• Turn off tap when brushing teeth
• Fill kettle only as much as you need to
• Do not rinse items excessively when washing up
• Choose appropriate setting on your dishwasher and washing machine and always with the appliance
• Collect rainwater for watering the garden
• Use a bucket for washing your car, ideally with rainwater

Electricity

We can produce more electricity in a sustainable way for a considerable cost, but using less makes more economic sense.

• Switch off lights when not required (some type of light bulbs don’t like constant switching on/off; it shortens their life span)
• Switch off electrical appliances where possible – standby can use a lot of electricity
• Use lighting for specific tasks rather than generally
• Think about the amount of time and length you open fridge or oven door