Across the globe, climate change continues to have a devastating and widespread effect on the environment, with rising sea levels and extreme weather events, including flooding, drought, and fires, impacting lives and livelihoods. Recognising the urgency of reducing our impact on the environment, environmentally conscious homeowners are incorporating energy and water efficient features into building sustainable homes that save money and reduce demand on precious natural resources.

What is a sustainable home?

Sustainable homes are designed, constructed, and lived in, in ways that don’t compromise natural resources, both now and into the future. In the early stages of planning a sustainable home, consideration is given to the location, size, and orientation of the home, to take full advantage of natural light and airflow, and reduce excessive use of energy and water.

Well-designed and constructed, these innovative, cost-effective homes are designed to maximise comfort and improve wellbeing for those who live in them. From start to finish, the emphasis is on reducing water and energy usage, using durable materials that aren’t harmful to the environment, and being mindful of natural resources and reducing waste.

How do you build a sustainable home?

With greater understanding of the devastating impact of climate change comes a growing awareness of the importance of designing and building environmentally friendly homes. Homeowners are more informed about the environmental credentials of their homes, and many leading architects and designers now incorporate sustainability thinking into their work.

Building sustainable, environmentally friendly homes begins with a few considerations, including:

1. Energy efficient design: Design and construction focuses on energy efficiency with the use of double glazing on windows, efficient insulation, solar panels, in-slab heating, and sustainable building materials, all of which play a part in reducing impact on the environment.
2. Passive heating and cooling: Consideration is given to the orientation of a home and how natural ventilation and insulation can be harnessed.
3. Recycled and sustainable materials: Where possible, recycled building materials are reused, while only environmentally friendly paints and finishes, locally sourced building materials, and sustainable timber is used in construction.
4. Water conservation: Showerheads, taps, toilets are WELS rated at 3 stars or more, and homes employ grey-water systems for bathrooms, laundries, toilets, and black-water systems for gardens.
5. Smart lighting: Lighting that turns on when needed, low wattage bulbs, and LED and CFL light fittings that lower overall energy consumption are used in construction, and how natural light enters the home to avoid the use of energy drawing lighting is factored into the design.
6. Building sustainable cities in which transport and amenities are accessible and well-planned, while shifting from urban sprawl to medium density and light urban development.

The importance of building sustainably

The urgency of the climate crisis becomes clearer every day and so too does the realisation that, by necessity, sustainable housing has to be an important part of its solution.

Initiatives like Sustainable House Day and Your Home: Australia’s Guide to Environmentally Sustainable Homes provide a wealth of information for those looking to make changes to that help reduce environmental impact.

From a financial perspective, some lenders reward borrowers for their commitment to the environment by offering sustainable home loans or “green home loans” with discounted interest rates and a full range of features.

If you’re considering investing in environmentally friendly and sustainable features for a new home or you’re thinking about adding them to your existing home, get in touch with a Mortgage Express broker to discuss your financing needs.

While all care has been taken in the preparation of this publication, no warranty is given as to the accuracy of the information and no responsibility is taken by Finservice Pty Ltd (Mortgage Express) for any errors or omissions. This publication does not constitute personalised financial advice. It may not be relevant to individual circumstances. Nothing in this publication is, or should be taken as, an offer, invitation, or recommendation to buy, sell, or retain any investment in or make any deposit with any person. You should seek professional advice before taking any action in relation to the matters dealt within this publication. A Disclosure Statement is available on request and free of charge.

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