Eco-friendly Trends that are Efficient and Money Saving

Last Updated on January 6, 2020

When trying to add some “green” to our lives, one of the first place homeowners turn to is the kitchen. There are several ways you can transform your kitchen, including installing eco-friendly appliances and choosing recycled glass countertops.

What about other trends that are sweeping across the nation that can provide efficiency while saving money? Whether you believe in saving the planet or not, some of these trends have solidity behind why you would want to implement them.

1. Living Walls – Developing a living wall has been catching on in rural and big city developments. For the city, these walls provide a sense of nature in an area that is otherwise covered in concrete. These walls can shelter a building from the ravages of heat while decreasing the inside temperature up to 20-degrees, according to some studies. This can efficiently cool the home without spending a dime on air conditioning.

Image source: www.naturaire.com

2. Living Roof – Although developing a roof in order to support plant life is more costly, the principles are the same. It provides a continuation of nature while making the home more energy efficient. Unlike the wall, there is a lot of preparation work that goes into reinforcing the home in order to sustain the additional weight of all the materials involved. However, these homes can be masterfully developed to provide an excellent addition to an eco-friendly environment while developing a great amount of energy efficiency.

Image source: www.guzarchitects.com

3. Earth-sheltered Homes – Although subterranean homes are not a new innovative idea, the extent that some have developed these homes can be. As subterranean homes are built into the ground with roofs nearly ground level, some have implemented a natural look by engulfing the entire home within the Earth. From the outside, the home looks like a grassy hill that you may see on the golf course. On the inside, it is a fully developed and elegant domicile. This provides a steady temperature year round as they are cooler during the summer and warmer in the winter.

Image source: www.inspirationgreen.com

4. Recyclables – Using recycled products, many are developing homes that are the definition of efficient and energy saving. Take for example the Ecopod, an affordable recreational building that is also eco-friendly, transportable and functions off the grid. These are not only far less expensive to develop, but they are far more energy efficient as the walls themselves are made of a more dense construction.

Image source: www.ecopods.ca

5. Indoor Plants – Not only can plant life increase the general mood of a room, but they can also help keep the dust levels down. Some have taken the aesthetics of plant life to the extreme and have built entire walls within the home of nothing more than nature. Look at any wall within your home and realize that it could consist of nothing more than vines and various plants.

New and innovative ways to live are constantly being developed. While some of these methods may not be ideal for everyone, the efficiency and money saving aspect of them could be. Innovative doesn’t mean the same as inventive. If your own ideas for an Eco-friendly environment can benefit from some of the aspects of a growing trend, you could very well create a trend of your own. All it takes is a bit of imagination and some knowledge behind the project you wish to complete. Be a trend setter and develop your own “perfect” Eco-friendly home.
This is a guest post by Liz Nelson from WhiteFence.com. She is a freelance writer and blogger from Houston.