I mean a green home, not a green-painted home. Source: wecareproperty
- Mind where you’re pointing that house
- Everything within easy reach
- Solar panels, rainwater harvesting, all those stuff
Humans and the environment. One must make way for the other. Take homes for example, where the development of residential projects means that a vast tract of land has to be cleared.
Nature lovers and environment-conscious individuals have been pointing out the harm we have been causing to the environment for years. Here comes the big question. Is it possible for us to live alongside nature in harmony?
What we need is a green home. No, we’re not going to paint it green. You’re taking things too literally! No, I didn’t mean a greenhouse where you keep plants inside a glass structure for agricultural reasons either. A green home!
That means a house with sustainable features, which reduces our carbon footprint. And they don’t look green. Although you can paint them green to emphasise the point. Are you?
North-south oriented
Looking for a home-oriented towards the beach. Source: lick
Does it really matter where your home is oriented? If it faces the Starbucks coffee shop, then yes! Take a whiff of the aroma coming from the wonderful coffee beans being roasted. I do it often in the morning since I can’t afford the drink.
As a matter of fact, it does matter where our home is pointing. Since the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, a home that is east-west oriented will receive more heat. On the other hand, a north-south oriented home collects heat at the rear, thus making your interior cooler.
And that means your air conditioning doesn’t have to work as hard to bring down the temperature of your room. Less heat equals less energy usage.
Functioning on a somewhat similar principle, green homes tend to have openings incorporated into the living space, either at the ceiling or windows. These ventilation points allow hot air to leave the building, at the same time, introducing cool air inside.
I love the presence of a cold breeze in my green home, but the prospect of spiders, lizards and other pests entering is a scary thought. Is it a sacrifice you are willing to make?
Also, look for homes that incorporate wide glass panels, allowing natural light to illuminate your home during the day. It’s simple. Any feature that reduces energy consumption is a green feature.
Location, location, location
Beat traffic jams and save planet earth at the same time? I’m in! Source: iproperty
We don’t always look for sustainability inside our homes. In fact, we tend to search for it outside! Bamboozled? For example, a residential development directly connected to an LRT station is essentially sustainable, since it reduces vehicular usage.
Let’s go further than that and ask if the developer provides feeder bus routes into your residential area. With global warming and climate change coming to the forefront, there is no better time than to change our habits and start reducing our carbon footprint.
Even the fact that your development is surrounded by amenities is indirectly a green feature as you travel less to meet your daily needs. Speaking of travelling, choose a properly planned township with a good design as it ensures the smooth flow of vehicles in and out of the area.
I invest in petrol companies, so I am having a hard time rectifying my conflicting interests. Sigh.
Fill your green home with green products
Makes us wonder why solar panels are not a thing in Malaysia, since we experience summer 24/7. Source: forbes
It’s all those small things that make big things happen. The energy and water-saving features inherent within your devices and apparatus have a huge impact over the long run.
For example, a rain harvesting system acts as a secondary source of water for your household needs, effectively reducing your water bill. A dual flush toilet also reduces water wastage since the mechanism allows you to choose the amount of water for flushing.
Great news, because I can now go big when I go big and small when I go small. Do you know what I mean?
Anything that reduces water and electric consumption is a green product. Insulated roofing and glazed windows come to mind when we reduce heat absorption.
LED lights conserve energy, while solar panels convert the abundance of sunlight exposure into more energy. Let’s get saving!
Going Green
Carbon emission increases the temperature of our planet and every year, and the ocean rises a bit more to claim our land. Leading a sustainable lifestyle is important to combat this threat to our existence. Either that or we can look forward to reality like the 1995 movie Waterworld.
If you have trouble identifying a home with green features, then check with your developer if the residential project in question is GreenRE or GBI certified. That is one sure way to determine if it is earth-friendly.
And lastly, you can paint your house green just to tell the neighbours you are big on saving the earth!
