Making your home more eco-friendly: 14 sustainable solutions to adopt
At a time when the environment has become a major global concern, many homeowners are looking for concrete ways to reduce their footprint by making their homes more eco-friendly. In response to this growing demand, many solutions and initiatives are emerging to helping homeowners make their homes more environmentally friendly.
We share practical advice for homeowners who aspire to make their home more eco-friendly and reduce their impact on the environment.
SUMMARY
How to make your home more eco-friendly?
1. Carry out an energy audit
2. Reinforce wall insulation
3. Improve the insulation of doors and windows
4. Choose your devices and lighting sources wisely
5. Maximize natural light
6. Install solar panels
7. Opt for geothermal heating
8. Install devices with reduced water consumption
9. Collect rainwater
10. Collect wastewater
11. Use sustainable and eco-friendly building materials
12. Opt for products low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
13. Create an ecological garden
14. Adopt a minimalist lifestyle
Government programs, funding and incentives
Programs and measures for more energy-efficient homes
The Canada Greener Homes Loan
Eco programs from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
How to make your home more eco-friendly?
Making your home more eco-friendly is not limited to adopting a few green gestures, but involves a holistic approach that integrates sustainable solutions for all areas of life at home.
1. Carry out an energy audit
An essential first step to making your home more eco-friendly is to have a clear view of your home's energy consumption. This allows you to identify how you can reduce energy costs as well as your ecological footprint.
To do this, you can work with a professional to carry out a complete energy audit of your property. The auditor analyzes, among other things, heating, air conditioning, lighting and insulation systems to identify areas of energy waste and propose appropriate solutions.
2. Reinforce wall insulation
Heating represents the largest source of energy consumption in a home. In this sense, one of the most effective ways to reduce your energy consumption and improve the comfort of your home is to improve its insulation. Indeed, poor insulation results in unnecessary heat losses which increase the heating needs in winter and conversely, make air conditioning less effective in summer.
Do some research and work with professionals to properly assess your needs and the options available to you in order to maintain a more stable indoor temperature throughout the year.
3. Improve the insulation of doors and windows
Doors and windows can also contribute to heat loss and thus the energy inefficiency of your property. Installing double-glazed windows and low-E coatings can be a good solution to reduce heat loss in winter and minimize overheating in summer.
4. Choose your appliances and lighting sources wisely
Conscious choice of your household appliances and electronic devices can greatly reduce your electricity consumption.
- Find out about the consumption of a device before purchasing it.
- Look for the ENERGY STAR® icon. Products labeled with this symbol can significantly reduce your energy costs.
- Use LED bulbs.
5. Maximize natural light
Make the most of natural light by rearranging your interior space to optimize its natural lighting. For example, position the main rooms of your home, such as the living room and kitchen, on the south side to benefit from abundant natural light throughout the day.
6. Install solar panels
To make your home eco-friendly, consider adopting renewable energy sources that allow you to produce your own electricity.
Installing solar panels on the roof of your home gives you a renewable energy source to generate clean electricity.
7. Opt for geothermal heating
Installing a geothermal heating system requires a large investment of time and money, but is a sustainable solution. The system uses natural heat from the ground to heat your home efficiently and sustainably, providing a green alternative to traditional heating systems.
8. Install devices with reduced water consumption
An individual consumes on average more than 200 liters of water per day for residential purposes in Quebec. This number increases depending on the region.
Installing a dual flush toilet and low flow faucets can save thousands of liters per year.
9. Collect rainwater
Collecting rainwater is also a great practice to reduce your dependence on drinking water. Rainwater can be used, among other things, to water your garden or wash your car.
10. Collect wastewater
Another more advanced option to significantly reduce your water consumption is a wastewater recovery system, which allows a large portion of household water to be treated and reused.
11. Use sustainable and eco-friendly building materials
For the construction or renovation of an ecological house, be conscious in the choice of construction materials.
- Choose eco-responsible materials such as recycled steel, a composite material of wood and recycled plastic, bamboo or cork to name just a few.
- Buy local products when possible in order to reduce, among other things, the impact of transporting materials and at the same time, encourage the local economy.
12. Opt for products low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Choose paints, glues and adhesives with low volatile organic compound (VOC) content to improve indoor air quality and create a healthier environment for you and your family.
13. Create an ecological garden
Although growing a garden is already eco-responsible in itself, certain good practices can take you even further.
- Grow native plants and promote biodiversity to attract a variety of beneficial insects, such as bees and butterflies, which contribute to pollination and the health of your garden.
- Avoid the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
- Use permaculture techniques such as composting and rainwater harvesting to create a self-sustaining ecosystem and reduce your dependence on external resources.
Even with small spaces, it is possible to design your yard in a comfortable and functional way and integrate a garden.
14. Adopt a minimalist lifestyle
A minimalist lifestyle doesn't necessarily mean depriving yourself. Rather, it is about limiting your consumption of unnecessary material goods, favouring durable and quality products and avoiding waste and overconsumption.
Government programs, funding and incentives
Explore green financing options and government incentives to support your renovation projects to make your home more eco-friendly.
Programs and measures for more energy-efficient homes
The Bureau de la transition climatique et énergétique, under the ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs, coordinates several programs which aim to promote the construction or renovation of houses for greater energetic efficiency. You can view the list of programs administered by the Bureau de la transition climatique et énergétique on their website.
The Canada Greener Homes Loan
The Canada Greener Homes Loan provides interest-free financing to improve the energy efficiency and comfort of your home. This loan can be used to finance renovations recommended by an energy efficiency advisor and which have not yet been undertaken.
Eco programs from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
CMHC offers two programs for partial reimbursement of the insurance premium. You can request a reimbursement of 25% of your CMHC insurance premium if you purchase a property that is already energy efficient or if you purchase a home to be renovated and for which the renovations will be energy efficient.
There are other programs and financial assistance to help you make your home more eco-friendly. Take the time to do your research and ask your municipality about all the options available.
Making your home greener is an ongoing process that requires constant commitment and effort. By adopting sustainable solutions, you can not only reduce your ecological footprint, but also create a healthier and more comfortable environment for you and your family.
Together we can make a difference and build a greener, more sustainable future for future generations.
