In recent years eco-friendly and ‘green’ living has been at the top of many peoples’ agendas; as of last year, 30% of British people said they were concerned about the environment, and that number is ever rising.
With almost half of the UK’s carbon emissions coming from buildings, those of an environmental bent will almost certainly be interested in reducing the carbon footprint of their homes.
Benefits of sustainable building
What is interesting is that ‘sustainability’ and, another buzzword, ‘healthy living’ go hand in hand when it comes to eco-friendly construction. Green homes have also been touted as healthy homes with decreased CO2 emissions and better materials reducing chest irritations, depression and general fatigue.
Sustainable building is not as complex as it may seem at first. Most of us live in compliance with some sort of sustainable building anyway; this is inherent in government regulations for all housebuilding. All buildings are categorised on a scale of 1 to 6, with issues such as CO2, water, sustainable materials, waste, pollution, health and ecology all taken into account when appraising a ‘green building’.
This might seem like a lot, but making your home eco-friendly is not difficult. Proper insulation will help to reduce the energy used at home thereby reducing the CO2 output. Fitting wooden framed windows can help as they are much better insulators than those made of UPVC.
Another important thing to do, especially when renovating, is to make sure all old materials are recycled. This way, you are providing sustainable materials for your own, or another construction project.
By making these changes, you may qualify for the government’s ‘Green Deal’. This is a scheme devised to incentivise green construction and reduce environmental damage. Although this is no longer subsidised by the government, many independent companies will still fund these changes.
How can Nutshell help?
These issues haven’t passed us by. Nutshell has a wealth of experience in ‘greening’ properties; eco-friendly projects range from Grade II listed buildings to new-builds. Nutshell understand the process of putting together a sustainable building that will not only benefit the environment but also those occupying the house and prove that sustainable living is not as futuristic as it seems to be to some; being ‘green’ doesn’t mean sacrificing traditional styles or modes of construction.
Nutshell is committed to helping preserve the countryside and its delicate ecology and also strives to preserve the history of the South East’s vernacular architecture. With restorations, as well as with new-builds, Nutshell’s ‘green’ projects successfully combine the past and future by adapting and restoring old buildings and constructing new ones. Ours is a mission to help preserve the environment of Sussex by acting responsibly in construction.
Nutshell always welcomes conversations with potential clients, so if you’re interested in green construction, or have an enquiry about a project don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01903 217900 or info@nutshellconstruction.com.
