Can Your Remodel Be More Sustainable?

Whether you’re hoping to reduce your heating and water bills in your home, to minimize the amount of waste and impact during your remodel, or eliminate allergens and chemicals from your home,  there are many benefits to sustainable building. From kitchens and basements to full home remodels, sustainability is an important consideration both for your wallet and for the planet. In honor of Earth Day, here are a few ways we implement sustainable practices into our remodels.

Energy Efficient Design

From the initial phase of design, a space can be built with sustainability in mind to maximize efficiency and minimize impact on the environment. At Harjo Construction, we take a multifaceted approach that takes form, function, and energy system design into account when designing a space. Whether that means planning new construction to maximize natural light, or incorporating new insulation systems into your basement remodel, by starting with sustainability in mind in the initial phase of design you can proactively reduce your home’s environmental impact.

Think Insulation

When planning a renovation, taking insulation into consideration is another way to foster long term sustainability. Adding insulation to your roofing, an insulating layer to your basement, or installing insulating slabs in various other parts of your home are relatively simple installments to make that will benefit your home for years to come. That way, your home lets less cold air in and you’ll both save money and energy on heating costs.

Choose “Green” Materials

Not all materials are made equal, and some are significantly better for the environment than others. Whether you’re building new or renovating within your home, taking environmental impact of various materials into account is another great way to reduce the environmental impact of your remodel. We implement an analytical process to evaluate materials, and factor in the trade-offs when choosing various building solutions. We’ll also help you navigate the process of finding the best materials if you’re seeking a LEED certification or simply want to have a more sustainable home.

Make Indoor Air Quality a Priority

From allergens to pollutants, indoor air quality should be taken into account when planning a remodel. There are a number of solutions available to improve your indoor air quality, and we can help you choose what’s best for you. Whether that means improving your ventilation or high quality filtration systems, making air quality a priority can help you with maximizing airflow, minimizing future sneezing, and a number of other benefits.  Heat recovery ventilators are also great options for reducing the amount of energy used on heating and cooling. These systems improve the air quality in your home and save energy on climate control costs.

Making sustainable practices a habit

Beyond the initial planning stages, implementing sustainable practices during the project and after remodel is another way to shrink your ecological footprint. Whether you’re planning a commercial remodel for your entire company or a smaller scale upgrade in your home, making sustainable practices a habit in your day-to-day activities is one of the best ways to reduce environmental impact. Whether that means implementing a recycling program in your office, installing low energy appliances, or teaching the kids about composting, there are many easy changes that can have big impact on the environment for years to come.
From kitchens, to bathrooms, to entire office space remodels, there are many ways to make this process less harmful to the environment and more self-sustaining for years to come. To learn more about sustainable practices at Harjo Construction, visit our website today!

Featured image courtesy of Pexels.com.