The perfect time to go green is when your home is undergoing major renovations. When adding a room, building a new level on a home or renovating several rooms in your house, it is easy to choose environmentally friendly building materials and add several green elements that work together. Doing this creates the healthiest, most energy efficient and comfortable living environment for you and your family.

Saving Money with Green Home Renovations

When it comes to going green, many families focus on the cost savings their choices will offer. While adding even one environmentally friendly element to a home will save you money, the greatest cost savings are realized when multiple environmentally choices are made in concert with each other. If your home is undergoing a major renovation that has you adding or replacing windows, choose multiple paned windows, and carefully place them to maximize sunlight and air movement in your home. This will help to keep the temperatures inside your house comfortable without the use of air conditioning or heating units, and it also minimizes the need for artificial lighting in your rooms. Pair your new windows with solar tubes, skylights or light shelves to further take advantage of natural sunlight and decrease your monthly electric bills even more. To further your savings even more, make sure all the rooms you are renovating are properly insulated to keep them free from unwanted drafts and outside elements.

Helping the Earth while Renovating Your Home

Another reason to go green when renovating multiple rooms is to reduce your carbon footprint and the negative impacts that construction has on the environment. A great way to do this is by choosing recycled materials and Forest Service Council certified wood. Consider flooring like bamboo, cork, ceramic tile or reclaimed wood to enhance the beauty of your space while also protecting the environment. Install insulation made with recycled paper, cardboard, ceramic tiles or asphalt roofing to keep your home comfortable and reduce the amount of waste in our landfills. Also consider refinishing and reusing cabinets, doors and window frames for functional or decorative purposes to reduce waste and give your home a vintage, rustic feel.

Hiring the Right General Contractor

Whatever your reasons are for going green during a major renovation, take your time when hiring your general contractor. Discuss your goals and visions with several contractors. Ask to see examples of green renovations the contractors have completed, and call on references to find out more about the experiences of other homeowners who have worked with them.

At Alair Homes, we work with innovative materials and building practices that save homeowners money while protecting the Earth’s valuable resources. Whether you want your major renovation to include several green elements, or you simply want to make small changes, our general contractors and project managers have a wealth of knowledge and expertise, and we are ready to share it with you. Contact us to schedule your free, no obligation consultation.