Due to the growing environmental consciousness amongst Australians, property developers are increasingly looking to meet buyer demand for earth-friendly, sustainable housing.
Green real estate was initially considered a “taboo” choice but has now become more mainstream than ever, and highly sought after. Its most popular demographic is millennials who, incidentally, are also now the key homebuying cohort. Having grown up with the environmental trend, millennials prioritise sustainability and want a healthy home environment with low maintenance and smart technology.
This demand has also been further fueled by Covid-19 which shed light on the fact that 90% of our time is spent indoors with two-thirds of that being at home so a positive and healthy home environment is key to achieving a fulfilled and happy life. That’s why organisations like Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) are helping property developers create homes that meet their Green Star criteria of being positive, healthy and resilient.
So according to GBCA, what are some ways a green home can be achieved?
We’ve listed just a few here:
Insulation - This reduces heating and air conditioning costs by keeping the house warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
Public transport - Locating a home nearby to public transport helps limit the number of emissions from private vehicles.
Eco-friendly materials - Using sustainable materials like wood, bamboo, earthbags and straw.
Energy efficiency - Adding appliances with lower power consumption and having more windows for natural light helps reduce energy consumption.
Gardening and composting - Adding a garden bed and compost station allows homeowners to grow their own food and reduce greenhouse gases. Composting their organics not only minimises greenhouse gas emissions but also creates nutrient-rich fertiliser which can be added to their produce patch.
Energy production - Renewable energy resources such as solar or wind energy can be added to generate electricity. This not only reduces the electricity bill but also produces profit if there’s a surplus of electricity.
Water efficiency - Adding in water-efficient showerheads, taps and toilets will use less water and save money. Rainwater tanks can also be used to capture rain for your garden.
So there you have just a few ways to help create a green home! What’s great is that these modifications are not only better for the environment, but also better financially as green homes have cheaper running costs and a higher average resale value than non-green homes.
Green homes are the future of real estate and we can’t wait until the day when every home is fitted with clean technology, made from sustainable materials and has a compost in their backyard!
We have so much exciting content coming up soon so be sure to follow our Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, YouTube and LinkedIn to not miss a single one.
Special composters can also pre-order a Monty here.