In recent years, climate change and environmental disasters have increasingly pushed many people to take an interest in the ecological aspect and respect for nature and the environment that surrounds us.
This type of attention is expressed on multiple production aspects, from cars to various types of production in numerous sectors of the market, not least, is what concerns the construction of buildings and homes.
The new sustainable technologies make it possible to take advantage of the living spaces, enjoying the same comforts we are used to but with a zero impact on the environment and our expenses.
Without moving home, today it is possible to convert our existing home with some modifications to make it more efficient.
Nowadays, eco-sustainability is an aspect that can no longer be ignored, it has increasingly become an element to be respected and considered. Fundamental for our future and that of the next generations.
For this reason, in terms of our habitual space, it is important not to underestimate the impact we can have with our consumption, with harmful emissions and, last but not least, with what is related to energy saving.
In recent years, we hear more and more often about zero-impact homes, or about green building or eco-sustainable architecture, having been built for years in total lack of respect for the environment and for people forced to live in places both alienating and unhealthy. With much relief today, some progress is being made and more and more companies and professionals are paying particular attention to these important aspects.
Of course, it is not always possible to build a zero-impact house from scratch, but it is still easier to check your home and make adjustments where possible, for example to limit energy consumption or make it less impactful for the environment.
If we think that a city like New York with very old and dilapidated historic buildings, thanks to the stubborn struggle of mayor Bloomberg, has managed to carry out the overhaul of more than 4000 buildings by replacing the boilers that heated using polluting fuels with others. Less polluting and better energy efficiency, it becomes absolutely concrete to think that even for us, in our small way, it is possible to do something.
When we talk about energy saving we are not just talking about electricity, but we are talking about avoiding waste of heat and water, which is why it is essential to pay attention to many aspects that affect our home.
But what must be done to make your home a sustainable home?
In the first place, insulation is fundamental, the heat dispersion that can occur above all from the fixtures can be drastically reduced through good insulation and through the choice of doors and windows of insulating material, this simple trick alone can reduce the electrical needs by 33%.
Another thing that can help us is the use of home automation which, through a programming system, allows you to heat or cool the rooms you live in at selected times.
As for heating, it is advisable to choose a condensing boiler, there is also the option of a heat pump that transfers thermal energy to your rooms for both cooling and heating.
For a zero-impact house, it is necessary to invest in renewable energies such as photovoltaics and solar thermal systems that allow, through the application of simple panels on the roofs, to obtain clean energy by reducing consumption with a considerable saving of electricity.
If we are among those lucky ones who are building a house, we can really do a lot, today the concept of sustainable architecture no longer aims only at using energy obtained from renewable sources but also thinks about creating a zero-impact house, which in addition to consuming less, uses fewer resources while respecting the environment.
There is talk of constructions created with non-toxic and safe materials both for those who live in the house and for disposal.
These ecological houses are built with materials such as wood, or as the innovative wooden and straw houses which are totally zero impact.
The straw has turned out to be a very stable and solid material, it is compressed into compact bales that make it resistant even to fire.
Until a few years ago building a house with these characteristics was extremely expensive, today building in green building has become much more accessible as well as useful for our health.
Illustrations by Marisol Cardenas
