8 Eco-Friendly Home Features to Install in Your Home

People are now more aware of the adverse effects of climate change. It's a global phenomenon wherein everyone experiences the disastrous consequences. Some countries have typhoons. Others experience hurricanes, continuous heavy rains, and drought. The effects are endless.

Fortunately, businesses are beginning to understand the detrimental impact collective human consumption and habits. A lot of companies are now changing how they conduct their business. From their products to their services, businesses are coming up with eco-friendly solutions for their consumers.

One key industry, real estate, is also part of the game-changing business platform. You can now find eco-friendly developments and properties in cities and other urban locations. You have the option to have an energy efficient home in the midst of a polluted community and Fairview Terraces mall. You can enjoy having a garden and a few breathing spaces even if there's concrete all around you.

If you already have a property, you can still partake in the green movement. An effective way to do this is by incorporating eco-friendly features into your property. Below is a list of eco solutions you can install in your home.

1. Solar Panels

Solar panels are highly useful in generating electricity if you live in a warm and sunny area. Solar power generation converts sunshine into energy you can use for your household. You won't have to rely on large electric companies to supply your energy.

2. Satellite controlled sprinkler systems

Instead of the regular sprinklers, you should try having the ones that turn on based on local weather conditions. These types minimize your water bill and conserve water. It also allows you to become efficient with your gardening. You can tend to the plants when the sprinklers are off. Plus, you won't have to worry about your plants drowning.

3. Cellulose wall insulation

Most homes have insulation. You need them to maintain the heat in your home. But, you should go for the ones with blown-in insulation. You should also pick the ones made of cellulose. The material is non-toxic, and it increases your home's fire resistance by 22 to 57 percent.

4. LED lights and dimmer switches

A LED light bulb is more energy efficient than traditional lights. Incandescent and CFL bulbs use twice the wattage you need for LED lights. To maximize your energy savings further, you can install dimmer switches in all areas in your home. They allow you to set the level of brightness in the room making them 10 percent more efficient than regular on/off panels. It also helps to have occupancy sensor light switches. That way, the lights automatically switch off when no one is around.

5. Energy star appliances

Whether its a refrigerator or the iron, Energy Star-approved appliances use half the resources consumed by their counterparts. If you're worried about bloating your electric bill, then you should always pick these types of devices.

6. Rainwater storage

An eco-friendly home doesn't only think of what's indoors. It also considers how it can harness resources outdoors. Besides the solar panels, a great addition to have in your home is rainwater storage. It allows you to gather water you can use for the garden or washing your car. You can also transform it into potable water as long as you install filters on your storage tanks.

7. Greenery in the roof

A green roof allows the homeowner to grow plants on the roof of their house or building without inducing leaks or any damage to the roof membrane. Green roofs are efficient. They also naturally cool your home's interior. Most of all, it adds to the beauty of your habitat.

8. Dual pane, low-emittance windows

Low-emittance windows extend your insulation efforts. They are the best windows for heating and cooling systems. On top of that, they block UV rays which can damage your skin and your belongings.

Now that you know which are the eco-friendly features you should have in your home, it's time for you to consider real estate developments that combine comfort and eco-solutions. You don't have to stay in the same place as your hometown or office district. You should think about moving in areal estate development that offers rest, encourages recreation and sustainability, and allows you to grow your roots.

With that, here are some of the features you must look into when considering an eco-friendly real estate in the Philippines.

• Wide open greeneries

Green real estate properties have wide open spaces for you to enjoy. The greeneries are for you to relieve your eyes and mind from the monotony of the concrete jungle. With pocket gardens, tree-lined parks, and meditation patches, you get breathing spaces while still being in the midst of real estate sites.

• Beautifully crafted landscapes

There is an advantage when you own an eco-friendly real estate property. You have access to beautiful landscapes. Other than fresh blooms, you have a view of tall, branching trees, clear bodies of freshwater, and manicured lawns. It becomes easy to get closer to nature when all of these are a few steps from your front door.

• Conveniently located near the metropolis

Developers are now leaning into developing sustainable, environment-conserving properties. You'll find homes use durable yet organic, biodegradable materials. At the same time, they are made energy efficient. You can enjoy all of these perks when you relocate in an eco-community in a major Philippine metropolis. One example is Ayala Land’s Montecito properties in Nuvali.

You don't have to be an environmental advocate or an eco-warrior to live in an eco-friendly community or have these features in your home. If you value your life and your family, you should look into their benefits and find a way to make them part of your life.

Green Cities: A Liveable and Sustainable Place to Live

Urban planning is essential especially since people's lifestyle shifts from the jet-setter to wellness. Land development and environment merge with urbanization, which integral in the modern world. Various real estate properties in the Philippines come up with clean, healthy, efficient, and sustainable architecture to provide an affordable house in Cagayan de Oro.

Creating an eco-friendly environment is a step towards the improvement of real estate in the Philippines. Developers begin to stay away from destructive practices of building a community with the conveniences of a house and lot for sale Cagayan de Oro. They keep making green cities a top priority for habitable and sustainable development.

Clean and Healthy

Future homes must be clean and safe. It must also maintain its state so its inhabitants can have access to clean and safe drinking water, effective wastewater treatment, fresh air, and efficient waste disposal systems. These are the essential elements of a community.

At the same time, these elements contribute to the high quality of life in a city. These qualifications make a city liveable, despite the continuous evolution of the metropolis that is vastly happening. Thus, a development must maintain a two-way approach to keep a clean and safe area. The green and eco-centered establishments must push and influence its neighboring communities to follow its path to revolutionizing green real estate.

The two-way approach also involves its homeowners and property owners. They must spearhead the changes in policies and community guidelines to keep their place clean and safe.

Green and Pleasant

Green doesn't only translate to cleanliness. It is also part of a quiet and serene oasis. An ideal green environment has open spaces, quiet streets, and recreational parks aimed towards the citizens' relaxation, health, and social activities. These developments encourage sports, nature watching and social events.

Quiet places are essential in urban cities to minimize stress from the environmental noise, one of the sources of anxiety to city-dwellers. The sounds come from the increasing demand for mobility through vehicles. The volume of cars, trains, and planes in developing areas cause a level of noise considered as pollution.

Real estate developers in the Philippines and government agencies build more properties catering to a market of homebuyers and property seekers who value green and pleasant advocacy. These buyers want open areas and green parks despite living in an urban environment.

Efficient and Sustainable

Living in an ideal community is a place with resources at the plan of your hands. Energy and water should not be sources of stress for folks who wish to stay in a place for the rest of their lives. The development must be an area of sustainability to prevent problems in the long run.

Research excellent properties and developers who can give provide the service and expectations that you want. These firms satisfy their clients as they push for environmentally friendly homes. Realty corporations apply proper engineering and architectural strategies to achieve sustainability and construction efficiency.

As a property seeker, you must aim for an affordable yet high-quality home at CDO. Modern, durable houses often use recycled products that passed quality control and international standards. Thus, most recycled construction materials last more than traditional products.

Utilizing durable materials in construction spends less time and money during property maintenance. Effectively cutting costs and maximizing the use of resources is the key to an efficient and sustainable real estate development.

Well-Managed and Democratic

An urbanized location is well-governed. It enables citizens in environmental decision-making. Democracy becomes the basis of the law and welfare management of the community.

A comfortable place to live is under proper management. The governing council or sector finds ways to protect its communities. Safety is one reason why a person buys a property, with the location as its second item on the list. Real estate developers must look at these points to figure out their priorities for their customers.

Green cities bring out the best in people and its location. Therefore, developers must be mindful of starting eco-living for a well-managed community. Most of all, they must involve their homeowners in decision-making and household management to capitalize the quality of the area.

Green Cities Raise Home Value

These are some of the reasons green cities are the best for family and retirement life despite being urbanized. Home values in these cities are twice the traditional setup because of their eco-friendly houses and set up. The quality and sustainability of the materials and other home features lower utility bills and emit less toxin in the air improving the quality of the lives of homeowners.

Constructing, maintaining, and raising the value if a green community is and always two-way stream. Cooperation between home and property owners, developers and the government is the key to fostering helping hands to a live a little longer in a house and lot for sale in CDO.

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Why You Should Live Near Green Spaces

The medical community is looking into the greater advantages of eco-therapy. Eco-therapy is the process of improving one’s physical and mental health by doing outdoor activities such as bird watching in the Philippines or elsewhere, gardening, biking, food growing and other such activities that involves nature.

A new study conducted by the University of Exeter Medial School reveals that living within or near eco-friendly areas is a good idea health-wise. Green areas influence not only the physical wellbeing of a person, but also his mental and emotional conditions.

In yet another study published in Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, living within 1 to 3 kilometers near green spaces reduces the rate of mental and physical illnesses. While the effects can be felt after 12 months of living in that environment, some of the diseases that mostly benefit from these spaces are:

·        Heart and pulmonary diseases,

·        Body pains,

·        Depression, anxiety and stress,

·        Diabetes,

·        Asthma and other respiratory infections,

·        Headache, vertigo and migraine, and

·        Digestive infections.

Why green

You might be wondering why green. Here is the explanation.

Aside from being the color of life and nature, green also symbolizes balance, harmony and growth. Green also has a very strong emotional association with safety. Finally, green is the most relaxing color. Egyptians wear green eyeliners because it is healing for our eyes. The greener the surroundings, the happier and more satisfied the people are.

Further, putting green into your life is a must if you desire balance, growth and change. Green can provide freedom in pursuing new ideas and protecting from anxiety and fear. Green spaces evoke inspiration as well.

As such, living near green spaces endows dwellers with much, much more activities that people who live in less green areas will never experience. According to Operation Groundwork Organisation, the health benefits are as follows:

1.     Increased physical activities for all regardless of age,
2.     Improved mental conditions for all regardless of age,
3.     Reduced anti-social behaviors such as aggression and violence and bullying among children and young people,
4.     Reduced crime incidences, and
5.     Reduced health inequalities.

The Organisation also noted some social benefits of choosing to live where green spaces abound. Well-maintained parks, where people can meet other people, can lead to the development of a sense of belongingness and attachment.

We might as well mention the cultivation of the sense of community among the people. These people will feel responsible in protecting the areas somehow. They think that those areas should be preserved not only because of the benefits that they get from it, but also for posterity’s sake – the children of our children.

Great benefits for our children

People who live nearby parks, for instance, are more physically active. They also feel less stressed and depressed compared to those living in asphalted, concrete areas. This holds true among the children who get to play on environments where kids can be kids. For the parents, on the other hand, this gives them peace of mind, knowing that their children are safe, sound and secure. Not to mention, play is one aspect of our childhood where foundations are built, and that impacts the future.

When playing also, friendships are formed especially among children who get to socialize with other children from different backgrounds thereby bridging socio-economic and cultural divides.

On the contrary, some parents tend to become wary of letting their children play because of the existence of neglected spaces especially those that have dilapidated facilities. These places are perceived as risky. The severe these overgrown spaces look, the riskier they are perceived by the adults.

Nature heals, period. And the more we embark on these kinds of ‘green’ activities, the more we can improve our overall wellbeing. Evidently, the health benefits of living near the trees and bushes and everything else aren’t immediate. While the benefits may be gradual, these are sustainable, so you can expect health improvements in the long run.