The effects of climate change are upon us. Rains are falling in greater volumes, and storms come with such force as to displace millions and take thousands of lives in some parts of the world. You have seen on television and on the Web how summers and winters are getting harsher.
Now is the time to retrofit your home, not only to prepare it for the onslaught of extreme weather, but also to reduce your carbon footprint and lessen the burden that human activities impose on Earth’s resources.
Lowering Your Carbon Footprint
In the United Kingdom, plans are underway for zero carbon emissions from 2016 for all new residential buildings. Other countries are formulating relevant regulations in the use of construction materials and in the energy consumption of buildings so that homes are more sustainable than they are now.
Think about measures to reduce carbon emissions from your homes of business establishment. You need not to spend huge amounts of money to achieve this. There are doable measures such as retrofitting windows, improving insulation materials, and using fuel-efficient equipment for heating and cooling.
Building on Safer Ground
For a new house, it won’t suffice to merely discuss sustainable design and building practices with the architect and contractor. Now it is practical to ask local authorities for information about the potential site and whether it is at risk for coastal erosion, flooding, etc.
Using Environmentally Friendly Materials
To discuss materials for sustainable housing, Perth consultants and contractors can sit down with you at length. Ask them about where to source sustainable timber that is up to industry standards. This is one way to help protect rainforests, presently being depleted by deforestation and agricultural processes by the minute.
To lower the environmental impact further, make enquiries about how building materials are produced, and which products cause the least pollution to the environment.
