Whenever you hire an architect for planning the layout of your house, he/she makes intricate and detailed house plans that provide all the information of your new house. These blueprints are extremely detailed and are not very easy to read without gaining a general knowledge of how to decipher the terms and information. It is important for you to sit down with your architect and get to know the details of the blueprint of your new home more closely, so that you make the right decisions for making your home an Eco-friendly abode. Some important points which are look out before finalizing blueprints of your new home are described below.
1. Implementation of solar energy
The first and foremost thing to look out for is a provision of solar energy for powering the household gadgets and overall electricity requirements. This provision should be made in the blueprint in terms of the place of installation and the wires and cables that are connected thereto. A modern home should be self-sufficient and should make optimum use of renewable energy sources for heating and cooling needs. Such energy efficient homes not only prove to be Eco-friendly, but also help in reducing the monthly expenditure on electricity considerably.
2. Provision for Eco-friendly windows
If you have a bigger budget, or can stretch the budget a little, then do make sure that your blueprint has provisions for insulated glass windows. These windows are a great investment as they can help you lower your energy costs quite considerably. The temperature within the home will remain cool and comfortable both in the summers and winters as the insulating gas between these double pane windows will help in regulating the temperature inside the home.
3. Check for reflective insulation provision in your home
The heat of the sun can be successfully blocked by double pane windows, but the problem just does not end with that. If your home is located in a warm place where you receive the heat of the sun for most part of the year, then it would be wise to add reflective insulation to your roof and walls. Check in your blueprint for this provision, as reflective insulation prevents the flow of hot air inside the house and keeps it cooler as the walls and roof are layered with a reflective aluminum sheet so as to prevent the heat from getting absorbed into the walls and roof.
4. Water recycling units – reverse osmosis (RO) system and rainwater harvesting
Another important aspect of a green home is the unnecessary wastage of water. Make sure that your blueprint makes provisions for water recycling units for gray water that can be used in flush tanks and watering purposes. You could also make a provision for a reverse osmosis plant, so that you do not end up buying mineral water in plastic bottles that cannot be recycled. It is important to make sure that the plumbing requirements for setting this system in place is adequately mentioned in the blueprint of your new home. Another important green addition to your home would be the inclusion of a rainwater harvesting system on the roof of your home. Make sure that adequate provision has been made for the same.
5. Make sure that the construction is simple, compact and airy
The blueprint of your new home should have a plan that shows minimum number of protrusions, corners, bays, construction material with relatively less wastage, costs and employment of labor. Check for the number of doors and windows and the size of the same. It is important to make provisions for cross-ventilation and adequate natural light. The home should have provisions for both, which would make them energy efficient and green. The home should be compact as a small home uses less energy and is much more affordable to maintain.
6. Usage of green materials for construction
While going through the blueprint, make sure that green building materials such as cast earth, rammed earth, cob, adobe, straw bale, cord wood and so on are used to make your home truly environment-friendly. These building materials also help in naturally cooling the home with their cooling properties. This way, you can maintain a comfortable indoor temperature quite easily.
