When we talk about leaving something behind, we may be talking about building a business or building a home – creating something that will continue to produce value for decades to come. Most conscientious homeowners would prefer that what they leave behind does not have an adverse impact on the environment.
When working with a custom home builder in Ponte Vedra, you have the option of building your home from the ground up to be eco-friendly. Here’s how:
Earth-Friendly Building Materials
Building a green home starts with the materials. A focus on renewable and recycled materials will get you off on the right foot. Ask your custom home builder in Ponte Vedra about materials like recycled steel, natural insulation, and ethically harvested lumber. Your options may vary based on location and other factors, but no matter where or what you’re building in the Ponte Vedra area, there should be something that works for you and also the environment.
Keeping the Roof Cool
Believe it or not, the roof is where the trouble starts in sunny states like Florida. Heat wants to rise, and many Florida roofs are like oven coils, collecting heat from the sun and warming the interior of the home. This, of course, drives up your electric costs as you run the A/C all day, all while burning the fossil fuels at the plant. A light colored roof and a well-ventilated attic can help quite a bit. In Ponte Vedra, a custom home builder can help to design a house around energy efficiency with solid insulation and an attic built to let heat escape.
Alternative Energy Sources
You might not be ready to make the switch over to full solar power. You might not be interested in digging a well or building a windmill on your property. But, you don’t have to commit fully to alternative energy sources. If you’d like to save a little bit of money and help the environment, you can look into solar water heaters, wherein the water for your shower, dishwasher, etc. is heated by a simple system of tubes laid through a black heat-absorbing panel. It’s worth doing a little research to see where you can add eco-friendly alternatives here and there throughout your house.
One of the best things about building a green home? More and more regulations are being passed insisting that new homes are built to be eco-friendly. Getting ahead of the curve now means fewer costly alterations later on. The earlier you start on being environmentally friendly with North Florida Builders, the better. Please reach out to us if you are considering going green with your new home. We’d love to help you reach that goal!
