cardboard to be recycled

Modern living has made an enormous impact on the planet, prompting people to seek more sustainable building practices when designing custom homes. The use of recycled goods and environmentally sustainable building materials go a long way to create a better future. There are things you can do as you build your brand new custom home to reduce your environmental footprint as you design the house of your dreams.

Tips for Sustainable Homes

There are a number of eco-friendly building materials to choose when working on custom home designs. They range from natural choices to more creative options that make new use of old material.

A variety of options are available to people looking for a sustainable custom home:

  • Making the right lumber choice is essential. Avoid using wood from endangered forests
  • Outdoor products that use composites or do not require toxic treatments offer a safer and reliable option for decks and patios.
  • High-performance building materials can increase energy efficiency. These include better windows, structurally insulated panels or tankless water heaters.
  • Using recycled products lessens the impact of waste on the environment, with dozens of materials to choose from like recycled wood, doors, and structural pieces. Not only does this help create a more environmentally-aware home, it adds character, uniqueness, and show stopping features.

Eco-friendly Building Materials

New efforts are underway to recycle and reuse products that are commonly discarded. Some materials even offer intrinsic benefits to the owners of the new home.

Consider these materials in your new custom home design:

  • Bark siding – Fallen tree bark can be repurposed as natural bark siding, and with the help of the furniture and plywood industries, every part of the tree can be used during construction.
  • Glass tiling – Glass, a natural product, can be recycled into gorgeous glass tiling for a bathroom or kitchen. It can be stained with many color options, including the color of sea glass.
  • Cork panels and flooring – Natural corks can be recycled to create beautiful mosaic cork flooring, as well as acoustical wall and ceiling panels.
  • Steel – Much of steel made in North America contains at least 28 percent recycled content and that can be recycled again for use in home building. It can be used for framing, roofing or as a structural element.

While these are just a few ideas for incorporating recycled materials into your new home build, you can discuss options with your custom home builder to do your part in minimizing environmental impact. Our design experts are standing by to help you design the home of your dreams for comfort, style, and sustainability! Contact us today and we’ll get started in helping you create the best design for all of your needs.

Carrington Homes

Carrington Homes

An award-winning builder, Carl and his team continue to share the same level of commitment when it comes to design, quality, workmanship, and scheduling.

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