Designing with the Environment in Mind

Eco design is not just about construction methods and materials.   It can, and perhaps should, encompass sustainable lifestyle ideas as part of the design and way of living.  A few Design ideas that could be integrated into your home design are;

Cycle storage – If you have the space, consider cycle storage. Create somewhere that is user friendly for bikes to be used on a regular basis. This will encourage the use of a bike to cycle to work or to the shops, rather than use a car. Using a bike is beneficial for your health and wallet with money saved on car fuel! 

Space for clothes drying – We all have to do it, for at least 8 months of the year either we use a dryer or the airer to dry our clothes in our home. Consider a dedicated space within your home or in an outside area that is suitable for the drying of clothes. This provides an alternative to using a tumble dryer which can use a lot of energy and add to your utility bills.

Recycling and Composting Facilities – When designing a new kitchen it is a really important to factor in the space needed to provide suitable separate waste and recycling bins within a cupboard. Consider it early in the design to avoid unsightly bins placed next to your beautiful new kitchen cupboards.  

Sound Insulation – When refurbishing a home it is a good opportunity to improve the sound insulation of dividing walls between other dwellings. This is especially useful if the walls are to have thermal insulation installed anyway as part of the refurbishment works. Noise travelling through dividing walls and floors can make for an uncomfortable living situation for the occupant, whether it is hearing conversations from an attached dwelling which is known as ‘airborne sound’ or footsteps from the dwelling above which is known as ‘impact sound’.

External Water Use – If your home has a private or communal garden, there may be an opportunity to install a rainwater collection system, such as a water butt, to use less mains water when watering the garden.

Water meters – Knowing how much water you consume by use of a meter and a visible display can be a good way of raising awareness of water use and identifying how much you can reduce water use in the home.

For more information on sustainable construction follow this link  https://tools.breeam.com/filelibrary/Brochures/63945—Sustainable-refurbishment-of-domestic-buildings-using-BREEAM.pdf

We are passionate about a practical and sustainable approach to home renovation and building works. Our vision is to make institutional-quality professional advice accessible to all homeowners, no matter the size of project you are planning, your budget or your location. 

We would be delighted to discuss with you improving your home environment.

Get in touch on office@stuartjamesassociates.co.uk  Or call us on 0207 228 8522

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