Property: Six ways to create an eco-friendly home in Sheffield

While there’s a wealth of home improvements that can help improve your property’s carbon footprint, some can require a substantial amount of work, and money, to implement.

Estate agency Bective has put together six simple things you start doing right now in order to make a positive change and they don’t include bringing traffic to a standstill.

Smart home controls

We’re sure you’re aware of all the various home systems on the market and they can be quite baffling to get to grips with, however in the long term they can make a big difference to your life.

To put it simply, having one of these systems will allow you greater control over your home, and you’ll in essence have a smart home. With Hive you can control everything from one app. From heating and cameras to lights and alarms. You can also control your home hands-free. Hive’s devices work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri. There are also many other products on the market such as the Google Nest and Samsung Smart Things.

Green Energy

Renewable energy providers use natural resources such as wind, hydro, geothermal and biomass as opposed to fossil fuels (natural gas, oil and coal) to generate your electricity.

Ecotricity is Britain’s leading green energy company supplying green electricity and gas to homes and businesses across the UK. Ecotricty has built wind and sun mills up and down the country allowing them to supply 100% green electricity to their customers. They are pioneering their way with the aim of making Britain’s gas supply 100% sustainable by building green gas mills across Great Britain.

Opt for LED light bulbs – here’s why…

LED – Light Emitting Diode - is instant ON, there’s no waiting for the light to warm up, it’s an instant on and off. LED’s are more energy-efficient than standard bulbs. Over the lifetime of an LED product, it uses less electricity and requires replacing less frequently; saving even more energy in transportation, packaging and maintenance when compared to conventional lamps. All this adds up to lower CO2 emissions, a win-win for you and the environment.

Grow your own

Growing your own veg isn’t just a good way to save money, it’s also a great way to cut down your carbon footprint and be more eco-friendly.

Eco-friendly paints and wallpapers

Natural paint and wallpapers have been specially designed to have lower levels of volatile organic compounds and should be Forest Stewardship Council or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification certificated. The latter two certifications guarantee four trees to be planted for every tree used.

Shop second hand

22 million pieces of furniture are discarded each year in the UK and the majority is sent to landfills. The idea of everything having to be brand new almost sterilises the character and history behind your décor and home. The best places to find unique items are obviously antique markets, fairs and various antique shops in quirky parts of the country.