There are literally hundreds of firms in the United States today that buy up properties, remodel the homes and resell them. What makes some real estate investors different lies in the way they do a complete house remodel project. From start to finish, their goal is to make every property they purchase a green home, guaranteeing the new owner of that property a 100% environmentally friendly, energy saving home. They are proud of the work they do, and the homes they provide to the public. In this article, we will outline some of the things that these real estate investors do to create that green environment, and the benefits each step provides.
Green Home Remodeling
When people hear about someone doing home remodeling in a green manner, they often think that it just means adding fixtures like solar panels. While that may work for some, it is not the only way to make a complete house remodel project truly green. Not everyone can afford to have their home “off the grid”, but instead want the focus to be on saving on their utility bills every month, as much as possible. This is the same focus that these real estate investors use when they begin to remodel the homes they purchase for resale.
When their contractors set out to begin remodeling a home, their plan of attack is quite simple:
* make use of easily renewable resources or recycled products
* use only non-toxic products whenever necessary
* use low maintenance and long-lasting materials
* increase the use of economical means for using water and energy sources
Going green to them means making sure that the finished home will use less energy, passing the savings along to their clients, while maintaining good craftsmanship standards, and generally improving the appearance of the home, the environment within it, and extending the life of the home in the process. To do this, they improve the home’s insulation, install energy saving appliances and upgrade existing features within the home to create a complete energy saving environment.
Improving the Inner Environment
The first step in any renovation with an end goal of becoming an energy saving home is to look at the insulation. Any insulation placed in a home to create a green environment should be more than adequate to reduce energy consumption by making the home cooler in summer, warmer in colder weather, and reduce the negative impact on the inner environment by replacing any that contains toxic materials, like fiberglass. There are many energy reducing materials available on the market today that are hypoallergenic and are made up of either recycled materials or from completely renewable resources.
The next step is to look at the windows. Too many times, a homeowner will suffer from rising energy costs simply because the windows are not properly sealed and energy continually seeps out. By replacing existing windows and doors with more energy-efficient designs, the energy consumption can be reduced by 50% or more. To further enhance the inner environment, any repainting done on the inside is done with products that have a low volatile organic compound rating. This means a greatly reduced amount of toxic fumes being breathed in by residents, long after the paint has dried.
Promoting Energy Efficiency
By using Energy Star rating appliances throughout the home, the future homeowner will be saving at minimum, $20 a year on energy costs for every rated energy-efficient appliance. This includes water heaters, furnaces, air conditioning units, refrigerators, freezers, washers and dryers. In addition, a programmable thermostat will be installed that can further reduce the future owner’s energy bills. With a programmable thermostat, the inner environment is automatically regulated, eliminating the spikes that are associated with constant heat and air adjustment.
To save on water costs, things like water-saving faucets and shower heads may be installed, as well as low flow toilets. By replacing the existing shower heads and faucets in a complete house remodel with green replacements, the future homeowner will enjoy a reduced water usage by at least 50%. Add in low flow toilets, where the amount of water used by flushing is halved, and that savings percentage will rise to around 70% per month.
