The idea of future-proofing your home for a time of extremes can seem frightening. It doesn’t have to be.
Regardless of any stances on the debate, the idea of preparing homes for the long-term is sensible and intuitive. It doesn’t have to be a negative experience either.
Making your home climate-change ready can provide exciting options towards making your home lucrative for potential future sales, or just desirable as a home to last generations.
From cost–efficiency to permanent resilience, here’s how you can make your home climate-change ready:
Heat & the Sun
Anywhere that deals with hot climates will understand the necessity of having a house built to protect from that heat.
With the inevitable rising temperatures of the future, houses that make the most of increased solar radiation, while keeping its inhabitants safe and cool within, will become all the more desirable.
And this is how one might go about it:
1 – Solar Panels
Whether building a new home or improving an existing one, solar power provides an excellent source of auxiliary power.
As long as the sun is shining (and it will!), the passive absorption of solar energy should provide your house with enough power to run most of the household electrics.
Assuming local infrastructure is in place, beyond a free source of recurring power, there are opportunities to sell off excess power to energy providers across the country.
2 – Smart Design
The way a house is designed can affect the way it absorbs and distributes heat.
There are methods of passive design and natural ventilation that can shade and cool a house from the constant heat of the sun.
A great benefit of this is that it has no running costs, yet it can drastically change the comfort of any home.
3 – Wind Load
With the potential for drastic changes in air pressure, the increase of winds could threaten the structural integrity of a home.
Building or reinforcing the foundational structure of a home so that it can withstand stronger wind pressure is a definite long-lasting measure for the future.
Greenhouse Emissions
Despite much of the global carbon emissions being attributed to industrial sectors, it can be shocking to discover how much your own home can produce each year.
Beyond environmental benefits, designing your home to use less power comes with the benefit of lower cost, which is a net plus for anyone involved.
1 – Passive Design
Whether maximising solar power, or using the warmth of the sun itself in cooler climates, passive design is crucial.
Taking note of your home’s orientation, insulation quality and overall space can minimise energy use along with producing fewer emissions.
2 – Greenery
Gardens or sections of your home that have space should take advantage of extra greenery.
Hedgerows and trees can provide natural shade from the sun while helping off-set the present carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
3 – Recycling
Taking advantage of what you already have is an underrated asset. Water collection and storage spaces in places where water is becoming sparse could be essential. Redistribution of heating through exchange piping or extra ventilation means cheaper, energy-free heat for colder homes.
Being aware of climate-change in regards to your home should not be a cause for panic. It is important, yes, but it should be seen as the logical steps to improving your home and making it more desirable in an ever-changing and competitive market.
Adaptation does not have to mean compromise — make your home among the homes of the future!
Cloe Matheson from New Zealand loves reading about all kinds of topics such as lifestyle, travel, technology, and sustainable living. She enjoys researching about the latest tech gadget releases and marveling at how rapidly technology has evolved over the years. Check out more of Cloe’s work on her blog.
