If you are planning a major home renovation or are planning to build an extension on your home you may want to think about making it a green one. You can help to lower energy bills and protect the environment by being careful about the materials and technologies that you use in your home. Here are a few options that you may want to consider.

A strong foundation is important

A strong foundation is important if you are planning an extension on your home. Often, these are made out of cement and are fairly standard in their construction. It is possible to decrease the impact that a foundation will have on the environment. If you want to help ensure your home is as well-insulated as possible you should consider using earth or straw in the construction of your foundation.

Straw and earth can act as natural insulation that will help you lower your heating and cooling bills. Because it looks the same as a standard foundation you may not be able to tell the difference between your new, energy efficient foundation and the one that was part of your original home.

You can also tie energy efficient heating systems into your extension. A heat pump can help to heat your home affordably and reliably and will not impact the environment in an appreciable way.

Insulating your new extension

Additional living space needs additional insulation in order to help keep the temperature at a comfortable level. You do not want to ruin the energy efficient nature of the rest of your home by under-insulating your new extension. Luckily, there are several different insulation materials that are quite energy efficient.

One option is insulation made from spun glass. This insulation traps air in much the same way that traditional fiberglass insulation does. The glass for the insulation is obtained by recycling glass bottles. Another type of environmentally friendly insulation is made from paper. If you have constructed your foundation using straw or earth you may find that you do not need to add as much insulation to the walls and air pockets in your extension.

Once you have finished the construction of your extension it will be time to decorate it. You can then choose flooring materials and paint that will also not have an impact on the environment or your own health. You will end up with a beautiful extension that will add value and functionality to your home.