What is sustainable renovation? This is a question many people may find themselves asking
after doing research for their home renovations and coming across this concept, which may still
be foreign to a lot of house owners.
Sustainable renovation is actually quite a simple concept, which focuses on making the best use
of both old and new materials, as well as finding ways to avoid harming the environment and
help local communities. This sustainability should be one of the main focuses of the renovation,
and it should be thought of not only when choosing and using materials, but also during the
design process, so as to make the house itself more efficient and thus sustainable, even beyond
the renovation process.
In what relates to design, sustainable renovation refers to tasks like making sure the house is
energy and water efficient so it makes better use of natural resources and doesn’t waste any,
but it also refers to making the best use of the space available in the building, and even
reducing the space used to also reduce the quantity of materials used. Other sustainable design
choices include opting for a classic design which will be easier to update with simple changes
and need to less frequently, and make sure all the materials are easy to clean and maintain,
which will also prevent having to replace them frequently.
As for the materials themselves, renovating sustainably means repurposing your own materials
and existing structures or using reclaimed and recycled materials, as well as renewable and
recyclable ones. It also means builders should try and avoid using any excessive materials, for
obvious reasons, and opt for lowVOC and nontoxic materials when possible. It is preferable, in
this context, to use materials manufactured locally and that will last longer, as it’s already been
mentioned, so that the construction is more durable and longlasting, and also to avoid having to
use any extra materials to replace them should they get broken easily.
Finally, it is also important to avoid wastage by borrowing any tools or machines needed, since
they might not be useful in the future, and to dispose of any materials not used or removed
during the renovation responsibly, as well as containing any dust or waste products that could
pollute the surrounding areas.
This is just one of the simplest answers to the question of “What is sustainable renovation?” and
what can be done. A good way to make sure a renovation is sustainable is to consult with
professionals like Trademark Renovations to make the project as sustainable yet close to the
original vision as possible.