Should your home be more eco-friendly?
A sustainable home is becoming highly desirable with the rising cost of energy and the need to protect and preserve our precious environment. According to a CSIRO study, two-thirds of homebuyers prefer energy-efficient homes when given a choice. So if you’re thinking of buying or living in a sustainable home, you’re not alone!
Here is some inspiration for living a green lifestyle!
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Small Changes To Make Your Home More Eco-Friendly
Aussies are on the lookout for more green features before buying or renting. We are all searching for sustainable design elements with the aim of reducing negative impacts on the planet and boost the community’s well-being.
Many innovative eco-friendly features have been introduced in recent developments, such as renewable energy systems and embedded networks. But what are the basics of sustainable apartment design?
Save Your Energy – Switch to renewable energy sources
Encouraging natural light is the easiest and most effective way to help apartment dwellers enjoy the winter sun and avoid the summer heat. This can be done by simply increasing the number of windows or enhancing their size in your home. This reduces energy costs and improves residents’ well-being and productivity.
Solar panel design, energy-efficient appliances, and lighting such as LEDs are also effective eco-friendly features to look out for to lower energy and water consumption.
Eco-Friendly Materials are becoming a must-have in new builds – What are they?
Architects, Designers & Developers are also include materials that have been obtained from recycled, natural or renewable sources into sustainable apartments. For example, bamboo flooring, natural stone, wood, brick, low VOC paints and carpets.
Plants, Plants, Plants – Sounds simple, right?
Rooftop or podium gardens are another beautiful, basic sustainable design feature. They remove harmful airborne particles within the urban city air and provide a ‘green shield’ for the building, as the plants absorb direct sunlight.
Ridgewaters Kiama – Sustainable Features
At St Trinity, we realise the importance of providing for present generations’ needs without compromising the ability to meet the needs of future generations.
We hold economic, social and environmental sustainability as a priority consideration throughout our development process. We aim to minimise our carbon footprint along the way.
Ridgewaters Kiama offers a variety of green features that have been carefully implemented as part of its contemporary and sustainable design. These ecologically sustainable design features include:
1. Electric Vehicle Chargers and EV Charging Load Management
Climate-friendly electric cars are the future of transportation, and we understand that.
At Ridgewaters Kiama, we provide our residents with electric vehicle charge systems, where drivers can achieve better fuel economy and lower their fuel costs compared to conventional vehicles.
We encourage electric vehicles to reduce greenhouse gas and exhaust emissions, which help address climate change and impact air quality and our health.
2. Provisions for Solar Panels
Solar panels harness the sun’s energy without producing emissions as other traditional fuel technologies do. This means that residents can consume energy that does not negatively affect the natural environment. This is a great sustainable and economical feature that positively impacts the planet whilst lowering your energy bills.
3. Communal Open Space & Gardens
Ridgewaters Kiama adds more plant life to the area through shared open spaces and outdoor gardens, creating its own little ecosystem with suitable plant species for the region.
These communal spaces also improve interaction and social cohesion, encouraging Ridgewaters Kiama residents to enjoy the outdoors without having to leave their homes. This reduces the need to travel to other open spaces by car, lowering exhaust emissions that negatively impact the environment.
4. Rainwater Tanks
Rainwater tanks are installed at Ridgewaters Kiama, where the water will be used for landscaping maintenance and other communal amenities within the development. This feature saves water and provides cost-efficiency to our residents.
5. Central Location
Ridgewaters Kiama is centrally located to Kiama’s most popular recreation and lifestyle amenities. Residents can enjoy a lifestyle of convenience, with less travelling distance to dining and retail venues at Kiama town centre.
This also encourages sustainable modes of transport, such as bike riding and walking. Not only beneficial to the natural environment, but Ridgewaters Kiama’s location will also positively contribute to residents’ health and well-being.
6. Cross Ventilation
Cross ventilation at Ridgewaters Kiama allows for a natural cooling method. The apartments’ dual balcony designs enable cool external air in one way and warm interior air out in the other.
Naturally, this can help keep apartments cool and reduce the need for residents to use air conditioning on warmer days. This reduces your energy consumption, positively impacts the environment and lowers your electricity bills.
Are you looking to go green?
Ridgewaters Kiama is an ultimate seaside haven with amazing sustainable features that benefit the environment and your pocket!
If you are looking for a new space to call home that is ecologically sustainable, speak to our team at St Trinity today!