Every time we turn on the TV, or open a newspaper, there seems to be a fresh warning about the damage we are doing to our environment. Our fossil fuels are running out, and those we still burn are causing climate chaos, we are told.
Is there anything that we can do to try and stop this from happening? We could help by living in more eco-friendly homes. Some forward-looking homeowners already are. Landlords keen to help the environment could find that there is a growing market for homes that are kind to the environment.
What is an eco home?
An eco-home doesn’t have to be an unusual, wooden home in the middle of a forest. It could be, but those kinds of homes don’t necessarily make the best rental prospects. But homes on developments such as South London’s BedZed are in high demand.
Homes on eco-developments are built for high-energy efficiency, and can even be carbon neutral. They are designed to make use of natural solar heat, collect rainwater for re-use, and even generate their own renewable energy through solar panels and wind turbines.
Buying an eco home
If you buy a home on an eco development, you shouldn’t be doing it just to make money. There may be restrictions on how much or even whether you can let your home, and while there is strong demand from a particular group of people, they may not have widespread appeal.
There is a middle ground. If you are want to encourage environmentally friendly living and make money, look to retro-fit property. Simple things like cavity wall insulation, a couple of solar panels on the roof, and triple glazing can help transform a property. An inefficient home leaking energy costs the environment and costs its tenants. An energy efficient home will be in strong demand from tenants looking to cut their bills and help the environment. Your Energy Performance Certificate could be the best piece of marketing you’ll do! You can create an eco-friendly home can be done without any initial cost through the government’s Green Deal.
Once you start thinking green, you’ll find it becomes second nature to do it. Look for specialist eco-friendly landlords insurance policies and utilities providers to help keep up your green credentials.