Did you know that you can save energy at home with a sustainable design? It’s a very attractive way to reduce your electricity bill and is easy to implement at home. In this article, we’ll explain how to do it.
Would you start building a house from the roof down? Just as you wouldn’t do that, you can’t start saving without first reviewing your electricity and gas contracts. You should start with the basics; in this case, make sure you’re happy with your supplier, regardless of whether they’re part of the energy sector. How do you reach this conclusion? There are tariff comparison tools available; by entering the details of your current deal, you can find out which tariffs are cheapest for you. You may find that your current supplier – which we assume is the one you signed up with – isn’t saving you any money, whilst others are offering very attractive tariffs. In that case, ring your supplier, cancel your contract with them and look for another one as soon as possible.
Similarly, do the same when signing up for natural gas. You can also find comparison websites for natural gas which work in the same way as the electricity options and allow you to find the cheapest price for you. All of this takes into account that both energy sources are already in use; if you need to register for natural gas or electricity, the procedure will be different.
Join the sustainable design movement
Now you can get involved in sustainable design. We’ll give you an introductory lesson, but it’s up to you to stay committed to this cause. Do you know what this term means? We could define sustainable design as architecture that is shaped by nature and guided by the principles of economic, ecological and social sustainability. What are the characteristics of sustainable design?
- Respect the environment. The product must be eco-friendly and designed to protect the environment.
- Use of clean energy. Its design was not simply a matter of form; it was conceived from start to finish with its function in mind and is intended to incorporate green energy
- Positive impact. Sustainable design aims to improve people’s lives whilst they live in harmony with nature.
- I thought about future generations. One of its key features is that it aims to avoid leaving a bleak future for future generations; for this reason, it is expected to be profitable in the long term.
- Minimise resource consumption . To minimise our consumption of resources, we need to create products with a long lifespan that can be reused or recycled.
- Give them more lives . With regard to the previous point, one of the basic principles of sustainable design is the multiple lives that can be given to objects. It seeks to repurpose them and make them biodegradable. The concept of «waste» does not exist.
- Meticulous and aesthetically pleasing. None of the principles mentioned above mean that this product is any less attractive or that less attention has been paid to its details.
Examples of sustainable design
- Wood is the ultimate sustainable material. It can be used both for constructing buildings and for small decorative items. Its range of colours adds elegance and aesthetic appeal, and has the power to transform cold spaces into cosy places.
- On the other hand, rugs can be second-hand and provide excellent thermal insulation. It has been proven that homes with this type of décor see a significant reduction in their electricity bills.
- LED bulbs that last for more than 25 years. It’s impossible to save energy unless you start replacing traditional bulbs with LEDs. In the same vein, light bulbs are one of the objects most open to reinvention: bottles, vases… There are a thousand possibilities.
- 100% chairs made from recycled materials, or which were previously used for other purposes. Some are made of cork, others from recycled materials, tyres… For designers, these are among their favourite objects because of the variety of shapes and materials they can be made from.
