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16 ways to design an eco-friendly home and lifestyle

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Designer: Marielle and Tobias of Familie Buitenhuys

In recent years, factors like global warming, pollution, and depletion of natural resources have had a negative impact on our planet. Hence, it is important to adopt a sustainable lifestyle and create an eco-friendly home sensitive to the environment. Adopt these simple changes that can help revive the ecosystem and reduce the home’s carbon footprint. An eco-friendly house is highly functional and comfortable to use. Additionally, there is a major switch from waste-producing to environmentally friendly products.

1. Bring in Natural Light and Cross-Ventilate

An eco-friendly home should be strategically oriented in a direction to take maximum advantage of the sun and the wind. For instance, there should be adequate window openings that allow good cross ventilation and replace the indoor hot air with a cool breeze. Avoid west-facing homes, as they tend to absorb too much heat.

Designer: Gruen Architecture

2. Passive Cooling

Passive cooling is the technique of naturally cooling the house for a comfortable indoor environment. During the construction of a new house, some features like external shading of the buildings with roof overhangs and shady plants prevent indoor heat gain. Additional cooling can be achieved with insulated cavity walls or reflective building materials, while water features like a pool, fountain, or waterfall can cool the outdoor air by evaporating water. Consider a light-colored or white roof, also known as cool roof, as it keeps the roof and interiors cool by reflecting the sun’s rays. Plant a green roof in urban areas to keep the roof cool and reduce the heat-island effect.

Designer: David Hertz Architects

3. Prevent Indoor Heat Loss

Air can make entry through cracks between the doors and windows and the walls and through the air ducts. Therefore, it is essential to weatherproof the house with caulking, sealing, and weather stripping to prevent leakage, if any. Introduce double-glazed windows in low-E glass as it limits heat transfer through insulated frames. Also, install curtains and blinds as thick curtains keep the room darker and cooler as it is a great way to cut down heat transfer between the indoors and the outdoors.

Designer: Jerricho Joya

4. Use Solar Panels

The sun is the mega powerhouse of green energy that harnesses the natural power of the sun to create electricity. Install solar panels on the rooftop or outdoors where there is plenty of sunshine as they absorb light from the sun and convert it into electricity. The installation of solar panels is costly, but it can help in saving electricity costs in the long run.

Designer: Salmela Architect

5. Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting is a method of saving and storing rainwater and using it for irrigation, cleaning, or gardening. An outdoor rainwater harvesting pit allows the rainwater to replenish the groundwater. One can install rainwater barrels to collect water from the rooftop and go for permeable pavers in the driveway so that the rainwater percolates into the underground water table. For example, in larger homes, one can convert lawns into catchment areas to store the rainwater through slopes and gutters.

6. Go for Organic Materials

Be mindful while purchasing new home furnishing or fabrics for your home. Consider bed linen, carpets, towels, etc., made of natural plant or animal fibers like cotton, linen, and wool instead of synthetic fabrics like nylon and polyester.

Designer: L & M Home

7. Create your Compost

Composting is a natural way of recycling where organic kitchen waste like vegetable and fruit peels, eggshells, food leftovers, and paper decompose and transform into chemical-free natural fertilizers for the garden. The best part about this valuable mineral-rich fertilizer is that it not only reduces landfill waste but also improves the soil quality by restoring nutrients, air, and moisture and reduces the emission of methane gas. Therefore, investing in a composter as per the available space is advisable.

Designer: Ben Cullis Watson

8. Reduce, Reuse & Recycle

Reducing, reusing, and recycling form the foundation of an eco-friendly home. Make it a point to reduce the purchase of new products, especially if they are not environmentally friendly, reuse and repurpose old things, and go for recycled materials like aluminum, glass, and reclaimed wood for the interiors. Consider natural materials like bamboo, cork, and linoleum and sustainably certified materials like recycled rubber roofing, carpets from recycled plastic bottles, and composite decking from wood waste, to name a few. Avoid paper kitchen rolls and use cloth-based mops that are reusable after cleaning and sun-drying.

Designer: SA Lab

9. Use Energy-Efficient Appliances

Investing in energy-efficient appliances that save cost and energy and do not compromise on it might be a costly investment compared to traditional appliances. Still, it will recover the cost over a lifetime. Check for an ENERGY STAR label on the appliance to choose energy star appliances for the home. It saves costs and energy and keeps the performance intact. Energy-efficient appliances include energy-efficient heating and cooling systems that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Look for appliances with 4 to 5 stars; the higher the rating, the less energy it will consume. Unplug all your electronic gadgets; do not keep them on standby mode. This will prevent the gadgets from consuming power when not in use. Instead of clothes dryers, consider air-drying the clothes to improve energy costs and savings drastically.

10. Switch to LED lights

Replace traditional incandescent lights with LED lights or light-emitting diodes that provide good illumination. The biggest advantage of LED lights is that they use less energy, emit less heat, have a large lifespan, and do not have to be replaced frequently.

Designer: Regalsolace Interiors

11. Invest in a Smart Thermostat

As heating systems consume a lot of energy, installing a smart programmable thermostat is advisable to monitor the temperature, control the heating and cooling and minimize energy waste. The HVAC system will work only when the thermostat reaches a specific temperature and can be easily controlled via a smartphone.

Designer: eCozy

12. Low-flow Water Fixture

Introduce efficient low-flow water fixtures in the bathroom and kitchen to control water usage. Install a dual flush for the W.C. to ensure restricted water use, as it is a great way to conserve water and reduce the house’s water consumption. If there is any leakage in the external and internal pipelines, it should be rectified immediately.

13. Introduce Houseplants

Houseplants have air-purifying properties and are one of the easiest ways to improve indoor air and eliminate toxins and other indoor air pollutants. Plants not only replace carbon dioxide with oxygen through the process of photosynthesis but also absorb indoor air pollutants like formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde that are emitted as VOCs from various household products and chemical cleaners.

Designer: Habitat Horticulture

14. Go for Non-toxic Cleaning Products

Replace hazardous cleaning products that emit harmful VOCs with natural cleaning products composed of essential oils and not comprised of chemicals like ammonia or chlorine. Additionally, toxic chemicals can enter the earth’s ecosystem and harm the environment. Steam cleaners are a great way to disinfect and clean bacteria. Some of the best products that can be used for cleaning include baking soda, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and lime juice are cost-effective ingredients that are perfect for preparing cleaning fluids for the home.

15. Use Organic Paints

Choose organic paints and water-based paints for your walls that do not emit toxic gasses indoors. These paints are odorless, lead- and chemical-free paints with low levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds).

Designer: ECOS Paints

16. Reusable Bags

As plastic pollution is a significant concern, one of our daily habits is eliminating plastic bags as it hurts the environment. Opt for reusable bags to reduce the consumption of plastic.

The post 16 ways to design an eco-friendly home and lifestyle first appeared on Yanko Design.

Equipped with a green roof, picturesque studio, and sustainable bathhouse, this net-zero home fulfills our home goals

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Even though I know I will probably never be able to live in one, I definitely like looking at homes that are located in the middle of nature. Of course, it still needs to have some kind of modern conveniences as a city girl like me still loves her creature comforts. But the idea of living in a luxurious but eco-friendly home near mountains and trees and rivers has a certain, romantic appeal, even if that will most likely remain just a dream.

Designers: Robert Hutchison Architecture & JSa (Javier Sanchez Arquitectos)

The Rain Harvest Home seems to meet all of the criteria I was mentioning above as it is located in a nature reserve in Valle Bravo, just two hours away from Mexico City. It’s actually more than just a house, although the house itself is already pretty amazing in itself. It also has an architect’s studio and a detached bathhouse just a few steps away from the main house. Even more eye-catching is the planted roof that seems to be hovering over the entire house.

This is a net-zero structure which means it balances the energy consumed by using renewable sources. It is basically designed to be extremely eco-friendly and its particular location is so the house ensemble can work in harmony with the nature surrounding it. It has a solar PV array as well as an on-site water treatment and storage system. So basically you can live there “off-grid” without actual electricity and running water. This is pretty important as the region and country it is located in consider electricity and water as precious commodities.

The house is designed as a pavilion with a majestic view of the Volcan Toluca Mountain and is placed on top of a raised concrete plinth which includes recent volcanic stone in its materials. On top of the house is its own green roof with steel columns. Of course, you’re already surrounded by greenery but having one on your roof gives more meaning to a greenhouse. From the point of view of a drone or on Google Earth, it looks like the house is just part of the nature reserve.

The stand-alone bathhouse is circular shaped and lets you enjoy various activities like hot bath, sauna, steam shower, and washroom. At the center is a cold plunge pool and looking up, you’ll see the skies directly. There is also an architect’s studio with its own skyspace and a large window that faces the Volcan Toluca Mountain in the North. That is probably enough inspiration for anyone to create their own masterpieces in that space.

The post Equipped with a green roof, picturesque studio, and sustainable bathhouse, this net-zero home fulfills our home goals first appeared on Yanko Design.

This eco-friendly prefab cabin in the Italian alpines needs to be on AirBnB!

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Who wouldn’t want to pack up and move to a beautiful tiny home that sits atop a hill in Aosta Valley, Italy? The House in Chamois is made of our sustainable architecture dreams – a modern, prefabricated home by Torino-based firm Leap Factory. As with all “Leap Houses,” the home’s entire design and construction process was managed by the Leap Factory team and was constructed with a modular system built of natural, recyclable materials to allow for maximum flexibility. All of the components provided by Leap Factory for the House in Chamois were also designed and produced in Italy.

The House in Chamois was created for Barbara and Giorgio, a duo with a deep appreciation for the outdoors. Used as a base for exploring the alpine landscape, the two-story home echoes the traditional vernacular with its gabled shape but is undeniably contemporary as defined by its streamlined form, minimalist design and full-height glazing. Its position above a main road turns the house into a new landmark for the village and has become a local attraction for visiting hikers.

As a ‘Living Ecological Alpine Pod’ (LEAP), the House in Chamois was designed to be environmentally friendly. The use of prefabrication helps minimize construction waste, and the installation process was done with minimal site impact. The structure is also “hyper secure” and engineered to resist earthquakes, hurricanes and other extreme climate activities.

The modular nature of the home also makes it modifiable. As with all Leap Houses, the House in Chamois was also designed with integrated furniture and finishes. “With its minimal shapes and spaces full of light, the house shows incredible attention to details, lines and materials,” the architects explained. “The layout of the rooms, furnishings and technical systems are fully integrated to give life to spaces where one can fully express their personality and live in harmony with their surroundings.”

Designer: Leap Factory

This $65,000 tiny house on wheels is made with eco-friendly materials for sustainable home owners!

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Back with yet another tiny home I am currently dreaming about – the Natura by The Tiny Housing Co! The tiny house movement promotes living sustainably, you use only what you need in terms of resources and space which doesn’t hinder your quality of life and also allows enough time for nature to complete its replenishing cycle. Natura is a wonderful example of the best to come out of the tiny house movement, it is an environmentally friendly home on wheels! “As negative as pandemic has been throughout the world, a positive thing that’s come from it is people have really come to realize that nature is important to people’s lives,” says Smith-Burchnell, Founder and Director of The Tiny Housing Co.

One of my favorite things about tiny homes is the loft-style beds because they give you a little private cozy corner and that is exactly how the bedroom in Natura is set up. It has a multifunctional king-sized bed with plenty of storage under the frame. The bedroom also has a single large window that makes it more spacious and allows for a lot of natural light to flood your top floor. The space optimization goes beyond the bedroom, there are many built-in spaces for you to put the things you own like under the stairs as well as in the walls! The choice of materials for exterior and interior has been kept in line with the eco-friendly mission – there is wood paneling on the exterior, a thick corkboard layer on the front to add a defining feature that doubles as a breathable, fire-retardant area by the bedroom. The house is well insulated because of the natural materials chosen. Natura also features 1000W pre-installed solar panels as well as an Energy Recovery Ventilator which helps to remove excess humidity, filters the air, and removes stale air while keeping your home warm. Like a modern house, it includes an elegant glass double door which doubles up as a glass wall that keeps the living area well lit and house plant-friendly. To add to the spaciousness, it also includes an outdoor deck – since the house is on wheels you can always change the view!

Natura is ready to move in as soon as you receive it and comes fitted with A++ energy-efficient appliances like a 2-hob induction cooker, fridge freezer, electric oven, extractor fan, under-sink water filter plus a bathroom with a large shower. “Small space, less waste, high-thermal efficient insulation & ERV system and super energy-efficient appliances means you’ll spend a fraction on bills if any. Use of corkboard reduces harmful VOCs, formaldehyde or other chemicals to be required in your home,” elaborates the team. While luxurious tiny homes are nothing new, not many combine luxury with sustainability like Natura.

Designer: The Tiny Housing Co

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If Greta Thunberg was a building, she would be this one!

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Every day we are seeing innovative architecture that is blending tech with nature to fit our modern lifestyles while benefitting the environment. These hybrid structures that think about humans and nature alike often result in the most beautiful buildings. The latest addition in sustainable architecture is the Rainbow Tree in Cebu, Philippines by Paris-based Vincent Callebaut Architectures which reduces the carbon footprint of every future resident.

The design team has described the Rainbow Tree as a multi-faceted revealing structure that pays tribute to the cultural and natural Filipino heritage. Cebu is one of the 66 creative cities awarded by UNESCO for its innovation in design, fashion, architecture, and the production of eco-responsible furniture – an example of the new world we are trying to build. The aim was to design a residential apartment that blended the luxury lifestyle with a sustainable lifestyle while being LEED + BERDE certified (environmental certifications). The 32-story tower stands at 115-meter and will be built using solid wood which is a natural renewable material available in abundance locally while 30,000 plants will grace its exterior. The technique is a genius one – the wooden slats are perpendicularly superimposed and connected using structural, organic adhesives such as tannins, lignin, cellulose, or even starch. “This organic building integrates the principles of passive bioclimatism and advanced renewable energies. We named it ‘The Rainbow Tree’ because it is an ode to Eucalyptus Deglupta, also known as Rainbow Eucalyptus, an iconic and colorful tree from the Philippines,” says the team.

You must be thinking about the wood being a fire hazard but the Eucalyptus is a slow-burning wood that does not release toxic fumes and transmits heat 250 times slower than melting steel and 10 times slower than concrete which cracks under the effects of the flames. There are 1,200 geometric modules stacked to make the structure and each module’s side measures 4 meters with the height varying between 3.2 to 4.8 meters. All the timber modules are prefabricated and standardized in a factory for precise mass production. The Cross Laminated Timber manufacturing process requires much less energy than concrete or steel, and moreover it does not generate greenhouse gases. Fun fact: the construction industry is a larger contributor to global warming than the airline industry, particularly the production of concrete. The local plants in the interconnected terraces create a natural ventilation system and are the glue for a symbiotic relationship between the residents and nature.

The trees are cut and harvested in short circuits from eco-responsible forests where each tree cut is replaced by planting another in the archipelago. As the trees grow they store carbon which would be released if not used to build the Rainbow Tree into the atmosphere – for 1 ton of wood produced, about 0.9 tonnes of carbon is confined which means the building has a negative carbon footprint! If Greta Thunberg was an architectural marvel, she would definitely be the Rainbow Tree.

Designer: Vincent Callebaut Architectures

A solar-powered floating Airbnb that lets you be a sustainable traveler!

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Unprecedented circumstances where we are all cooped up in our houses during summer just means one thing – bookmarking Airbnb houses and organizing your Pinterest board by what vacation would you like to take in all four seasons. Why a different board for a different season? Because summer is likely to be canceled and we must be prepared with holiday homes, like the Lilypad, that can provide an exclusive experience at any time of the year. I am sure you have seen this before – traveling is canceled (for now) but dreaming isn’t, so with all this extra time I encourage you to join me in daydreaming of a recovery weekend in floating Australian Airbnb.

The Lilypad is a luxury villa designed by Chuck Anderson and is anchored just north of Sydney’s Palm Beach. Anderson is a boat enthusiast so it is no surprise that he created a floating house! This beautiful Airbnb is also eco-conscious, it is completely solar-powered and is slowly helping us pivot towards sustainable travel. The exterior of the house is made from timber and includes an open living area, a wine cellar, a sleeping loft and, of course, a bathroom (for all that wine that we will consume post quarantine on our holiday!). To feel fancy, you have an al fresco dining (means you can eat your food while enjoying the breeze and sun when going outside is cool again) and sunbathing area on the lower level which also boasts of an expansive terrace.

“Lilypad Palm Beach was born by breaking the mold of traditional boating design to create the most unique sustainable escape with uncompromised luxuries,” says Anderson. The white interiors are a soothing contrast to the blue waters and make the natural light that comes in glow more. It’ll also be fun to have a paddleboard race on the waterfront as this Airbnb comes equipped with paddleboards, fishing equipment, and a tender to take to the beach nearby. To add a cherry on top of this dream vacation, the property also comes with a 24-hour concierge who can arrange for on-site massages. Go on, check out, I am going to stay here in my daydream for now.

Designer: Lilypad by Chuck Anderson