The commercial and residential construction industry can use a lot of energy and release byproducts into the air. In fact, according to the International Energy Agency, it contributes 36% of energy usage and 40% of CO2 emissions worldwide. This fact goes to show just how important sustainable construction is. Here’s what you should know about the impact that sustainable construction has on the environment.

Reduction of Waste

One of the things sustainable construction focuses on is the reduction of waste in terms of water, energy, and materials. Let’s take a look at how a design build remodeling firm can reduce waste.

Water

When it comes to the long-term reduction of water usage in the home, there are many sustainable solutions. For example, the EPA found that 30% of an average home’s indoor water consumption is due to the toilet, making it the main source of water use in a home. The average toilet uses 1.6 gallons per flush, which can be reduced by 20% when a low-flow toilet is installed that uses an average of 1.28 gallons per flush, as cited by the EPA. Water usage can also be reduced by installing low-flow water fixtures such as sinks, showerheads, and even larger appliances like dishwashers and washing machines.

Materials

When it comes to materials, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that there are some building materials that are much more sustainable and eco-friendly than others. For example, reclaimed or recycled wood is growing in popularity, as it is aesthetically pleasing, easy to customize, and helps bring the feel of the outdoors inside. Another popular sustainable material is concrete. In fact, the Construction Materials Recycling Association estimates that about 140 million tons of concrete are recycled each year in the U.S. alone, making it a popular sustainable building material.

Energy

Reducing energy waste is about more than just installing energy-efficient appliances and lighting fixtures. While these will, of course, reduce your energy use, a greater reduction can be achieved by planning for energy efficiency in the design. This means making the most of sunlight to keep the home warm and using energy-efficient windows to let the light in to reduce the need for daytime electricity. High-quality insulation will also help your home’s energy consumption.

The EPA reports that homes and buildings are responsible for 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Luckily, sustainable construction can reduce this, and companies all over the world are adopting and supporting sustainable construction initiatives. If you’re looking to make your Delaware or Chester County home more sustainable, our team at Wegner Contracting is here to help. Give our design build remodeling firm a call today to get started with our services!