A green home is as much about the environment as it is about your family’s health and wellbeing: a green home reduces or eliminates negative impacts on the environment and health of those living there and create positive impacts.
There are many ways to build green into your home, such as using sustainable, non-toxic materials or maximising the natural resources around your home such as daylight and natural ventilation or using technology in a way to cultivate eco-friendly habits.
Here are ten tips to help you embark on your own green renovation journey.
#1 Use renovation materials that are certified green.
High impact, high volume materials such as paint, flooring, coatings, laminates and wall coverings can contain high levels of toxic substances like VOCs and formaldehyde, which are harmful to human health with prolonged exposure.
Ensure that these materials have a valid green building product certification, such as the one issued by the Singapore Green Building Council.
#2 Use of green walls or greenery to purify indoor air.
Indoor plants not only enliven the interior of the home, they also act as natural air purifies to improve indoor air quality. Certain species of plants such as the peace lily, spider lily, golden pothos, Chinese evergreen and snake plant particularly excel at cleaning indoor air.
#3 Use energy-efficient LED lighting.
Every home will undoubtedly make use of lighting. Ensure that all lighting used in the home are LEDs that last far longer than halogen-based lighting and consume lesser energy to operate.
#4 Set up task lighting to optimise usage.
Do you really need to switch on all the lights if you are just occupying a small corner of the home as your work-from-home station? Considering using dedicated task lighting for your WFH area or home-based learning setups!
#5 Make use of smart lighting or smart home management systems to optimise consumption.
Knowing how your household uses lighting and other electronics can help to optimise usage patterns and lower utility bills in the long run. Pair suitable devices to a smart home management system to help reduce energy wastage.
#6 Use solar film or blinds to regulate glare control and reduce heat penetration.
In sunny Singapore, window film, blinds and curtains are must-haves. Certain types of window film reduce both visible light and heat, helping to cool the interior of the home.
#7 Use ceiling fans to ventilate the home.
Instead of using air-conditioning systems to cool and ventilate the home, consider installing a ceiling fan to help regulate airflow indoors for greater comfort.
#8 Ensure that electronic appliances such as air-conditioning systems are rated 5-ticks.
Air-conditioning systems consume the most amount of energy in any home, which is why it is important to ensure that the most efficient ones are used to generate the best possible cost savings. Look out for the 5-ticks badge under the Energy Labelling Scheme managed by the National Environment Agency (NEA).
#9 Install solar panels or solar heaters.
Where feasible, having solar panels can help to power low-consumption household devices, such as irrigation systems for houseplants or even to charge your smartphone. Solar thermal hybrid air-conditioning systems which harness solar energy and ambient heat throughout the day are also available to homeowners.
#10 Switch to a green electricity retailer.
Signal your commitment to environmental sustainability by opting for green electricity offered by some of Singapore’s electricity retailers. Going green for electricity does not cost significantly more and will also help you to do your part in supporting carbon-neutral energy generation.
Facilitating Green Renovation
Now that you know how to build green in, make your green home a reality with special financing rates under the DBS Green Renovation Loan. The DBS Eco-aware Renovation Loan aims to raise awareness about the eco-friendly choices you can make in your home renovation process, whether it’s selecting non-toxic paint, choosing energy-efficient appliances, or leveraging smart technology to reduce carbon footprint.
Fulfil at least 6 out of the 10 items under the “Eco-aware Renovation Checklist” developed in collaboration with SGBC and enjoy an attractive interest rate of 4.68% p.a. (EIR 5.41%*) on your renovation loan.
