PART THREE OF A THREE-PART SPECIAL SERIES
In a perfect world all homeowners undertaking a new-build or renovation would like the project to be as sustainable as possible. But for most of us, cost is a real factor. Will it be more expensive than a traditional build? The answer is... it depends. It’s likely that investing in better quality materials from natural resources will be more expensive in upfront cost – but the key word here is “investing”.
If the quality of that product means it has a longer lifespan and doesn’t need to be replaced as frequently, is it really more expensive? Or in the context of infrastructure – investing in energy-efficient systems and solar energy now, means low or no power bills will eventually pay back, and your overheads will decrease.
IT STARTS WITH DESIGN
If you can’t afford the very best or most sustainable option at every decision point, then start with a combination of the design and what is called basebuilding – meaning the core and shell.
When it comes to new-builds the design of the home, from the orientation, footprint and specifications, has a big impact on how efficiently it will