Eco friendly Apartment
As many are now prioritizing eco-friendliness as an important factor, sustainable homes can be even more difficult to find. Fortunately, renting a sustainable apartment is not an impossible mission, as long as you prioritize essential aspects. Additionally, even if you’re not able to find an apartment that checks all these boxes, you can still make small changes to your rental to make a more eco-friendly apartment.
Eco Friendly Apartment Living
Living in green homes not only reduces strain on the environment, it has other benefits for your health, pocket book and social benefits. delivers a host of health, economic, and social benefits, which greatly improves our overall quality of life.
Tips for Apartment Hunting
When looking at rental properties like canary wharf apartments rent, you want to start with the building materials. As a renter, you do have some control over the Eco friendliness of your space, however, to get into the nitty gritty, a lot of it will be weaved into the fabrics of the building and it’s materials. Real estate transactions can be complex; a real estate agent from Hollywood will make the process seamless. You may also hire property solicitors to help with the process of transferring property ownership.
LEED Certified Buildings
If you want the ultimate assurance, check to see if your prospective home has a seal of approval from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The most established rating system for green buildings in America, LEED certifies a new or retrofitted building if it meets their standards in terms of use of sustainable materials, energy and water efficiency, and so on. You can also begin your apartment-hunt by visiting their website for their list of LEED-certified apartment and condo buildings.
Energy Efficient Appliances
The second you can look for when apartment hunting is Energy Efficient Appliances. Look for the ENERGY STAR seal to know if a product is certified efficient by the EPA. This can lead to big savings. For instance, the EPA estimates that a programmable thermostat, when used properly to regulate the temperature, can save you up to $150 per year.
Also, keeping your Indoor Air Quality up to standard, cleaning or replacing ac air filter helps keep your systems energy-efficient! Just be sure that you know the hvac air filter location for you are not only saving your health from dangerous pathogens, but you can also save money on your energy bills. The consistency of maintenance directly impacts your air conditioner and its performance. Always consider energy efficiency in HVAC matters and you have to know also the hvac tune up cost!
If you have an appliance that needs to be replaced, your landlord might typically go with the cheapest replacement. However, Energy Star appliances can be eligible for rebates and tax incentives, which could encourage your landlord to go with an Energy Star appliance.
Communal Eco-Friendly Amenities
This is another factor that is important to look at prior to signing your rental agreement, as it can be difficult to add it later.
An eco-friendly life is always better when it’s shared and experienced on a collective level. If you wish to find the most sustainable apartment, check for any green communal practices or even eco-friendly efforts from your landlord. This can be as simple as providing electronic alternatives for monthly payments in an effort to reduce paper waste, to more organized efforts such as carpooling opportunities, and even more elaborate systems like communal recycling or composting sites.
Location Location Location
While you are on your apartment-hunt, keep in mind that it is not enough to look into the features that are inside the unit. You also need to consider how you will get around. Walking, biking carpooling or using public transportation can make a huge impact on your sustainable living. Look for apartments that are in convenient proximity to your office and other places that you need to go to as you go about your routine. If you’re looking to find a diverse city in South Carolina, consider how transportation options in the area align with your preferences for sustainable and accessible living. And if you’re looking for other real estate properties for sale, then you might want to check out these properties to sale Shawano.
Green Administrative Practices
Sustainability is always better when experienced each and every day, both on the individual and collective level. You can ask about eco-friendly practices such as recycling or carpooling programs. Additionally, check to see if the management has an electronic system for payments to reduce the need to print documents and mail service use. For those who are looking to notarize their documents, make sure to search for a notary public close to me online.
Living in an apartment
Although these next apartment factors are something that can be updated at a later date, it’s still important to check during the walk-through.
Eco-Friendly Lighting
As a renter, this is one accessory that you do have control over. Even if your landlord doesn’t issue them on their own, you can buy your own energy efficient lightbulbs. Keep the old ones and you can put them back when you move. Energy-efficient light bulbs will benefit you and the property in two ways. First, ENERGY STAR-certified compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) last longer than the traditional incandescent light bulbs. This reduces waste to be thrown in the landfills and spares you from replacement costs in the process.
Second, such eco-friendly bulbs use less energy, but without sacrificing lighting quality. While CFLs have been a popular choice in recent years, you may choose to opt for ultra-efficient LED lights or even halogen bulbs. While these lighting solutions may cost more than incandescent light bulbs, they are more likely to result in steep long-term savings and are kinder to the environment.
Weatherizing Features
Heating and cooling are a primary share of the monthly electricity consumption in a household. For the most energy-efficient and budget-friendly heating and cooling system, check for insulation that adjusts well to the weather. Excellent insulation, coupled with well-sealed windows, traps cool air in the summer and keeps a unit warm in the winter. If the building does not have insulation, ask the landlord if they could consider installing it or at the very least, seal the windows properly.
If you’re currently in an apartment or rental with a landlord that is unwilling to make these updates, there are some Floating Metal Staircase Options for an eco-friendly apartment you can make on your own that won’t permanently alter the rental.
Smart Water-Saving Fixtures
Even if water supply is not a problem in your area, a sustainable apartment or condo designed with optimal water efficiency in mind makes for a great living space. Inspect if the plumbing within the unit and the building are in excellent condition, with no leaks. If there is a plumbing issue, go to Sarkinen Plumbing website and schedule a visit.
Low-flow WaterSense-labeled showerheads could save an average family around 2,900 gallons of water per year. The savings extend to water heaters as the average household could save more than 370 kilowatt hours per year. That’s enough electricity to power a house for 13 days! If there’s not already one installed, ask if the landlord if you can have one installed.
In Conclusion
Looking for the ideal apartment is quite the endeavor. It can seem impossible to find a rental that meet all your needs and supports an eco-friendly lifestyle. However, as long as you pay attention to the important aspects mentioned above or find out how flexible the landlord for your eco-friendly lifestyle, finding an eco-friendly apartment will become that much easier, and your road to a more environmentally-conscious life that much simpler. Finding full service movers near me can also make the relocation experience smoother and less stressful. As an owner of a rental property, you may need to work with local contractors for its maintenance. You may click here if you’re in need of a roofing contractor to work on your roof.
Green Apartment living
When you don’t have complete control over your living circumstances, it can seem impossible for renters to save money or energy. However, green apartment living isn’t as difficult as some might think. It’s important to remember renters can save money. Just start small and be encouraged by those differences that start to add up. These tips or combinations will help save green, not just for our pocketbooks, but also for the environment. For a complete guide to green apartment living, check out this book:
Hopefully, this ideas will give you inspiration for your own sustainable apartment living ideas! Feel free to share your best tips in the comments below! Don’t forget to save this information for later!
