How to Choose Sustainable Yet Luxurious Materials for Your Home
It is no secret that sustainability is one of the leading priorities in the modern real estate market. Homeowners are increasingly looking for ways to reduce their cost of living while simultaneously lowering their environmental impact. While sustainability often carries connotations of “reduction” and “less,” it is important to understand that there are many ways to promote sustainability without sacrificing style.
Many innovative building materials allow homeowners to reduce their carbon footprint while still capturing a breathtaking sense of luxury. With this in mind, keep reading as we explore some of the best sustainable--yet luxurious--materials for your home.
Explore Composite Roofing
An elegant roof can truly “top off” a luxury home. However, some of the most timeless roofing options, such as slate, clay tiles, or a wood shake roof, come with issues. Stone and ceramics are heavy and difficult to work with. Wood dries out quickly in the face of UV exposure and must be regularly treated.
As a result, many luxury homeowners are exploring the benefits of composite roofing tiles. Engineered using a mixture of asphalt, fiberglass, and recycled polymers, composite tiles can be manufactured in a wide array of designs to match the style of any home. This allows the roof to match the beauty of traditional classics while offering improved fire, moisture, UV, and impact resistance.
Implement Glass Features
Glass offers an elegant aspect that can take any luxury home to the next level. From large, sparkling windows to crystalline staircase railing, glass features are becoming increasingly prevalent in modern luxury homes. However, it is not just the icy elegance that makes glass appealing. It performs well as a sustainable building material as well. It is nonporous and can be easily cleaned with a wipe of the rag. Because it offers natural light transmission, it is a top option in passive home design.
There are even more innovative forms of glass, such as low-E and vacuum-insulated, that come with technologically-advanced thermal properties for even greater sustainability.
Leverage the Open Concept
The open concept offers many benefits to a luxury home. It creates a bright, inviting ambiance. This can reduce reliance on electricity as an artificial lighting source. Fewer walls also enhances the sense of spaciousness. The open concept also gives homeowners greater flexibility to customize interior design.
The downside to open interiors is noise transfer. There are fewer physical barriers to block sound waves. Some types of furniture are made to provide some soundproofing. Demountable partitions can also be used to create a bit of defined space and privacy as needed. One particularly creative idea is to hang acoustic art panels on the walls.
These offer a similar profile to hanging picture frames while providing a noise reduction coefficient (NRC) up to .95--just short of the standard for complete soundproofing. These stylish acoustic panels introduce key soundproofing mass that promotes a tranquil vibe throughout the luxury space.
Choose Engineered Quartz Countertops
Stately stone countertops are one of the calling cards of a luxury home. Unfortunately, many popular options like marble, granite, and concrete, must be regularly sealed to prevent absorption of food and beverage spills. Therefore, it is worthwhile to look into nonporous quartz countertops. Engineered with mineral quartz and held in place with an epoxy resin, quartz countertops can be fabricated into a solid, one-piece installation that offers the utmost in style and low-maintenance features.
Install Subfloor Heating
Warmth and luxury go hand in hand. Staying nice and toasty on even the most frigid days provides the all-important physical and emotional security. Unfortunately, kicking old-fashioned forced-air heating systems into overdrive is not energy efficient. It can be extremely difficult to heat cold pockets that are far away from HVAC vents.
As such, more and more homeowners are exploring the benefits of electric floor heating. This type of “radiant” floor heating system uses a series of subfloor heating mats that release heat in a stove-like fashion through the flooring. Controlled via a smart app, this innovative system provides an even, consistent heating experience that eliminates the need to have hot air blowing at all hours of the day.
Switch to Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo flooring performs very similarly to solid hardwood. The two materials are also difficult to distinguish upon a casual glance. However, bamboo is a far more sustainable material. Bamboo grows in dense patches and can be ready for harvest in as little as 18 months after sowing.
This is in stark contrast to timber. Trees can take decades of growing before they are ready to produce usable lumber. By making the switch to bamboo flooring, homeowners can maintain the same luxurious hardwood aspect while significantly slowing the rate of deforestation.
Prioritize Sustainability Without Sacrificing Style
Sustainability is a top priority in modern real estate. From composite roofing to bamboo flooring, there are many innovative materials that allow homeowners to live in style without harming the environment. For more of the latest trends shaping New York real estate, explore the resources at Off the MRKT for the leading market insights!
