Bathroom ideas can help you go green and enjoy all the benefits such as lesser energy cosumption and lower utility bills – without compromising on appearance or style. In fact, it’s easier to embrace a green attitude when it comes to designing a bathroom. Simple bathroom ideas such as replacing fixtures that were manufactured before 1994 will instantly make an impact on the environment. Not only that, you will begin enjoying cost savings almost immediately.
With the growing demand for ‘green’ environment friendly solutions, a booming marketplace provides various options for recyclable and sustainable products in bathroom design. Remodeling bathroom ideas are increasingly green themed, with the National Association of Home Builders claiming that one in four of their survey respondents are demanding green remodeling.
How Do Green Bathrooms Benefit You?
Given that bathroom remodeling is among the most frequently carried out home modification procedure (along with kitchen redesign, adding new rooms and roof replacement or repair), there are more green bathrooms today than before – and that number looks to be constantly growing bigger. Bathroom remodeling ideas are plentiful and effective.
Energy efficient products and those that tap into the preference for recyclable energy and sustainable power are appealing to the consumer who is collectively spending a lot of money on upgrades and modifications to homes. Americans spend over $200 billion dollars every year on home remodeling. And since green eco-friendly bathroom ideas can save a home owner a lot of money on utility bills, they are justifiably gaining popularity.
Low flow water fixtures help reduce water consumption in the bathroom by several thousand gallons every year. Air quality in homes which implement green bathroom ideas is also better. Heat within the building as well as chemicals in cleaning agents, cosmetics and hygiene products all remain trapped inside poorly ventilated bathrooms. This leads to harmful health effects such as asthma and cancer. Reducing volatile organic compounds is a function of bathroom ideas that are eco-friendly, thereby providing health advantages.
Green Strategies & Bathroom Ideas
Small bathroom ideas that implement energy friendly approaches can seem complex and costly. There are many products to choose from, making it a forbidding task. Here are some bathroom decorating ideas and strategies to help.
1. Choose low VOC materials for your cabinets and vanity tops. Urea-formaldehyde that is used in conventional bathroom ideas can throw off harmful volatile organic compounds for as many as 15 years. Recycled bathroom tiles can be used as vanity tops.
2. Fluorescent lighting can provide high efficiency and performance at low environmental cost. And by designing windows and skylights to let in more natural light, you can further lower the energy consumption of your green bathroom.
3. Vent fans to take away odors and irritants as well as reduce moisture can lower mold growth. But vent fans that are controlled by timers to automatically turn off after 20 minutes can optimize energy use. Insulating windows and vent sites can lower heat loss and reduce power needs for heating and cooling.
4. Recycled glass and ceramic shower stalls can reduce carbon footprints. Acrylic and fiberglass, while easier to maintain, are less eco-friendly. Bathtubs and showers can be recycled into new bathrooms. Bathroom tile ideas and flooring made of natural linoleum, or even cork and bamboo, helps keep the bathroom green.
There are many bathroom ideas to optimize your home and keep it energy efficient. Look at bathroom pictures from other green homes to get some excellent ideas. Find a good consultant to guide you on the best approach and stay focused on making small changes that have a big impact cumulatively over many years.
