In our last blog, we discussed 10 great ideas for a tenant improvement project. We will continue and build on that last blog by further offering 5 sustainable office and home space renovation ideas.
What is a sustainable renovation? Essentially, this means an upgrade or improvement to your office or home space that reduces the amount of energy it uses, and this makes the home or office energy efficient.
There are some key benefits to achieving an energy-efficient home or workspace. These include:
Many office and home spaces utilize similar materials and products in their construction, interior finishes, and electrical appliances, and many of these materials and products can be replaced or upgraded to achieve a sustainable renovation solution. The lower the amount of electricity and gas a home or office uses, the more energy efficient it becomes.
Energy efficiency can be achieved in many ways and Hallmark Projects Ltd has resources available that can help commercial property managers and homeowners determine which upgrades will make big changes to their bottom lines.
So, here are some great ideas that Hallmark Projects can do towards achieving an energy-efficient, sustainable home and office renovation.
Older doors and windows are manufactured with poor insulating materials, may be warped and twisted due to age, and allow air through cracks and gaps on and around them. Many old windows are also single-paned which allows a great deal of heat loss from interior spaces.
Older furnaces employ less efficient burning technology and with age comes wear and even further reduction in efficient burning. Replacing an older furnace with a modern energy-efficient version will not only result in lower energy consumption for powering the furnace but will also an provide improved and efficient heating experience around the home or office. Older and larger HVAC types of equipment can also drain and consume a significant amount of energy. Upgrading to an ENERGY STAR-Certified HVAC equipment can save up to 20% in energy bills over time. Together with upgrading the HVAC equipment or furnace, ensure to replace older thermostats with modern programmable thermostats that power on the equipment or furnace only at those times residents or occupants are at home or in the office.
Replacing electrical appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens, and microwaves which are also a great way to save on energy consumption. But replacing them with just any new regular appliance won’t do the trick. They must be replaced with an ENERGY STAR certified appliance to be considered energy efficient because ENERGY STAR appliances must be 20% more efficient than the standard for regular appliances.
Damaged or worn-out door and window weather stripping is a big source of heat loss in older buildings. The constant heat loss during colder weather places a strain on old and even new HVAC systems. Replacing weather stripping is one of the low-cost ways of saving on energy costs and will serve well in any sustainable renovation project.
Older plumbing fixtures like toilets, kitchen & sink faucets, shower heads, and tub faucets, all emit water at rates above current acceptable levels required to meet energy efficiency standards For instance, older kitchen and bathroom faucets can emit as high as 2.2 gallons of water per minute which is higher the required 1.5 gallons to meet the water efficiency requirement set by Watersense, a program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designed to encourage water efficiency in North America. Always look for the WaterSense label whenever purchasing new toilets, faucets, or shower heads.
Give us a call at Hallmark Projects now to discuss some more energy-efficient options and practices that can be done for your home or office renovation.
