Living sustainably in a new build home
From insulation to upcycling, there are many ways you can up your eco credentials living in a new build home - and it can save you a lot of money.
Brand ambassador Lyndsey Olsson (@journey_to_our_clayton_corner) shares the sustainable benefits of buying new, and how she incorporates sustainable practices into everyday life.
All images below credited to @journey_to_our_clayton_corner
Old versus new
Before buying our first Persimmon home back in 2012, a Hanbury, we lived in an older property where solid fuel was used for both heating and hot water, in addition to an electric meter. This was extremely expensive and often an inconvenience, especially with a young child. We needed to pay for coal, wood, a chimney sweep and find stores that offered a top-up service for our electricity.
All these factors came with their difficulties and also contributed negatively to our holistic health, specifically our little boy who has asthma and an allergy to dust.
The idea of buying a new build had never crossed our minds until we spoke with a sales rep at Persimmon. We were given information about the measures taken to make each property sustainable, including:
- Installation of eco toilets to reduce water use
- Increased depth of insulation to allow for better absorption of natural heat
- Evergreen plants either on your plot or nearby, to contribute to reducing your carbon footprint
- Green spaces on developments, many of which provide a home to wildlife (we’ve since seen deer in the greenery around our development, highlighting the importance of these spaces).
After learning of these benefits, we were instantly sold!
Kind to the planet and your purse
It didn’t take us long to see these benefits in action. When we moved into our new home in December 2012, we walked in and even without heating or carpets the house was naturally warm. As a consequence of the insulation used, we also instantly saw a reduction in the cost of both gas and electric by at least 50% compared to our previous property. For the period of 2012- 2019 our bills combined never exceeded £100.
This meant that upon buying our second Persimmon home, a Clayton Corner, we were already well aware of the sustainable and economic benefits. Our gas for the previous winter cost just £38 for the whole season, while our water is £60 per month for a family of four.
Image: These shelves were upcycled from old scaffolding boards
Rules to live by
As well as enjoying the sustainable benefits of living in a new home, we take whatever simple steps we can to reduce our carbon footprint.
As part of our daily lives, we recycle as much as possible and reuse items around the house. For example, when we go to the supermarket I take reusable bags, and also buy items which are in recyclable containers or refill packages rather than single-use plastic containers. I then decant household products and certain foods into containers throughout our home.
To avoid the overuse of water and electricity, I wait until I have a full sinkload before washing up, and don’t have a dishwasher. Where possible I also avoid the use of a dryer by hanging my washing on a clothes horse or on a clothes line outdoors.
When it comes to décor, we love to upcycle. We’ve recently upcycled our extremely old dining table, and used old scaffolding boards to make shelving. The plan is to continue upcycling throughout our home, making changes by reusing items we already own.
You can see more of Lyndsey's beautiful home on her Instagram account, @journey_to_our_clayton_corner
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