Author: Seeff, 13 August 2018, News
What does a sustainable home really look like?
One of the biggest issues facing mankind is global warming. Its effects on animals, agriculture and humans are frightening and this has caused many homeowners to install and incorporate “green features” in their homes and lifestyle.
Reducing one’s carbon footprint is becoming trendy, but what does a sustainable home really look like?
A sustainable home is first and foremost a home that works with the environment and not against it. It includes solar design and water conservation elements and makes extensive use of sunlight and natural light conserving energy wherever possible. A home that is truly sustainable will also consist of recycled and non-toxic building material and minimise waste and recycle.
Elements like solar panels, skylights, insulated walls and ceilings and rainwater collection tanks are evident in sustainable homes. A sustainable home’s design aims to allow for sun during the winter and shade during the summer in order to negate an artificially controlled environment where ever possible.
Sustainable homes also make use of appliances with high energy-efficiency ratings and using renewable electricity sources where possible. With regard to gardens and landscaping sustainable homes will favour local and indigenous plants, flowers and trees.
While many Seeff licensees in Gauteng agree that there are many benefits of going green including saving costs in the long run, the implementation of these are quite expensive and doesn’t seem to have a significant effect on resale value in Gauteng yet.
Due to the fact that consumers are looking at ways to reduce their carbon footprint and to save costs on the long term, there is certainly a rise in the demand for homes with energy saving features, but they are not common enough to have a standard when it comes to increasing re-sale value.
With this in mind it is not advisable to install something like solar panels only to attract higher offers, but if it is something you desire and you can afford to do go right ahead.
Steve van Wyk from Centurion says if solar panels were to increase the value of your property it could be up to R600 000 as this could be the costs of installation depending on the type and extent of the system.
Charles Vining from Seeff Sandton says while solar panels per se do not increase the value of a home, they are certainly an attractive feature to have and in some areas in Sandton a home with energy saving features is positioned more favourably with buyers than a similar home without it.
“In a buyer’s market, where buyers are relatively spoiled for choice, green features could indeed be a value add and setting one home apart from another”.
Source: https://wellington.govt.nz