9 Most Eco-Friendly Home Upgrades in 2024

When you think of home upgrades for your home or business, the first things you may consider are the cost and sustainability of the renovation. Climate change’s impact is worsening and everyone wants to contribute to the environment in their own ways. Fortunately, technological advancements have made it possible to beautify your space without compromising the environment. Learn sustainable ways to improve your estate while helping the planet.

1. Natural Fencing

Remodeling your home or business in an eco-friendly way doesn’t require a considerable investment. As a starter, plants, bushes, and vines around your outdoor space can provide the protection you need without burning cash. Plus, they add a natural appeal to your estate.

Privacy fence options like yews, bamboos, private hedges, and azaleas are the favorites when it comes to natural barriers. These require low maintenance, with trimming being the most demanding task you’ll occasionally do to clear sightlines around the property.

Plants and trees take time to grow, but they’re worth years of invested patience. They add depth and dimension to your space while flowering ones blossom as showstoppers to your landscape. If you only have a few months to spare to care for a garden, some bamboo species can proliferate almost 3 feet per day — that’s 1.5 inches every hour. The technique to giving your home a natural lift in a short amount of time is to find plant types that mature fast.

2. Motion-Detecting Outdoor Lights

Add a modern twist to your yard with motion-sensor solutions powered by renewable energy. This sustainable innovation is a minor yet cost-effective revamp that makes your home stand out from the rest of the neighborhood. In addition to safeguarding your home all night in your absence, these motion-activated lights also enhance the natural allure of your landscape, illuminating the walkways and accentuating the architectural highlights on your patio.

Watch this video by Techquickie to learn more:

Remember that outdoor spaces are an extension of your home, and they catch attention. Don’t leave them out of your eco-friendly renovations.

3. Smartphone-Operated Indoor Bulbs

Do you dream of a place you can remotely control? Take the first step in smart home technology by furnishing your living or bedroom with a mobile-operated lighting system. Whether you’re in Hawaii enjoying the beach or in India taking a mindfulness course, these energy-efficient bulbs perfectly slot into existing fixtures to let you manage your home wherever there is a Wi-Fi connection and an app.

LEDs are 75% more efficient than incandescent bulbs, making them the most environmentally sound option for lighting. Boosted with smart features, you’ll never have to worry about a costly electricity bill if you forget to turn off the lights. You can schedule when smart bulbs power on and off or set a dim timer to remind you it’s nighttime.

Whether you’re having friends over for a night of fun or in the mood to relax, you can change the color and brightness with ease to adjust the tone. This smart light switch gives the impression of elegance without breaking the bank.

4. Green CCTV System

Another option to consider if you’re opting for a sustainable home modification is your video surveillance system. Installing one can prevent theft and crime and identify weak areas around your property you can fortify. Design-wise, it makes your home look as advanced as those you see in movies — but its biggest merit is security.

They remain functional even if an outage happens, giving you peace of mind. Since it’s mostly powered by solar or batteries, you save on utilities. Be sure to select energy-efficient green products with multiple features that promote a healthy environment. How? Here are some tips to guide you.

• Choose durable cameras: Pick brands with upgraded features, like weather-, vandal- and impact-resistant. All these contribute to a robust security system regardless of the environmental conditions, improving their reliability and longevity. Fewer repairs mean improved sustainability.
• Opt for a system with intelligent video analytics: Many brands have built-in video motion detection capability for event-based recording, which means only when the camera’s frame detects movement will it start recording. It’s energy efficient and a storage saver.
• Pick one with remote surveillance and monitoring features: This benefit helps secure your home and business office or if you own multiple properties. Access to camera feeds on the go through a mobile app allows you to skip traveling between your home and business office to check security, reducing your carbon footprint.

5. Solar-Powered Alarm Systems

Fortunately, it’s easier to mesh security with sustainability through renewable energy sources. Many models of security cameras are sold in bundles that package rechargeable batteries and fully customizable solar panels to power up your alarm systems around the clock and without interruptions. Since they’re small and compact, they will do well to survey the garage and area in your front home where you typically park your car. 

Car thefts in major cities are getting out of hand, with Denver, San Francisco and Seattle being among the most affected. If you park your wheels on residential streets overnight, this system will reduce the risk of stolen assets while surveying your estate. They’re an eco-friendly and affordable addition to your home’s security so you can better protect your property.

6. Window Upgrades

Many people think of windows in terms of security, not aesthetics. However, there’s a way to make your old, unappealing window look exquisite, functional and energy-efficient — all at the same time.

First, check your windows’ weak points and reinforce them to elevate their defense. Replace flimsy, deteriorating frames with vinyl. While each window costs around $250-$600, it’s a worthwhile investment, resistant to rotting, decay and hard weather changes.

Those with thin glass panes offer little security to resist the impact of breaking. Switch to solid and energy-efficient options — like laminated and tempered — and save as much as 45% on your next month’s energy bill.

To dress them, replace the curtains with lined and pleated drapes to add a formal charm. Feel free to use blinds to make them look current. If they have wide enough sills, line them up with small greeneries to inject positive energy into the space. Windows are meant to secure your home — but who says they can’t look beautiful?

7. Keyless Entry Systems

As many as 92% of homeowners want sustainable solutions for their homes and make them environmentally friendly from top to bottom. The use of smart locks in doors fits the bill for sustainability. Many think it doesn’t since it uses electricity but the trick is choosing the right ones that are energy-efficient and great fits for green homes since they eliminate the hassle of printing keycards and curb plastic usage. The most eco-friendly picks are smart locks that use fingerprint, pin code and smartphone to enter the space.

The keyless entry system market was worth almost $4.6 billion in 2022 but is projected to reach $14 billion in 2033. The massive growth proves the colossal appetite for sustainable measures and convenience on door entrances.

Smart locks offer a practical yet modern solution to prevent unauthorized entry on your property while cutting down the need for extra resources, like PVC plastic, to make keycards. You can access and control your property remotely, eliminating unnecessary trips between your office and home if you forget to bring the keys. Moreover, they’re durable and can withstand wear and tear, minimizing the frequency of repairs or replacements.

8. Automated Blinds and Window Shades

Much like indoor lights, blinds you can control in isolation can provide another contemporary stroke to your home or office. These shades promote green solutions in your home as they protect your furnishings from aging and heating your private space, requiring you to switch on the HVAC system to regulate the indoor temperature.

Many of these are powered by solar energy that auto-charges during the day. They may require a higher upfront cost but convert to significant savings in the long run.

9. Greeneries

Biophilic design is a trending concept in modern homes. Incorporating the patterns into your office or home can significantly elevate the star quality of the space while nurturing your affinity to nature. Although these can come in many forms — the simplest sustainable upgrade is adding greeneries to corner areas.

Houseplants boost the texture, vibrancy and appeal of your abode by showcasing leaves with various tones and colors. Some types like English ivy and bamboo palm are considered hard workers at purifying the indoor atmosphere, giving you access to fresher air. The best thing is, this upgrade is completely inexpensive so anyone can do it.

Upgrade Your Home While Caring for the Planet

Integrating practices that combine security, aesthetics and sustainability to elevate your home or office is highly doable. Some measures may require an investment, while others are cost-effective to fit any budget. Implement these nine eco-conscious ways to beautify your estate, wow your neighbors and maintain safety.

References:

• One Tree Planted: https://onetreeplanted.org/blogs/stories/bamboo
• org: https://staysafe.org/home-safety/window-security
• Angi: https://www.angi.com/articles/sustainability-home-improvement-trends.htm
• Persistence Market Research: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/keyless-entry-system-market.asp

Author Bio

Jack Shaw is the senior writer and Lifestyle editor of Modded. Through his writing, he seeks to provide ways to improve the environmental impact of readers’ day-to-day lives. His tips and explorations have been featured in Tesla Oracle, Environment Go!, Outdoor Hacker and more.