Simple steps to a greener home, and lower DEWA bill

Eco-friendly home design or 'green' design is gaining quick prominence as consumers become more aware of the impact of day-to-day activities on the environment.
1. Use environmentally friendly window treatments and insulation: Associate designer Josh Mason
Window treatments are an important part of the overall design and help maintain the hot and cold air exchange within your living space. Keeping cool air indoors in arid climates like Dubai requires more window treatments such as blinds and drapery which help block harsh heat, thus allowing less energy to cool spaces. The green initiative can be taken further by selecting window treatment materials with less impact on the environment. Fabrics with Oeko-tex certification, which require no harmful chemicals during the production of the materials, can be a good option. Natural textiles such as paper, reeds, bamboo, grass and wooden blinds are also great materials. "Green" home owners and tenants should ideally stay away from PVC or vinyl.
2. Source locally: David T'Kint, partner at HBA Dubai
Exotic finishes have been a rising trend during the past few decades. African Zebrano or Wenge juxtaposed to Italian marbles were the norm in high end residential projects. However, in recent years, developers and other key players of the construction industry have understood that not only does it take a lot of time and money to import such finishes, it is also another source of pollution due to the carbon emissions caused by transporting materials to their destinations. Unless your home is on a remote island, there is always a way to source finishes locally - stains can be applied to most wood species to give them the feel of the desired product, while stones can be sourced locally or from neighboring countries as opposed to the other end of the world.  In addition to being eco-friendly, sourcing materials locally also supports the local community.
3. Select the right light sources: Project manager Signe Skjaerlund
The selection and control of light sources can contribute to creating an eco-friendly home by reducing energy consumption. Traditional incandescent bulbs have shorter life spans, generate more heat and use more energy than other light fittings. A switch to compact fluorescents or LED lighting has multiple benefits since these fittings use less energy and have longer life spans than incandescent bulbs. Home automation and lighting control are also key in reducing energy consumption. Motion sensors or timers ensure that lighting is not left on when a room is unoccupied, while daylight sensors adjust the room lighting based on the amount of natural light available. Dimmable lighting controls allow to set the ambience of the home while also reducing the amount of lighting and energy used. Lighting control systems can also be linked to mobile devices to allow customizable control, while contributing to overall energy savings.
4. Save energy smartly: Designer Tapiwa Chasi
Managing the heating and cooling in your living space is yet another way to achieve a "green" home with a small carbon footprint. Heating and cooling the home contributes to more than half of the household energy consumption. This is more than all other electronic devices combined. A major waste of energy in a home is heating or cooling empty spaces. One way to manage this efficiently is by installing smart thermostats. The device offers a simple interface and can be retrofitted into an existing climate control system. These devices have the ability to learn the heating and cooling habits of the tenants and automatically adjust the climate of the home to match their routine. Temperature can be adjusted via the thermostat or remotely with a mobile app. The Honeywell Lyric mobile app, available to download on your smartphones and tablets, has a feature called Geofencing that can detect when the owners are on their way home and efficiently regulate the temperature prior to their arrival.

• Inspired Living