Having sustainable amenities and features as an integral part of the home is becoming a key driving force in property choice. According to the “Consumer Mindset in Luxury Buying” study released by Luxury Portfolio International®, where a sample of nearly 5000 high-end consumers were polled across 50 countries, more than half of luxury homebuyers said they would pay a premium for the most in-demand sustainability features.

So how does your home stack up in terms of modern, sustainable living?

If you are looking to do an easy eco-upgrade, then here are four quick tips that could help.

Tips 1: Keeping your house warm without wasting energy

Consider updating or replacing your windows with energy efficient options that are designed to prevent heated or cooled air escaping from your home. Be sure to check the overall performance rating on your new windows, they come with an R-value and U-value. R-value is an insulative value. Insulating materials that have high R-values reduce the rate of heat loss in winter or heat gain in summer. U-value measures the thermal performance. The lower the U-value the lower the heat transfer, and the better the thermal insulation.

Heat pumps (if you don’t already have them) are a great way to warm and cool your home with minimal environmental impact. Gas heaters need to burn non-renewable resources to create heat and fireplaces send pollutants into the air.

Tips 2: Switching to energy-efficient light bulbs

Lighting technology has come a long way in recent years, and the new energy efficient bulbs not only save you energy and have a longer lifespan, but they look good too! The two metrics you will need to consider when choosing the right light bulbs for your home are CCT and Lumens. CCT is colour temperature and colour appearance. Lumens tell you the amount of light produced. For more information visit smartlights.kiwi

Tips 3: Installing a rainwater collection system

Collecting rainwater and reusing it not only cuts down on water costs, it’s also a relatively simple way to make use of a readily available natural resource. We recommend FenceTank ™ - as one of the newer, slimline water tanks on the market. This water retention innovation will naturally blend with your property’s landscaping, allowing for a smart and almost invisible solution and does not disrupt the ambience. For more information visit watersmart.co.nz

Tips 4: Having energy efficient kitchen appliances

Power-saving features play a big part in appliance design these days, and if you need to upgrade or replace any kitchen appliances, you’ll want to look out for products that offer the great quality, best technology and proven longevity. Using the Energy Star rating label to compare appliances is helpful, but a demonstration prior to purchase is always a good idea, to make sure the product fits your needs. For more information visit kitchenthings.co.nz

Sustainability: what we are doing at Barfoot & Thompson

Within our company, we have a dedicated project team and programme called SustainaB&T which is seriously focussed on increasing our earth ‘friendliness’ and reducing our carbon footprint. This covers everyone and everything, from a corporate level, and our branches, and down to our individual salespeople. Recent initiatives include – a Plastic Free July campaign and a Vehicle Survey – Myth Busting on EV vehicles.

You can learn more about it here B&T Vehicle Survey - MythBusting.

Watch our SustainaB&T video below or here "Vehicle Survey and Myth Busting part 2 “- Kiri Barfoot, Director"