Home Improvement for an Accessible and Sustainable Future
When many homeowners consider home improvements, these are often geared toward decorative elements or additions that offer immediate improvements to their lifestyle. Yet, these are not always the most impactful choices to make. It’s worth considering what adjustments can be meaningful not just now but in the future.
Some of the most important points to focus on in this regard are accessibility and sustainability. Making your home more accessible means making design choices that allow people to navigate the space regardless of the mental or physical challenges they live with. Sustainable improvements are directed toward minimizing your home’s negative impact on the environment.
We’re going to look a little closer at this area of home improvement. Why should you focus on these areas and what effective alterations can you make?
Photo by Alesia Kazantceva
Understand the Advantages
Making improvements to your home is generally a positive activity. However, adjustments are undeniable drains on resources, particularly with regard to the time and money it can take to perform them. Therefore, it’s worth gaining a good understanding of how committing to these improvements can benefit you and your family.
Some of the imperatives for accessibility and sustainability home improvements include:
More comfortable and practical living
Making your home more accessible isn’t strictly about catering to specific immediate disabilities. The changes that support accessibility also tend to make for more comfortable day-to-day living. After all, you’re reducing obstructions and creating more practical spaces.
Improved property sales
Mindful improvements for accessibility and sustainability can make your home more attractive to buyers. After all, at a time in which we’re facing a climate emergency, homes that are already designed for eco-friendliness can be popular. Not to mention that generally accessible homes support a range of lifestyles. That said, it’s worth remembering that specific mobility adjustments in the home may make resale more difficult as those purchasing the property may have to remove them.
Age in place potential
One of the concerns that many people have as they get older is that they may have to give up their homes for a care facility. Making your home designed for accessibility from an early stage can help support an age-in-place plan later. This means you’re less at risk of giving up the home you’ve made.
Reduced utility expenses
Many sustainability improvements for homes revolve around energy efficiency. This includes reducing electricity use, adopting renewables, and insulating homes. The result of all of these tends to be lower utility bills in the long term.
Accessible Home Modifications
Modifying your home for accessibility can take a variety of forms. Planning these changes should involve consideration of the obstacles that must be addressed as you or members of your family age. You might also need to focus on adaptive technology that enables you to navigate specific disabilities or health deterioration. The improvements don’t necessarily need to be complex or expensive to make a difference. However, making your property more accommodating for everyone can benefit from some mindful investments.
Some of the adjustments that could make for greater home accessibility include:
Ramps
Particularly for single-level homes, installing different types of ramps in doorways and near steps can aid accessibility. This doesn’t just support handicap accessibility for wheelchairs but also makes navigating the space easier for those using walkers or mobility scooters. Wedge ramps can be a sensible choice, as they are adjustable in gradient and come in a variety of materials and prices.
Safe flooring
Arranging some considerate flooring changes is one of the most effective steps for general accessibility. While it’s not directed toward a specific disability or challenge, your choices here can make your home safer for people with mobility issues, temporary injuries, and age-related conditions. Prioritize non-slip materials where possible. In areas where this is impractical, consider placing secured mats and rugs. It’s also worth removing steps and obstructive runners that create trip hazards on the floors between rooms.
Structural changes
If you’re willing to be more ambitious in your improvements, there are some structural changes you can use to make your home more accessible. Widening your doorways helps ensure those using wheelchairs and other mobility aids are able to move freely between rooms. Knocking through walls to create an open-plan space aids maneuverability for people with mobility challenges or vision impairments and also makes for a more communal space in your home.
Countertop and cabinet heights
Some of the seemingly innocuous elements of your home can prove to be accessibility hurdles for people. Countertops and cabinets may be too high to be practical for those with disabilities. You may also find you struggle to reach and utilize these easily as you get older. It can be wise, then, to lower your kitchen and bathroom cupboards to improve reach and use. It may also be a good idea to install adjustable countertops to boost functionality and meet different family members' needs.
Sustainable Adjustments
We all have a responsibility to protect the world around us. As a homeowner, even simple eco-friendly steps can reduce the negative impact you have on the environment. Implementing mindful reduce, reuse, and recycle practices in your household mitigates unnecessary waste. You can also bolster energy conservation and other green living activities with targeted upgrades to your home.
Some of the sustainable improvements you can make include:
Smart home systems
There are a growing number of affordable smart home systems. These can be connected to your lighting as well as your heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment. You can then set programs that boost the efficiency of your usage. This can include arranging for lights to automatically turn off when a room isn’t occupied or for heat to only turn on when certain climate conditions are met.
Renewable energy
One of the top sustainable projects many homeowners are engaging in at the moment is installing renewable energy components. While wind power and hydroelectric home systems are available, many people find solar panels both more practical and accessible. In some places, solar panels not only stop you from being reliant on fossil fuels, but you can also sell excess energy produced to local power companies.
Insulation
While it’s not as particularly high-tech as other improvements, improving your insulation is one of the most important steps you can take for a sustainable future. Ensuring all your external wall and roof areas are well insulated prevents hot and cool air from escaping or entering the building. This reduces the energy your HVAC systems utilize in the long term. You can also use environmentally friendly insulation materials, such as cellulose fiber and rigid cork, which mitigate the environmental damage caused by production.
Conclusion
As a homeowner, it’s important to make decisions that have a good impact in the long term. Accessibility and sustainability improvements to your property are both ethical and can boost your living situation. Take the time to review the various upgrades you can make and plan carefully to fit these in with your overall goals and needs. With a little planning and focus, you can make your home a positive influence now and in the future.
Author: Miles Oliver
Cover image by Bench Accounting on Unsplash
