Sustainable renovating: what does it involve?

1. Sustainable renovating = insulating

There are various factors that affect your energy consumption. It is therefore useful to know what the biggest energy losses are in your home. Did you know that one of the biggest losses in a house is an uninsulated roof? With a roof that is not insulated, you lose twice as much energy as with walls that are not insulated. So take the first step here and insulate your roof well, this way you can save up to 30% per year.

Did you know that you can insulate a sloped roof from both the inside and the outside? Insulating the inside of a roof is often easier and cheaper compared to insulating from the outside. On the other hand, insulating the outside of your roof is often more effective because the insulation can be placed without interruptions (think of beams, …).

Furthermore, there are many different insulation materials for your roof. Our tip? When you want a high insulation value without losing too much space, PIR insulation boards are a very good option.

2. Switch to renewable heat and energy sources

When you want to renovate your house sustainably, it is best to avoid fossil fuels such as natural gas and oil. Instead, choose renewable energy sources such as solar energy or wind energy.

You can obtain renewable energy from various sources. Think of solar panels, a heat pump, a solar water heater, PV panels, and more. A heat pump that operates on renewable energy can meet up to 75% of your energy needs from natural sources such as air and water. Want to increase this percentage even further? Then go for a combination of different forms of renewable heat and energy sources, for example, a solar water heater and a heat pump or solar panels!

3. Avoid construction damage and ensure a good ventilation system

Excessive humidity in the house can cause many problems. For example, various damages can occur in the home such as wood rot, mold, or damage to the plasterwork. Therefore, choose a sustainable ventilation system that constantly purifies the indoor air and utilizes heat recovery. With heat recovery, you can regain up to 81% of the extracted heat, and thus save on your heating costs.

4. Choose quality building materials that last long

Building materials can be sustainable in different ways. It is especially important that the materials you choose are ecological. In addition, sustainability in terms of quality is also something to pay attention to. When a product lasts a long time, it is naturally more ecological than when you have to replace it often.

Can you combine these two types of sustainability? Then you surely have a good product. We often recommend our customers to choose natural slates or ceramic roof tiles, as these are both natural, quality building materials that last long.

5. Check which energy premiums you can obtain thanks to your sustainable choices!

Renovating your house is a significant investment, so be sure to check the energy premiums offered by the Flemish government.

Did you know that at Dural Bouwgroep we offer a full service to our customers and help and guide them in filling out the necessary certificates for each premium application? This way, our customers can start their sustainable renovation with peace of mind! Feel free to contact us for more info.