r/SustainableHomeUK

Hi everyone! Hope Monday is treating all of you well :)

Husband, doggo and I will be soon moving into our new, 1930s built home. I was wondering if there are any tips, pieces of advice or things you wish you’d learned earlier than you did about sustainable living?

We would definitely appreciate specifically the construction and renovation tips most!

Here are a few things we already do/will start doing:

• We are both plant based.
• We compost.
• We will start our own veggie garden (there is a dedicated space in the existing garden, including two greenhouses).
• There is a rainwater collection system already installed in the house.
• We will be preserving food, which wasn’t possible in a flat.
• Vendors are leaving most of the furniture for us, the rest will be sourced second hand with the exception of the white goods.
• We are on the journey of completely moving away from big tech - our phones are with Ecotalk and email domains with Tuta/Ecoweb Hosting, we source our tech refurbished.
• We don’t support fast fashion.
• The house will have to be insulated after we treat the bricks for moisture and install more ventilation.

Things we are looking into:

• Having a borehole drilled - any insight and advice will be greatly appreciated!
• Solar panels - when loft insulation and roof maintanance is done.
• We will be getting a heat pump… But for now we are stuck in catch 22 with loft plastic tanks that need getting rid of, old boiler, pipes that need replacing, and the only space where HP could be put being the garage, which in a few years time will be changed into an extension.
• Working with a garden company to design a garden that’s sustainable, wildlife-friendly, and possibly have a natural plounge pool/water feature.
• Working out if it would be possible to create a natural basement/pantry in the garden.
• Looking for some smaller solar batteries and into wind power.

Please give me your opinions! ☺️💚