Thinking about remodeling your home? InterWorks LLC has seven ways to develop a sustainable home that will save you a TON of money.
1. Plan for energy and water efficiency in your design
The remodeling stage is a perfect time to start thinking about energy and water efficiency in your dream house. Many homeowners are taking advantage of renewable energies like wind and solar. This all might sound expensive, but energy efficiency actually cuts down your utility bills.
2. Take advantage of Energy Trust rebates, energy tax credits and other incentives
Don’t be afraid of the initial price of installing an energy efficient design, tax credits and rebates can pay for up to 75 percent of your installation costs.
Federal Tax Credit
Did you know that in Oregon the federal government offers a tax credit up to 30 percent of the cost install your new system?
State Tax Credit
The ODE (Oregon Department of Electricity) also offers Oregon residents a Residential Energy Tax Credit. This tax credit is for every $2.10 per watt, up to $6,000.
Cash Rebates
Energy Trust of Oregon offers a handful cash incentives, which will help pay for installation fees.
3. Reuse materials rather than replacing them
A remodel does not always mean tearing the entire infrastructure down. Many times, there are materials that still have a useful life. Finding useful materials is environmentally responsible, but it also has economic benefits.
4. Keep the same footprint – Additions are expensive to build and to heat and cool
Create more space without structural changes through intelligent design. It can be expensive to add to your footprint, so InterWorks uses intelligent design to take advantage of the space you have. Don’t worry, workers here will do the thinking for you by rethinking spaces in your house that you might not have known are there!
5. Evaluate existing use, furniture, opportunities to use underutilized space
Designers tend to use their imagination on the job, so listen in on their ideas. Work closely with contractors and designers to exploit underutilized and utilized spaces in your home. These imaginative experts might have an idea for a room that you haven’t thought of before.
6. Plan for storage, change in needs
It might seem impossible to some when talking about adding storage without increasing your footprint, but InterWorks begs to differ. Talk to your contractor early on to discuss how much storage you should plan on having.
7. Create openness in home with natural light and daylight techniques
Does your home seem smaller than what it actually is? Well, it might be that you just can’t see it! Natural light can open up an entire room if done correctly, providing constant lighting in a handful of rooms throughout a house. This means, fewer lights being turned on, and a cut in your utility bill.
