Exploring the core principles of sustainability and its impact on the well-being of senior clients.
The effects of climate change are becoming clearer, and many companies and individuals are invested in reducing their harm to our environment for a more sustainable future. When facing a new purchase or a remodel, many consumers are drawn to eco-friendly, sustainable homes to both lower their impact on the environment and reduce monthly bills.
What is sustainability?
In the words of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, directly or indirectly, on our natural environment.”
Every element essential to our daily lives, from wood and metals to plastics and fabrics, comes from nature. The materials used to build our homes, the energy that powers them, and the items we fill them with are all products of the natural world.
So what defines sustainability? Put simply, a resource is sustainable if it is renewable and can be replenished at a rate equal to or surpassing its consumption. On a broader scale, sustainability also demands that we use natural resources responsibly so that future generations can enjoy a similar or even more bountiful way of living.
Efforts to improve sustainability exist on national and global scales and span a variety of industries. However, developing sustainable life solutions can begin at the place we spend most of our time living: at home.
What is sustainable housing?
Sustainable housing is a holistic approach to addressing the challenges of contemporary living. It involves a careful examination of housing and community plans, all aiming to foster efficiency, reduce waste, conserve water, improve affordability, and create healthier environments. At the core of sustainability is the wise use of resources, broken down into two dimensions:
- Efficient Functionality: Sustainable homes are designed to function in ways that use resources responsibly. This involves incorporating energy-efficient designs and systems that save or generate resources.
- Meeting Basic Needs: Sustainability in real estate aims to help people acquire housing that not only functions efficiently, but also fulfills their basic needs for shelter, privacy, space, security, lighting, heating, ventilation, water, sanitation, and waste management while keeping costs low and reducing the impact on the environment.
Features such as xeriscape yards, greywater systems, solar panels, double-paned windows, and Energy Star appliances contribute to creating more environmentally conscious living spaces. Additionally, small changes like using LED lightbulbs, timed sprinklers, and proper insulation improve sustainability and save homeowners money.
Sustainable housing goes beyond environmental considerations: It extends to the affordability and availability of homes in diverse markets. A sustainable home, based on the income levels of the local population, should be accessible to residents and provide them with housing that meets their basic needs. Also, the proximity of these homes to essential locations, like employment centers, stores, gas stations, and community hubs, is a crucial aspect of sustainability.
The Impact of Sustainability
Going green goes beyond being environmentally conscious. It also often translates to saving money.
For many in the 55+ community, this will likely seem counterintuitive as, for many years, environmental
consciousness almost always came with a huge price tag.
Now, many eco-friendly trends are more affordable to adopt, and some will even save your clients money.
The rationale is simple: Using fewer resources means paying for fewer resources. Many sustainability-focused updates require upfront costs, but they often yield longterm savings. Whether your clients in the 55+ community are actively seeking to reduce their carbon footprint or are simply interested in saving money, understanding the benefits of making eco-friendly changes is vital.
Living a more sustainable lifestyle, including adopting eco-friendly housing options, is also proven to improve individual health and well-being. The research is clear:
There is a direct connection between sustainability and improved health because of greater activity, cleaner water, lower exposure to toxins, and healthier foods, among other benefits. Older clients want to safeguard their health, so letting them know how eco-friendly housing options can improve their well-being is important.
As your SRES® designee I will explore how making sustainability a priority benefits your older clients, from minimizing utility expenses and enhancing the resale value of homes to finding a comfortable living space and improving individual health.
The EPA focuses on two main areas to promote sustainability:
- Greening of buildings and operations, and
- Creating a framework for sustainability indicators.
The EPA’s five sustainability indicators—air, water, land, ecological condition, and human