Many people in the UK are now looking for ways to design sustainable households, helping to look after the environment while getting their bills under control. Building and renovating play a vital role in the world’s carbon footprint, so the more sustainable choices you can make when designing your kitchen, the better it will be for the earth. No universal approach works best in every situation, so you can make smaller choices, such as opting for natural or eco-friendly paints, or go all out for the win and ensure all kitchen elements are sustainable.
Going carbon-free involves some extra costs, but the additional investment will lead to long-term savings and benefits. A home with an environmentally friendly kitchen packs in several perks, including but not limited to reduced energy and water bills, low maintenance, increased resale value, and a healthier living environment.
If you want to go green in your cooking space, keep these suggestions in mind:
Look For Materials That Are Sustainable
When selecting materials for countertops, cabinets, tiles, and furniture, consider what they’re made from, how renewable the material is, how far they need to travel to get to you, and whether the materials can be reused or repurposed down the line. Renewable materials, such as bamboo, cork, and sustainably harvested wood, are resources that can naturally replenish within a human lifespan. Oak, for instance, can be used for flooring, cabinetry, and structural elements, but it’s crucial to ensure it’s harvested sustainably. An oak kitchen has a unique, distinctive look and ranges from soft hues (white oak and honey) to darker hues (red oak).
The use of locally sourced materials by UK kitchen suppliers is another pillar of sustainable material selection. They travel shorter distances, therefore consuming less fuel, and don’t require extensive packaging to protect them during transport. They also support the local community via employment opportunities.
For example, locally quarried stone and clay reduce carbon emissions and ensure the materials are well-suited to the regional environment. Stone can be applied literally everywhere, such as kitchen benchtops, countertops, sinks, kitchen splashbacks, or even flooring.
Reduce Airborne Chemicals (VOCs)
Volatile organic compounds, VOCs for short, are human-made chemicals that are used in the manufacture of paints, flooring and furnishings, and dry-cleaning agents. They’re carbon-based chemicals that have short and long-term health effects, including eye/nose/throat irritation, headaches, loss of coordination, nausea, and damage to the kidneys, liver, or central nervous system.
VOCs contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone and smog, which can destroy crops, harm wildlife, and exacerbate climate change. Set up a healthy kitchen by painting the walls and cabinetry in low or zero VOC paints. Likewise, opt for flooring that’s low in VOCs, like linoleum or reclaimed wood.
Switch To Energy-Efficient Windows And Doors
Windows and doors gain/lose heat via direct conduction and convection heat transfer through the glass, thermal irradiation into and out of the house, and air leakage. Any solution that minimizes the need for cooling or heating can lower energy consumption – and your bills. Replace your home’s windows and doors with ENERGY STAR® qualified alternatives to improve comfort while potentially saving thousands.
Indeed, it’s a massive investment, yet the compensation in the form of improved thermal comfort, reduced energy usage, and money saved possibly forever makes it a smart choice.
Design A Timeless Kitchen
Timelessness merges sustainability and experience in a natural way that’s needed to elevate the quality of kitchen design and its impact on the planet. Create a project that features a long-lasting, timeless design instead of following the trends, as you’ll have to rebuild the kitchen in five years’ time.
Carefully think about the layout and materials you choose and how they’ll look decades from now. Whether you’re building a kitchen from scratch or remodeling, become more sustainable and more aware of provenance and waste. It’s definitely worth putting in the time.
Stick with the following suggestions:
- Install appliances with retro appeal as don’t go through fluctuations of popularity
- Opt for Shaker cabinets that allow you to focus on the wood’s quality and longevity
- Resist the urge to create a look full of stainless steel and engineered materials
- Optimize flow and efficiency with the triangle layout
- Have multiple points of light to see what you’re doing
The kitchen is the gathering spot for relatives and friends, a destination for memory-making with your loved ones, and the place where you can escape from the constant stress, so strike a balance between hearty, hospitable reception and supreme function when making design choices.
Pick More Sustainable Appliances
Energy-efficient ovens, dishwashers, microwaves, range hoods, and refrigerators are an excellent way to reduce your carbon footprint as you spruce up the kitchen, but it’s easy to get distracted by shiny and new gadgets, so only get what you need. Instead of acquiring multiple appliances that have one function, it’s best to select devices that can handle more than one operation and don’t require vast space. Check the settings to have peace of mind you’re using the appliances to their full advantage. NeffLight®, for instance, guarantees the food is always visible, so you don’t have to open the oven door to get a view of what you’re cooking.
EasyClean ovens, as the name suggests, make cleaning easier by softening dirt and grease through vapor. In other words, they have a self-cleaning method aimed at light soil that uses a combination of water and washing liquid to detach the food residue. Once the oven has cooled down to room temperature, make sure the bottom of the cavity is covered entirely by water at the beginning of the EasyClean cycle, and refrain from opening the oven because the water won’t get hot enough. Distilled or filtered water is recommended.
The Takeaway
Eco-friendly kitchen design isn’t trendy in the UK, and evolution can be slow, but sustainability is important to ensure your home continues to be useful and comfortable as climate change accelerates. Approach the renovation project not only with the goal of making the kitchen look better but also making it work better for you and the environment.
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