A patio turns out to be the most welcoming section of a home, provided one designs it that way. The best and the most effective way is to transform the entire patio into a green patio, full of environmentally friendly features and positivity. You must design it in a way that your patio feels equally comfortable in summers and winters.Dr Prem Jagyasi shares some ideas you can consider, as they give you an opportunity to design a green patio in a wallet-friendly way:
Bring green materials into use
While repurposing your patio, you should try to bring into use eco-friendly materials. Go and get reclaimed wood from suppliers or take out from your store, if you have any. Reclaimed and recycled timber will enable you to complete your patio project in a way that you and the planet will like.
You will like it, as you will save some money because reclaimed wood is cheaper than new wood, and it is good for the planet as it is environmentally friendly. Coming to the concrete and wrought iron requirements of your project, you can secure them also from thrift shops, or simply reuse and repurpose the pieces you have in your store.
Install effective water drainage
Your patio deserves an effective water drainage system that effectively collects the rain runoff. Further, it should be capable of directing the rain runoff to your lawn and landscaping area.
Doing this will save your money in the form of a reduction in your water bill, and it will prevent water wastage. You must check with the local rules and regulations first, as there are some circumstances wherein guttering is not permitted, such as in the bushfire zones.
Energy efficient lighting is must
While remodeling your patio, you must pay close attention to the old lighting fixtures. They consume a lot more electricity, so replace them with the modern and energy efficient options.
They not only will save electricity but will add to the aesthetic appeal of your patio as well. If there are incandescent bulbs, replace them with LED lights. If you are up for more, consider having solar powered fixtures in your patio.
Install eco-friendly heating and cooling systems
You will certainly require installing heating and cooling systems in your patio, to make it more comfortable. While choosing ones for your green patio make sure, you choose ones that are high in terms of energy efficiency and score nil in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.
In many countries, only Energy Star rated appliances are sold that are better for the planet and for buyer’s pocket. One thing more that you need to check is the SEER rating (Seasonal Energy Efficient Ratio), the higher it is, the better is the appliance’s energy efficiency.
Include a louvered roof
A roof with louvers is an ideal choice for your patio if you want to add to its green quotient. It is like add-on to a patio’s flexibility, as in you can have sun or shade in your patio, as per your requirement. Moreover, when it is a rainy day, you can prevent water from seeping in to your patio using the louvered roof. Using it, you can reduce your reliance on artificial heating and cooling, thus saving electricity and your money.
Prepare soil naturally
We all spend money on buying soil and mulch from a local nursery because either we shirk work, or we actually do not have time to invest in all this. We can put in some efforts to create a composting pile in the composting area of our garden and make nutrient rich soil using food scraps and other remnants. Doing this, we can contribute towards reducing the burden on landfill sites and their harmful impact on the environment, and can have beautiful plants in our patio.
The patio is a perfect place to exhibit your eco-friendly lifestyle. Green patios look lovely and are spaces that are good for the environment and for you as well.
