Log houses have a reputation for being the green alternative to living in a brick or concrete housing. This is true, in a sense that log houses are usually built far away from urban areas and do not require the same carbon emissions to build them. Not to mention the fact that lifestyles of people opting for log houses are vastly different from those that don’t. Recycling, zero-waste, renewable materials – all these philosophies usually coincide with people living in log houses. One thing that is more difficult to solve in these cases is renewable energy.
How to make the alternative sources of energy work for your log houses? What advice should you give to your clients on this issue? All great questions that we will attempt to steer in this post and hopefully provide useful answers.
Solar energy
Third most popular alternative power source in the world that is also rapidly growing in use. While big nations use this power in large quantities, its rise is also attributed to the fact that general public can increasingly access and afford this power source for their personal use.
Log cabins and log homes our partners order from Eurodita reach them without roof shingles. This means that during the construction phase, our partners have an option to install the rooftop solar panels with correct type of shingles underneath them. The rooftop solar panels are becoming increasingly more efficient at heating water and providing electricity. If your residence is seasonal – i.e. your clients will be using it only in warm, sunny seasons – solar panels such as these might be enough to cover their energy needs.
Alternatively, solar power can be used to heat up water, with special water containers, usually placed on the roof. Another great reason to order a log home kits from Eurodita with only roof planks in order to select correct roof shingle construction. Additionally, some of these containers can also collect and filter out rainwater, making solar and rain alternatives work together.
Biomass energy
Many glulam beams houses already have ways of burning biomass – a.k.a. wood – in their fireplaces and furnaces. However, it’s also possible to coop this renewable energy source by burning trash or other readily available resource that otherwise might be thrown away. Offer this option to your clients, but consult companies that might provide this type of energy source first.
Wind, hydro geothermal
Hydropower and wind power are the first and second most popular ways to produce energy by renewable means. Geothermal is also slowly rising, but it’s a type of energy that doesn’t exist universally everywhere. In cases of these, the easiest way to switch to alternative energy sources is to pick up the phone and call local providers. Increasingly around the world, energy providers turn to renewable energy sources, offering their clients the possibility to switch to them without installing anything in their homes. Your clients, even further removed from urban centres, might be eligible for this switch and not even know it. Suggest this type of inquiry so their contemporary log cabin homes would be truly green ways to live.
Small contributions – big impact
If your clients are worried about their negative contributions to climate change, encourage them to take small steps that can amount to big impact. Offer to build a compost hole, where organic waste could be accumulated and turned into effective fertiliser. Suggest building their custom log homes near rivers, where they could utilise the stream for minor electric power use. Encourage using cold water where possible and building additional garden shed for storage of recyclable trash.
There are many ways of using alternative sources of energy while living close to nature. Contemporary log cabins for sale right now are a proof that these dwellings are in demand and the demand is growing. Bespoke, individualised log cabins and houses that are fit for green living are here to stay. All that’s left is to steer our clients the right way and show them how to live an eco-friendly life.