Luxury living that is sustainable? Absolutely!

For too long, the word ‘luxury’ has been associated with excess, even waste. Well, the great news is you can build a green luxury home right here in Vancouver that incorporates efficiency and sustainability without ever skimping on sumptuous comfort and exquisite beauty.

We are so lucky to live in this stunning part of the world with views of the ocean, the mountains and the forests. It is our responsibility – yours and your luxury home builder – to be stewards for our environment and leave our loved ones the best homes in a pristine setting.

So, be sure to build the luxury home of your dreams without sacrificing sustainability.

Vancouver Takes the LEED for the Environment

LEED is a rating system and green certification program used worldwide that stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It provides phenomenal guidelines and innovations for home builders to follow.

According to the Canada Green Building Council, “Buildings generate up to 35 per cent of all greenhouse gases, 35 per cent of landfill waste comes from construction and demolition activities, and 70 per cent of municipal water is consumed in and around buildings.”

Canada is one of the world’s best in the LEED initiative, including with luxury homes. The City of Vancouver is mandating that homes be built with greater energy efficiency with the goal of new homes being carbon neutral by 2030. Of course, the better luxury home construction companies are already on it with green building initiatives.

Green Building Materials

There are amazing products available today that meet the criteria of both luxury and environmentally responsible while still enabling architects, designers, builders and homeowners to realize their visions. Resources are never infinite; this has driven the movement away from single-use waste products and toward sustainable and recycled materials.

Reclaimed wood. Don’t cut down trees unnecessarily. Reclaimed wood is one of the most sought after building materials on the market, and it doesn’t get more sustainable than that. Old wood has beautiful, distinct characteristics and is incredibly sturdy, thus making it perfect for a multitude of uses in a luxury home build, from structural to aesthetic.

Don’t cut down trees unnecessarily. Reclaimed wood is one of the most sought after building materials on the market, and it doesn’t get more sustainable than that. Old wood has beautiful, distinct characteristics and is incredibly sturdy, thus making it perfect for a multitude of uses in a luxury home build, from structural to aesthetic. Recycled steel. Tremendously flexible and strong against winds and earthquakes. With wood, building a standard 2,000 square foot home can require the equivalent of 40 to 50 trees. Way more for a luxury home. With recycled steel, about the same as six reclaimed cars.

Tremendously flexible and strong against winds and earthquakes. With wood, building a standard 2,000 square foot home can require the equivalent of 40 to 50 trees. Way more for a luxury home. With recycled steel, about the same as six reclaimed cars. Low emissivity windows. Low-E windows with a coating of metallic oxide will help keep the temperature in your home steady. A simple yet stunning green luxury home idea.

Low-E windows with a coating of metallic oxide will help keep the temperature in your home steady. A simple yet stunning green luxury home idea. Cool roofing. Your roof can be customized from a mixture of materials to reflect heat away in summer (to reduce your bills) while still looking gorgeous. With modern technology, it can be any colour, even dark.

Your roof can be customized from a mixture of materials to reflect heat away in summer (to reduce your bills) while still looking gorgeous. With modern technology, it can be any colour, even dark. Plant-based polyurethane rigid foam. For insulation. That’s right, plant-based. No toxic chemicals.

For insulation. That’s right, plant-based. No toxic chemicals. Structural insulated panels. Panels of foam insulation between wall surfaces improve structural integrity and flexibility while reducing energy costs by up to 50 per cent.

All of these can be customized to your needs to create your dream luxury home.

Responsible Fixtures and Accents

Luxury definitely goes right down to the finest details, never skimping. When it comes to building a green luxury home, even the small details deserve careful attention. Think about water conserving faucets, dual-flush toilets and energy efficient lighting. Some are the most gorgeous fixtures you’ll find anywhere while being responsible with our most precious resources.

At long last, the new colour of luxury homes is green.

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