The Modern House is delighted to introduce Thoughtful Living: a brand-new series dedicated to bringing you digestible guides on being more mindful at home. From the best ways to reduce garden waste to creating living spaces with human wellbeing at the heart, we’re here to help you live in ways that are as kind to people as they are to the planet. Having achieved our B Corp status in September 2022, we are committed to proving that good design isn’t just about aesthetics, but about having a positive environmental, social and cultural impact too. And with a recent study revealing 89 per cent of people agree it’s important to buy or rent an energy-efficient home, we know that this is a subject that means something to you too.

In the first edition, we’re kicking things off by looking at the ways in which we can most effectively reduce carbon at home. Why start here? “Around 22 per cent of CO₂ emissions in the UK comes from our homes,” says Stephanie Crombie, senior associate at Morrow Lorraine, a London-based architectural firm dedicated to sustainable design. While reducing them to zero per cent is no easy feat, it is what households should be aiming for in the long term, argues Rob Prewett, founder of Prewett Bizley Architects. In the short term, however, read on to discover five places to start, with every budget in mind – from an affordable draft-proofing tip to retrofitting period buildings. And, while we have you, if you’re looking to buy a sustainable home, be sure to check out our current listings here.

1. Go for the low-hanging fruit first

“What’s interesting is that there are so many small things people can do to make their houses greener that have meaningful results,” Ben Ridley, director of Architecture for London and a trained PHI-Certified Passivhaus designer, told us when we visited his low-energy home last year. “My Passivhaus teacher always used to say: ‘go for the low-hanging fruit first.’” For instance, when Ben came to renovate his late Edwardian house, he decided to keep the beautiful original front door, which, as he said, wasn’t “ideal in terms of the standard we were going for as it let in a draught”. Thankfully, he found a simple solution that meant he didn’t need to compromise on design or the air quality he was aiming for. “We ordered a cheap, airtight seal that stopped the draught completely,” Ben revealed, which you can buy for as little as £20 and fit to your own letterbox with ease. “If everyone in London did that the difference would be enormous.”

2. Get off the gas

“Ensuring our homes are fossil-fuel free is one of the main ways we can reduce the carbon emissions at home,” says Stephanie. So, what’s the alternative to a gas boiler? “A heat pump – ideally powered by renewable electricity,” she continues. “If you can, it’s best to generate the electricity for your heat pump on site with solar panels.” Why not take inspiration from this RIBA award-winning maisonette in Islington, north London? Designed with energy efficiency in mind by Edgley Design and Space Out Architects in 2016, it has photovoltaic roofing, which seamlessly tops the home without impacting its design. Another RIBA award-winning listing we love is this single-storey house in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Not only does it have an air-source heat pump and photovoltaic panels, but an on-site wind turbine too. As well as reducing carbon emissions, a gas-boiler alternative results in lower electricity bills too.

3. Turn down the heat

“The average UK home is responsible for around six tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually due to energy use,” says Rob Prewett, whose namesake practice specialises in designing energy-efficient buildings. “Most of this is normally associated with heating.” He says that homeowners and tenants can use their bill data to determine how much energy is being used and when. “Understanding this is the first step towards reducing CO₂ emissions,” he explains. “This will be useful strategising what to do and in the long term and for checking how effective the measures one takes is.” His advice is to invest in smart heating controls, which you can purchase from brands such as Hive and Nest. He describes it as “a relatively easy win” but one that requires “careful observation and mindfulness.” Having got a sense of what energy is being used “one can start to consider how to reduce it. Developing a whole home plan to reduce carbon emissions to zero should be the long-term goal.”

4. Retrofit where you can

If you live in a period home, retrofitting is a brilliant way to make them more energy efficient. “It can take many guises, from shallow (replacing windows with double-glazing or using low-flow fittings) to deep (improving airtightness, insulation and ventilation to achieve Enerphit certification),” explains Stephanie. A case in point is this Grade II-listed house. It was built in 1880 and has been thoughtfully renovated following retrofit and Passivhaus principles to achieve an excellent airtightness reading of 2.6m3/hm2. Elsewhere, the addition of an MHVR system means it has also superb air quality. As Stephanie puts it: “with retrofit, you get what you give. The deeper the retrofit, the greater the energy reductions, but with additional works come additional costs. It’s important to consider your retrofit holistically. My advice would be to engage an expert.”

5. Use natural materials

If the time comes to upgrade the fabric of your home, Stephanie suggests using natural materials. “It’s important not to undo all your hard work retrofitting your home by specifying carbon-intensive materials,” she says. “Where possible, consider the use of local, natural materials for insulation and finishes. These can often be carbon-negative, which means they absorb more than is emitted in their processing,” such as a timber or recycled materials. Take cues from this extraordinary environmentally minded home in Cambridge, which won two RIBA awards in 2012 for its eco credentials. It has been constructed with a timber frame and clay blocks and has external green walls insulated with hemp for breathability. It also has a green sedum roof, which covers 60 per cent of the roof and maximises biodiversity. “When used in the right ways,” continues Stephanie, “natural materials can improve your health and wellbeing by enhancing indoor air quality, reducing moisture build-up and mould growth, as well as increasing the thermal and acoustic performance of your home.”