Sustainability is the trend. Also among homeowners. According to the nationwide "Immo-Barometer" survey by Wüest Partner, sustainability is more important than ever when looking for a property: for 35 % it is "decisive", for 55 % "important". That is 90 % or 5 % points more than in 2022. Only one in ten people consider sustainability to be "secondary" or "irrelevant" when looking for their dream home or apartment. The most important factors for many prospective buyers are an energy-efficient building (80 %), a renewable energy supply (68 %) and self-generated electricity (62 %).
Sustainable living starts on a small scale with simple changes in behaviour. We have put together some tips on how you can save resources, protect the environment and reduce the burden on your housing budget with little effort. Every change in behaviour makes a difference, and all of them combined produce a sustainable effect.
Quality pays off in the long term. This also applies to furniture and textiles. On the one hand, they last longer; on the other, they are timeless and can be easily combined with other timeless furnishings. For example, more and more furniture stores and joineries are selling wooden furniture from local, sustainable forestry instead of tropical wood that has to be transported halfway around the world and chemically treated. What's more, high-quality furniture can be repaired and is still worth a lot if you want a different sideboard, for example. So it's worth spending a little more and only buying a new sofa or table every 15, 20 or 25 years. And if you want to sell it, you are more likely to find a buyer compared to cheap furniture that you will probably have to dispose of properly. Well-preserved USM furniture, for example, is in high demand and costs almost as much used as new. Sustainability and design are not mutually exclusive.
You can optimise your electricity consumption in two ways: Consume less electricity and produce your own solar power or buy natural or green electricity from your energy supplier. You can reduce your consumption sustainably with these simple measures:
You can find even more tips in the article «Energy Saving Tips at Home: How to Save Costs». And in the article «Energy Efficiency: New Energy Labels for Household Appliances» we explain the energy efficiency classes and what you should look out for when choosing new electrical appliances.
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The hot and dry summer of 2023 has shown us that water can become scarce even in Switzerland's moated castle. That's why we should all try to use less water. It's not as difficult as it seems with these simple saving measures:
In our article «22 Tips: How to Save Electricity and Water in the Kitchen» we will share with you 6 tips on how you can effectively reduce water consumption when preparing, cooking and washing up.
In the winter of 2022/2023, many people deliberately turned down the heating due to the energy shortage caused by the war. Even if we don't have to save any more this winter, we should still be more conscious and heat less. 20 degrees in the living room, 18 degrees in the bedroom, 18 degrees in the kitchen and 23 degrees in the bathroom are enough. To regulate the humidity in the house, you should air the room for five minutes three times a day in winter, for example in the morning, at midday and in the evening. If you are still heating with gas or oil, it is now time to think about alternative heating methods. For example, a heat pump with a photovoltaic system on the roof. The investment will return faster than in the past, as electricity prices will rise in many municipalities in 2024.
In «Proper Ventilation in Winter Improves the Climate and Prevents Mold» read why ventilation is so important. And in «Heat Pump: Costs, Advantages and Subsidies» learn everything you need to know about energy-efficient and resource-saving heating systems.
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Ovens, freezers, washing machines and tumble dryers have a service life of 15 years, dishwashers, fridges, microwaves and steam cookers 10 years. If an appliance breaks down at the end of its lifespan, the question is "Fix or replace?". Before you make a decision, you should ask yourself three questions: How old is the appliance? How much will the repair cost? How much does a new appliance cost? Whether a repair is worthwhile depends on the age of the faulty appliance. The average net price of energy-efficient new appliances with a standard industry discount of 30 % on the list price is used as the basis for calculation. For example, it is worth repairing a 7-year-old oven if the repair costs amount to a maximum of 40 % of the new price.
In «Repair or Replace Household Appliances?» we have summarised when a repair is worthwhile or a replacement makes more sense: Oven | Freezer | Refrigerator | Microwave | Steamer | Washing machine | Tumble dryer
Do you have a broken household appliance and are unsure whether it is worth repairing? In our partner network, you will find certified specialists, who will provide you with expert advice and repair or replace the appliance.
If you have a house with a garden, you have to mow the lawn every fortnight. It is hardly worth buying a lawn mower for 50 square metres. For example, you could get one with your neighbour(s), leave it in the more accessible/larger garage of the neighborhood. This way you can divide the purchase price and maintenance costs by two, three or four instead of paying them alone. This also works with appliances that you rarely need. There are now also apps or online platforms such as Sharely that allow you to borrow or rent tools, for example.
Do not use aggressive cleaning agents. The ingredients enter the groundwater via the waste water and are harmful to people and the environment. Find out about environmentally friendly alternatives or make your own ecological cleaning agents from baking powder, vinegar, soda or lemon juice. They clean just as thoroughly, protect the environment and make you save money at the same time.
In our article «Great Climate: Indoor Plants Improve the Indoor Climate» read which plants are particularly suitable for the bedroom, children's room, home office and bathroom and which houseplants are poisonous.
You can do a lot for the climate and the environment in your garden. Trees, for example, store large amounts of CO2 and release oxygen. Beech, lime and chestnut trees are particularly effective. However, it takes years for a deciduous or coniferous tree to absorb and bind the carbon dioxide. The sooner you plant one or more trees, the better. If you plant fruit trees or grow vegetables, you will significantly reduce your carbon footprint. One kilo of tomatoes from your own garden produces 35 grams of carbon dioxide, compared to outdoor tomatoes from Spain that produce 17 times more and one kilo of tomatoes from a greenhouse 266 times more. And if you plant a flower meadow instead of mowing the lawn, you promote biodiversity and create a valuable habitat for beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies.
Rainwater is acidic and is better for watering instead of limey tap water. And it costs nothing. So collect rainwater in a (plastic-free) rain barrel and use it to water your flower meadow, vegetable patch and herb garden.
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The biggest leverage at your disposal is energy-efficient refurbishment. If you improve the energy efficiency of your house or flat and avoid heat loss, you can save a lot of energy and therefore money:
An energy-efficient renovation pays off in the long term. You save on heating costs, protect the environment, increase living comfort and maintain the value of the property in the long term. In addition, the federal government, cantons and individual municipalities provide financial support for energy-efficient renovations. The investment therefore pays for itself quickly. The energy-saving potential with a new heating system, new windows and better external insulation is 60 per cent on average.
Take the first step now and check the energy efficiency of your house or flat. You can use our energy calculator to simulate the impact of energy-efficient renovations, estimate the savings potential and calculate the investment costs including subsidies.
