More and more property owners are surfacing and putting their houses for rent by strangers as tourists grow accustomed to using platforms like Airbnb and staying in vacation rentals. As a result, travelers’ needs and expectations are evolving. So much so that everyone’s priority today is building an eco-friendly home.
Because there are so many options for accommodations nowadays, there is more competition among individuals who want to turn renting out a holiday property into a side business. More and more tourists are starting to prefer eco-friendly and environmentally conscious lodging.
How to make your holiday house more environmentally friendly
When the monthly energy bill arrives, those who rent out their properties start to recognize the advantages of becoming green. Making your vacation rental more environmentally friendly can help you keep more of the revenue generated by listing your property online. Let’s look at how these 10 suggestions can help you start the transition right away.
1. Install energy-efficient appliances and lighting
Your rental will be energy efficient if you replace the lights in your home with energy-saving LED or CFL bulbs and replace your traditional appliances with Energy Star-rated substitutes. It’s a quick adjustment that will help you in the long term, and as a consequence, you’ll save a tonne of money on your yearly electric bill.
2. Install Roller or Honeycomb Blinds
Your heating and cooling system may be responsible for up to 40% of your total energy use, making it one of the major energy consumers on your monthly energy bills.
You might already be aware of this. However, you might not be aware of the significant influence the appropriate window accessories can have on your home’s energy efficiency. Summers are cool and winters are warm thanks to options like honeycomb blinds that function as efficient insulators. These blinds isolate the space from the window surface by trapping air. Honeycomb blinds not only give insulation but also greater privacy than standard window coverings and let visitors choose how much light they wish to let into their rooms.
3. Offer options for recycling
Clear, simple recycling choices are virtually always available in eco-friendly holiday homes. Setting up your recycling system is as simple as designating distinct bins for dry and moist waste. Going one step further, you may segregate your trash into plastics, paper, and glass. If your rental home has a compost bin in the garden, and you utilize the wet waste to make your fertilizer for your plants, that’s a bonus.
Place a statement about your dedication to sustainability and recycling on your website and politely request that visitors staying with you follow your recycling policy to ensure that guests keep your environmental etiquette. Your guests will be impressed if they care about the environment.
4. Include Faucet Aerators In Bathroom Equipment
Faucet aerators are an inexpensive and simple method to give your kitchens and bathrooms a green touch. They are a wise financial investment. This little metal filter significantly lowers the amount of water used, stops splashing, and molds the water stream by introducing air. To conserve water and money, install one on each of your faucets and showerheads.
5. Use Rainwater to Water your Garden by Collecting It
Using a rain barrel to collect rainwater that can later be utilized to fill a pool or water the garden is another easy but very effective option to reduce water consumption. This is a very practical approach to saving water in vacation homes located in locations with a lot of rainfall.
6. Install solar roof panels.
Not nearly as simple and inexpensive to install as a faucet aerator, but the money saved over time will surely be worth it. If you install a solar power system in your vacation rental, your net electricity costs could drop to zero. One can stop depending on the conventional energy network by being energy independent. When potential visitors scroll through listings to select the appropriate house for them, this will make a significant difference.
7. Create an organic garden full of native plants, fruits, and vegetables.
Imported produce and non-native plants take more water, fertilizer, and labor to grow than comparable produce grown locally. Plant native plants and local fruits and veggies in your organic garden. This gives your visitors a chance to learn about the area’s indigenous flora, and you can urge them to use the outdoors and the neighborhood, as well as engage in some gardening if they so choose.
8. Present Usable Grocery and shopping Bags
Another simple and economical addition that many lodgers would value. Keep a supply of canvas or recycled reusable grocery bags in the laundry or kitchen. Make sure to specify where they can be found in your documents so that tourists will know where to go when they need to stock up on groceries.
9. Instruct visitors to reuse towels and save water
Hotels and inns are known for their crisp, fluffy towels and linens, but washing them requires a lot of water. Encourage your visitors to reuse their towels and conserve water while they are visiting by utilizing your listing or even tiny boards and signs (you can construct your own using recycled wood and non-toxic paint).
10. Encourage the use of shuttles and public transportation
Give your visitors information on the neighborhood and their transit alternatives as a courtesy. Encourage people to take public transportation or even offer bicycles as an extra amenity to add a green touch. Offering information on public transit and shuttles to beaches or other popular locations in town is a terrific way to lessen your carbon footprint and that of your visitors.
Small measures in the direction of sustainability can make your listing stand out, reduce long-term expenditures, and give your rental a touch of personality. It’s time to lessen your carbon footprint and join the green movement as more tourists choose eco-friendly vacation accommodations.