25 24 E R A D I S T I N C T I V E P R O P E R T I E S L U X E C O R N E R F A L L 2 0 2 1 Gone are the days when “luxury” and “eco-friendly” were mutually exclusive terms. Environmental sustainability has become a crucial element of luxury design in recent years - and is sure to play a key role in the homes of the future. That’s where solar roofs come in. Solar roofs offer the same electricitygenerating functionality as the standard rectangular panels we’ve grown accustomed to seeing. But these cutting-edge roofs are actually composed of individual solar panel tiles, or “shingles” (technically referred to as photovoltaic shingles), each of which mimics the design of shingles used to build a conventional roof. The use of photovoltaic shingles transforms your entire roof into a solar panel in a way that is much more aesthetically pleasing than that of traditional solar panels (and more durable, on average, than slate or asphalt shingles). Tesla and Luma Solar are the current industry leaders in luxury solar roof solutions, but this is a market that is likely to expand as the desire for more green home design grows. E C O - F R I E N D L Y L U X U R Y L I V I N G Preserve the Great Outdoors Luxury green living isn’t just limited to inside your house; the property surrounding your home can be designed sustainably as well. Whether or not you live in an area that is prone to drought, consider landscaping your yard with greenery that thrives without the need for constant watering, such as geraniums, aloe and sage. Likewise, planting native species of wildflowers on your property is a beautiful way to preserve your local ecosystem (and wildflower gardens are a particularly popular trend among luxury estate owners these days). Soak up the Sun The environmental advantages of solar energy are undeniable, and there are many different ways in which you can harness the sun’s rays to power various aspects of your home. Look and feelwise, however, traditional roof-affixed solar panels may not necessarily mesh with your design aesthetic. The property surrounding your home can be designed sustainably as well . " " Dig Deep Geothermal heating and cooling uses a similar installation to hydronic radiant heating - that is, water flowing through pipes below your flooring. Geothermal pipes, however, are buried much deeper underground than radiant heat pipes; they need to be placed about 10 feet under the surface of the earth, where the temperature is a fairly steady 55 degrees year-round. In the winter, the warmth from the earth’s sublayer is absorbed into the air of your home, where a heat pump warms it further. In the summer, heat from the air is dispersed down into the ground, helping the temperature inside the house to remain cool.
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