Environmentally friendly homes have long been thought of as mudbrick houses, off-the-grid dwellings for those seeking the hippy life, or thoughtfully considered abodes for the wealthy; a luxury that can only be created with the assistance of an architect and deep pockets. While desirable, they’re often (and understandably) placed in the ‘too hard’ basket for buyers and homeowners. But for those seeking a reduction in their carbon footprint, the process and outcome doesn’t need to be that complicated. Simple lifestyle changes can have a significant impact on emission reduction - none more so than downsizing your home.

You may have heard about the circular economy and zero waste, but have you considered how your space itself could be contributing to your environmental footprint? Look around your home and think about all the ways you use the spaces and where you spend the most of your time. While you may have the luxury of space, you are heating, cooling, cleaning and maintaining rooms and areas where you likely spend little to no time. A typical family home* in the suburbs of Australia with two residents has a carbon output of approximately 8.1 tonnes annually. Compare that to a smaller home appropriately-sized for the lifestyle of two residents and you’ll see a reduction of 4.55 tonnes annually in emissions. That’s the equivalent of driving around Australia for 12 months, or 7 trips up and back from Melbourne to Sydney! It is incredible to think that by having an appropriately-sized home for the number of people who live in it can make such a difference to a home’s overall carbon footprint.

And downsizing doesn’t mean you are sacrificing comfort. In reducing the size of your home, you can save money, make more time for the things you truly love, and reduce your environmental footprint in the process. It’s about living somewhere that is suitable for your needs, without the hassle that comes with maintaining gardens and empty rooms. It also allows one to pass the original family home onto the next generation of buyers, where they can love and raise their families just as the owners before them did.

At Lifestyle Communities®, we are ever conscious of delivering to our homeowners the very latest in home innovation. We know that downsizing your home is a leap of faith and our purpose is to champion a bigger, more enhanced life for our homeowners. We build beautiful homes where downsizers can truly relax in luxury, with particular focus paid to creating active, thriving communities.. Our homeowners have the peace of mind that they not only have a home fit for purpose within a supportive community, but have taken a big step towards a greener future. We too are committed to a greener future and all future Lifestyle developments across Victoria will have sustainability at the heart of all of our design decisions.

For instance, here’s something we prepared earlier. Lifestyle Meridian is our 19th community and our smartest community yet. Powered solely by electricity and renewable energy, but you can find more on that here.

Downsizing with its sensible allure does not happen without careful planning and consideration of the pros and cons that come with living a simpler life. Wonderfully, the traditional pros associated with downsizing now include reducing your carbon footprint. With the importance of caring for our environment more top of mind than ever, choosing a greener way to live while becoming a part of a connected and fun community will have you falling in love with the lifestyle and content that your choice has made a difference.

*The “typical” home refers to an average home in Broadmeadows Victoria, no pool, using gas for heating and cooking, modelled using the Governments energy made easy website