If you’re welcoming a baby to your home soon and planning the nursery, you’ll discover there are many ways to go about it! Eco-conscious Australian parents are taking nursery designs one step further by incorporating energy-efficient ideas for an environmentally friendly baby’s room. You can do the same if you want to reduce costly energy bills with a new addition to the family!
From natural lighting devices to honeycomb blinds Melbourne parents are getting creative with energy-efficient nursery designs. Keep reading as we share eco-friendly ideas for outfitting your new little one’s room that’s safe, healthy and cute too!
5 Energy-Efficient Ideas for an Eco-Friendly Nursery
1. Window Treatments: Blinds for Excellent Insulation
Creating a cosy, well-ventilated baby’s room so that it’s warm in the winter months but cool and airy in summer comes with some challenges. In the end, you may resort to a heating and cooling system. However, this isn’t always an environmentally friendly option nor is it cost-effective. Installing the right window treatment may be all you need to control room temperature and ventilation.
Honeycomb blinds aren’t only stylish and functional but they provide excellent insulation too, keeping rooms cool in summer and warm in winter. Their additional benefits include:
- Filtered lighting (great for your baby’s afternoon naps)
- Better privacy
- Noise cancellation
You won’t be limited in the look you can create – honeycomb blinds come in a range of colours, patterns and textures.
While you can operate them with cords, opting for a remote control system makes them safer and easier to open and close. The biggest advantage of honeycomb blinds is that you can rely less on your HVAC and enjoy reduced monthly energy bills while supporting a greener planet.
2. Smart Heating and Cooling Systems
If you need additional support to control your baby’s room temperature, install a smart heating and cooling system that allows you to manage it efficiently. Energy-efficient air conditioners with smart thermostats allow you to control the nursery’s temperature no matter where you are.
Smart thermostats can be operated from the following devices that are connected to the Internet:
- Mobile phone
- Tablets
- Computer
Smart thermostats can be incorporated into your home automation system and can be used to programme your preferred heating and cooling requirements in the nursery. Advanced devices can detect if there’s a problem with your air conditioner and remind you when maintenance is due.
Most importantly, with smart technology, you can manage the cost of running your air conditioner.
3. Energy-Efficient Lighting Devices
Often the nursery is the smallest room in the house and it may not have many windows. This means you have to rely on artificial lighting which can contribute to more energy use in the home. However, you should consider installing skylights that bring natural lighting into interior spaces without increasing heat in the room.
Skylights require minimal infrastructural changes to the house and provide a healthy dose of Vitamin D too! Some skylights come with a ceiling fixture that’s powered by a solar panel to provide nighttime lighting and dimming features. This way, you can get lighting, day and night, without relying too much on artificial light fittings.
The other option is to install energy-efficient LED lighting.
4. Rechargeable Humidifiers
If your baby is battling with a congested nose or has a common cold, a humidifier helps them feel better. Humidifiers can even help manage dry skin conditions and mild symptoms associated with the flu.
Running a humidifier can use up a lot of energy and using a rechargeable device will help you save on these costs. Rechargeable humidifiers are portable so they’re great when travelling with your baby. A quality rechargeable humidifier should give you up to seven hours of power before you need to charge or change the batteries.
Modern designs are whisper-quiet, have an auto shut-off when the water runs out and include a night light which is nifty when doing nappy changes or feeding at midnight!
5. Go Solar
Using solar power saves you a lot of energy and money and you can use this renewable resource to operate a multitude of devices in the home. When considering the following baby gear, opt for solar power designs:
- Baby monitors
- Musical toys
- Baby mobiles
Using a solar-powered power bank allows you to charge baby devices without plugging into a traditional electrical source.
Solar power is one of the most energy-efficient sources available and finding ways to use it in the baby room will reduce your reliance on the national grid.
Make your baby live eco-friendly from the get-go!
Final Thoughts
Using energy-efficient devices in the baby’s room will help you manage energy consumption within the home. Simple solutions such as motorised blinds Melbourne homeowners use as window treatments can reduce insulation and lighting costs remarkably. Installing solar panels is a bigger capital outlay but can reduce your overall home energy costs when raising a family.
Energy-efficient solutions make it easier for new parents looking for ways to support a sustainable environment while saving costs at home. With modern technology, an environmentally friendly nursery is safer, healthier and cleaner for your baby too, giving them a good head start in life!
