Balancing Budget & Sustainability: Making Tough Decisions
If you've ever done a renovation, you've likely hit the wall of decision fatigue. There are so many decisions to make on the daily, that it can make your head spin.
Well, when we add sustainability into the mix, the renovation process can feel even more overwhelming. Balancing environmental concerns and budgets when choosing products and finishes is a real concern that we come up against every day. While being environmentally conscious is at the forefront of our decision making process, often budget constraints and practical applications have us going in a different, less sustainable direction.
Professionally, some of the toughest decisions that I have to make are when I’m trying to choose more environmental and circular finishes, but it’s just not in the budget. Or, when the finishes need to withstand certain wear and tear, and the more environmental option just doesn’t make sense. These decisions are never easy and we just try to do our best based on our client’s individual needs and budgets.
To help guide you through our decision-making process, I’m highlighting three common situations that arise in our work, and how we balance sustainability with project budgets and practicality.
Exterior finishes
There are so many exterior finishes on the market and it can be hard to choose. The more circular, sustainable finishes are brick and stone, while one of the most economical and least environmentally friendly options is vinyl siding. Finishing an exterior is not a cheap endeavour to begin with, and the bigger the home, the higher the cost. That’s why choosing the less expensive option can often supersede sustainability, which has been the case on a number of projects that I’ve worked on. When we’re in this is the situation, we make the best decision possible, with our budget and the environment in mind. It’s important to consider the quality of the finish, in order to ensure that the product will withstand the harsh winters, extreme winds, pollution and blazing hot summers. You can also choose a style and colour that will look good for years to come.
Flooring
Flooring is another huge expense, and choosing the right one can be one of the most challenging decisions that we make during the renovation process. To be completely honest, I don’t like vinyl flooring. It’s one of my least favourite flooring options because it’s largely made from petroleum. There’s nothing natural about this product — it’s completely synthetic and some brands can leave off gases in your home. At the same time, I do understand that in certain applications, vinyl can be a better flooring option, including in basements, and I also understand that it can be extremely durable and more economical than wood and cork. With that being said, the key when choosing this flooring product, is choosing a product that has zero VOCs, can easily be repaired, and is in a style and colour that will look good and will stand the test of time.
Sofas
Picking the perfect sofa can also pose a challenge when it comes to balancing your budget and the environment. There are so many factors that need to be considered and it can feel very overwhelming. Unfortunately, there isn’t a perfect sofa out there that meets both budget constraints and is built with a high environmental and circular standard. In this situation, I advise that you choose a product that’s manufactured close to home, using FSC approved woods, and is built in a style and upholstered with fabric that can withstand changes in trends, the wear and tear of daily life and can easily be cleaned. The hope is that it can be enjoyed for years to come and ultimately be reupholstered or slipcovered in the future, if required.
Tough decisions when renovating are real and happen daily. Weighing the pros and cons of each option, and understanding the facts is the first step to making a decision that feels right in our bones. While being environmentally conscious is at the forefront of our decision making process, often budget constraints and practical applications have us going in a different, less sustainable direction. This will be the case until more manufacturers create products that meet both needs — budget and high environmental and circular standards. In addition, our municipalities must to create better waste management practices and policies in order to recycle, resell and reduce products entering our landfills.
In the meantime, we do our very best to make informed decisions, keeping in mind the fine balance between environmental impact and our (very real and often tight) budget.