5 Ways to Create an Eco-friendly Kitchen Fit-out
These days, businesses and individuals are striving more and more to decrease their footprints and design more ethical ways of working. What better place to start than in the kitchen, where decisions about materials, appliances, energy, finishes and lighting can all make a difference to a business’s green credentials. Whether you have an established business and are looking to refit your kitchen space, designing a complete apartment block, or just looking for ways to greenify your residential kitchen, there are several steps you can take to make a more ethical, modern kitchen.
Here, the team at Apollo Kitchens runs through our top tips for greenifying your commercial space. With decades of experience designing functional, stylish kitchens, we’re able to create attractive, on-brand and green kitchens for your home or business by managing the whole project from start to finish.
Lighting
In modern design, beautiful lighting is often a non-negotiable and the right bulbs and shades can make all the difference in the ambience of a room. However, certain lighting types really can eat up power (and put a huge dent in your energy bill), so it’s important to choose the right ones.
Energy-efficient LED lights are the way to go, striking the perfect balance between eco-friendly and stylish. Pair the bulbs with an on-trend lampshade or light fitting and you’ll get a design match that really does light up the room.
Materials
Depending on your brand and the mood you want to create, you probably have a few building materials in mind. Your design manager can walk you through your options to create a stunning kitchen presence – but one thing to keep in mind is that not all materials are created equal when it comes to the environment.
At Apollo Kitchens, we’ll work with you to select ethically sourced materials so you can achieve the look you want without increasing your footprint. Choose plantation-grown woods like pine, oak and bamboo (which grows incredibly fast and is easy to replenish) or metal, recycled plastic and concrete.
Energy sources
When it comes to choosing your suppliers, select one with ethical credentials. Renewable energies like solar and wind are the best way to go, and you can power any appliance. If your business has a building of its own, installing rooftop solar panels can be a great move to generate power – plus you can feed excess energy back into the grid to make some extra money.
Appliances
A kitchen isn’t complete without appliances but if you’re looking to greenify your business, you want whitegoods with a positive impact. The Australian government’s star rating system is a top place to start to learn about the water and energy efficiency of fridges, freezers and dishwashers. It’s simple; choose appliances with higher star ratings and you won’t just help save the environment, you’ll lower your bills too.
For more ideas on how to bring some eco-friendly thoughts into your upcoming kitchen design, speak to the team at Apollo Kitchens. From end to end, we’ll help you design a great kitchen for yourself, clients and employees, boosting your eco credentials along the way.
Contact us today.
