The best tips for a sustainable kitchen renovation

Environmentally friendly kitchens are becoming more common and today many of the renovators want to do so in a sustainable way. But what does it really mean that a kitchen is gentle on the environment? How should you think about materials, energy consumption and design? Kitchen Life has the guide to help you succeed with a sustainable kitchen renovation.

1. Keep and reuse

Start by reviewing your existing kitchen - is there anything you can save and use again? One of the cornerstones of sustainable thinking is about taking advantage of what is already there instead of tearing it out and buying new. Whether your new kitchen is environmentally friendly to a thousand, it will not be a sustainable business if you throw out a fully functioning kitchen to make room for it. Maybe you can repaint, rebuild or otherwise update parts of the kitchen so that you get a whole new look without having to replace everything.

2. Choose organic, eco-labeled or used

If you still decide to partially or completely replace your current kitchen, there are a lot of environmentally friendly ways to go. A few years ago, for example, kitchen manufacturer Puustelli launched its  organic kitchen  Miinus, which takes into account everything from the amount of material and waste reduction to transport in connection with production.

You can also look for other eco-labels , such as the Swan label, to find sustainable kitchen options. The Swan entails tough environmental requirements that are updated every four years in order for the labeling to be up to date with the very latest in technology, research and science. In kitchens that are allowed to bear the markings, for example, the chipboard is made energy-efficient, the plastic is free from harmful additives and the wood is not shredded in threatened forests. Marbodal, Vedum and Electrolux Home are some of the manufacturers that have Swan-labeled kitchens, and via Swan's own search function you can find, among other things, cabinets, paint and floors with the markings.

A third option is to buy the kitchen second hand . Yes, it does! Whole kitchens or selected items such as hatches, cabinets and fittings can sometimes be found on, for example, the block. Here you can also sell or give away what you do not want in your own kitchen - so you create a sustainable cycle.

3. Paddle with the water

By replacing a dripping crane you save both the environment and your own finances. In addition, if you buy an energy-efficient mixer, you can, according to some manufacturers, halve your energy and water use! In other words, the management of water is an important factor behind an environmentally friendly kitchen renovation. The market has a lot to offer in this area, such as Gustavsberg's recyclable mixer "Coloric" and FM Mattsson's model "9000E" with cold start to avoid unnecessary hot water use. Many manufacturers also sell variants with adjustable heating and flow functions designed to save extra energy.

Tip! Add new, sustainable habits while changing blenders. By only running the dishwasher when it is full and not washing dishes under running water, many valuable drops are gained.

4. Buy low energy classified technology

If it's time to change the fridge, freezer, stove, oven or dishwasher - choose energy-efficient models in the A-class (the more + in the designation, the better). Just as with efficient and modern mixers, you earn both money and environmental points by purchasing appliances and other appliances that consume less energy. In fact, you are recommended to buy new if your current fridge and freezer are older than seven years, just as the technology is advancing and becoming more sustainable all the time. Also, be sure not to buy larger machines than you need, even if you have room.

Tip! Buy a fridge with built-in carbonated water so you don't have to buy home from the store. Both environmentally and wallet friendly.

5. Use good materials

Choose plastic that often has a major environmental impact when it is produced, in favor of natural materials such as stone, tile, glass and steel. Instead of plastic flooring in PVC, you can use wood (for example, avoid tropical woods), linoleum or cork. If you choose wood, you can look for the FSC mark that stands for “Forest Stewardship Council”. The labeling means that the material is produced in a guaranteed durable way, without contributing to deforestation or illegal logging. Paper wallpapers are a good alternative to the walls, compared to vinyl wallpapers. If you can buy Swedish material, it is often better than imported, as kitchen decoration means heavy freight with a lot of emissions. However, if you live near a national border, the neighboring country's producer may be closer, so be sure to compare before making your choice.

Recycled materials are another sustainable alternative, especially for those who still want to use plastic and would prefer to do so with good conscience. Consciously investing in high-quality, long-lasting materials is also significantly better for the environment than cheap variants that need to be replaced much faster. Also, take the time to carefully plan how much material you need. A detailed material specification means you are less likely to receive material that just ends up in the dump.

6. Paint environmentally friendly

Unfortunately, paint can contain many boring chemicals that are a disaster from an environmental point of view. The same goes for glue, grout and other building accessories that are often a must in a kitchen renovation (if you do not want to try to put up the tile with tape, but this is not something we recommend at Kitchen Life). But here too there are tricks to take!

Waterborne plastic paints are often marketed as good for the environment as compared to solvent based paints. While it is true that the old colors with solvent were more harmful to the painters, the new products are also not problem-free. In fact, unlike the more stable older colors, they emit harmful substances in the indoor air for a long time. They are also based on fossil oil, which has many environmental disadvantages and is a finite resource. A further minus is that these colors tend to attract dirt to a greater extent and do not age well. Therefore, try to completely exclude plastic paint when you repaint. (Substances to avoid are, for example, lacquer naphtha, thinner, turpentine, xylene and toluene.)

What you want instead to look out for are colors based on environmentally friendly pigments such as linseed oil, sludge paint, silicate paint, clay paint and egg oil temperature paint. Eco-colors made from natural raw materials are also a sustainable alternative. There are many products on the market, including adhesives and sealants, labeled with the Nordic Ecolabel or Good Environmental Choice, which do not contain the worst ingredients.

7. Set up smart lighting

The most environmentally friendly way to carry out a kitchen renovation and at the same time light up your home is with LED (Light Emitting Diode) lamps . LEDs of this type require less energy than other types of light sources and contain no hazardous heavy metals. They are also very durable and can be made smaller than ordinary lamps, which saves on transport and materials. Low-energy lamps may sound like a good choice in terms of energy, but contain mercury that is harmful to humans and the environment.

If you want fluorescent lamps, compact fluorescent lamps are better than a regular model because they consume less energy and last longer. Halogen lamps are also better for the environment than ordinary incandescent lamps, as they do not draw as much energy and contain no mercury. However, they do not last as long as LED or low energy lamps.

Tip! With dimmers in the home, you save a little extra energy because you can adjust the lighting's strength as needed.