The word ‘sustainable’ is becoming quite popular. It’s being used in every domain possible – fashion, food, construction, education, etc. But the word is more than just a trend. It’s becoming the need of the hour.

Sustainability is the practice of reducing the use of natural resources, to avoid their depletion and maintain ecological balance. When sustainability is implemented well, it allows for social and economic development without compromising on protecting the environment.

We live in a world that runs on non-renewable resources like fossil fuels, and we have reached a state where we will run out of these resources if we don’t use them wisely. The rampant use of these resources is also damaging our planet – the rise of greenhouse gas emissions, sea levels and plastics could cause severe and irreparable damage to the environment.

News about climate change is alarming, but the only way to solve the problem is to embrace the solution that is sustainability. In the areas of construction and design, this means manufacturing, building and maintaining products that are energy-efficient and use the least amount of non-renewable resources.

An example of this would be dual-plumbing. It reduces the amount of potable water used in a building by recycling it. The potable water used in the kitchen or in sinks are filtered and recycled to use in toilets, gardening or landscape irrigation. While dual-plumbing systems are a little expensive to set up, they have minimal maintenance costs, save money spent on water-related utilities and conserve energy. This reduces the cost of running a building in the long run, thus benefitting everyone.

Sustainability has several benefits on both an individual and business scale:

1. Reduced Waste:
   
   All sustainable methods ensure that the amount of waste generated is reduced. Reduced waste is both good for the environment and easier to handle in a house or business.
   
2. Reduced Maintenance Costs:
   
   The initial costs of setting up sustainable appliances like solar panels or cool roofs may be high, but they are cheaper to maintain over time. For several sustainable practices, almost 60-70% of the life-cycle cost is covered during installation.
   
3. Reduced Energy Consumption:
   
   This is the fundamental benefit of sustainable practices. Reduced energy consumption leads to better productivity and allows people to do more with less.
   
4. Greater Return on Investments:
   
   As sustainability is switching from being a trend to a necessity, homes, and businesses that are environment-friendly are becoming popular. Their market value increases substantially with time.
   
   

Whether it’s growing some vegetables in your garden or installing solar panels for your business, sustainability helps yourself and everyone around you.