by Robert Borges on February 3, 2025
Many active adult communities embrace the idea of sustainable retirement living due to the growing number of retirees looking for environmentally conscious lifestyles that support health, comfort, and social connection.
If you plan to settle in one of the popular fifty-five-plus living communities in your area after retirement, make sure it supports sustainable living. Many age-restricted developments continuously seek progressive ideas to keep their homes comfortable, safe, and sustainable–with some energy-efficient active adult homes even offering tech-enhanced senior lifestyles!
What Is Sustainable Living?
Sustainable living is a set of social behaviors and lifestyle choices that reduce a community's environmental impact. These choices help reduce everyone’s footprint through sustainable home designs, modes of transport, and efficient energy consumption.
Valuable Ideas for Sustainable Retirement Living
Some sustainable practices you may want to adopt include:
Efficient Energy Consumption
The most effective way to live a sustainable life in retirement is to increase your home’s energy efficiency with solar power, insulation, LED lights, and smart energy management systems. Many active adult communities install solar panels in houses and common areas to minimize dependence on nonrenewable energy sources.
These homes also often use high-quality insulation, Energy Star-rated appliances, and energy-efficient windows. These homes may have smart thermostats, heating systems, and energy management technologies that enhance power conservation.
Recyclable Building Materials
Sustainable retirement communities sometimes build houses with recycled and sustainable materials like reclaimed wood, bamboo, and metal. Others use non-toxic and low-volatile organic compound products to keep indoor air fresh and safe for occupants.
Bamboo is a common material used to build sustainable homes because it grows quickly and has a perfect strength-to-weight ratio, making it suitable for constructing floors, roofs, and furniture. You can also choose a home with a floor made with cork because it’s recyclable, lightweight, fire-resistant, and waterproof. It’s also suitable for acoustic panels and insulation.
Water Management
Choose an active adult community that is transparent about its water conservation practices. Homes should have low-flow fittings in showerheads, faucets, and toilets. They may also practice water harvesting by installing water collection tanks and reservoirs for irrigation and cleaning.
Another way to manage water in your home is to plant drought-resistant lawns and native plants that don’t require a constant water supply. You can also use mulch to keep your plants hydrated for longer without irrigation.
Sustainable Food Production Methods
Your community may allow residents to grow vegetables and fruit in their backyards or a designated common area. If so, this should be done in a way that mindfully utilizes natural resources, enhances the quality of life, and safeguards the environment.
Residential neighborhoods can encourage farm-to-table initiatives where residents source their foods from local farms to minimize their carbon footprint and eat healthier. They can also establish community composting systems for proper management of organic waste.
In Summary
Implementing these suggestions in your retirement living will significantly enhance your community's wellbeing and reduce your environmental footprint. If you want to live in an active adult community promoting sustainable retirement, Private Communities can help you find just the place!
