Materials matter.

“In researching materials to build our house, we were happy to find that we could use a lot of existing resources,” says Gisele Bündchen. “In the end, 90 percent of the materials used to construct our house were reclaimed.”

Energy efficiency begins with your architect.
“Energy efficiency was a huge concern from the planning stage, explains Bündchen. “The design of the house allows for as much natural light as possible. High ceilings and large windows generally allow us to have the lights.”

Go solar.

“We love our solar panels,” says Bündchen. “With them, our energy bill is significantly lower and we can put energy back in the grid.”
LEDs are a must.
“We reduce our energy consumption further by using LED lighting featuring a low-voltage, high-efficiency lighting system equipped with motion sensors in certain rooms.”
Unplug.
“We unplug electronics and chargers when they are not being used.”

Water consumption matters, too.
“We’re very conscious about the water consumption in our home, and we teach our kids the same,” says Bündchen. “For example, we don’t leave the water running when brushing our teeth or scrubbing the dishes (only when rinsing).”

Install a water filter.
“We have a water-filter system on our sink that is the best purchase we’ve ever made,” says Bündchen. “Our Puroserve HT series reverse-osmosis water system 
provides drinking water throughout the house. We refill our reusable bottles with it, which creates a lot less garbage.”

Reuse wastewater.
“Our gray-water system allows us to reuse the wastewater for our garden and lawn.”

Plant a garden.

“We grow 85 percent of our fruits and vegetables,” says Bündchen. “Not only do we know where our produce comes from, but our children experience firsthand the connection between the earth and their food. The children also love going into the chicken coop and feeding the chickens. And it’s a blast to pick up fresh eggs for our breakfast in the morning.”

Recycle and compost.
“Recycling reduces the trash sent to the landfill, but we also created a space to compost in order to eliminate food waste in our home. Leftovers go either to our compost or to the chickens.”

Nurture the world around you.
“Whether you’re talking about a home or the land, it’s the same—if you nurture something, it will nurture you back.”