Energy-Efficient Home Design Builds
An energy-efficient home is good for you and your family and it’s good for the environment too. Whether you are designing your home from scratch or thinking about renovating, now is a good time to consider the many different ways that you can make your home energy-efficient.
Existing House? Start With An Assessment
The starting point of your journey towards energy efficiency is to figure out how energy efficient your home currently is. A home energy assessment is a thorough check to see how your home uses energy. Once you’ve established your home’s energy use pattern, you can begin working on how to improve the areas that aren’t energy efficient. There are home energy audit tools available online, or you can call in a professional home energy auditor.
6 Areas To Focus On To Make Your Home Energy Efficient
There are many areas that affect the energy efficiency of your home outdoors and indoors. Apart from your family’s patterns of living, your climate and the site conditions of your property, you can maximize energy efficiency by adjusting six areas.
Electronics, Large and Small Appliances
It has become much easier to shop energy-wise for appliances and electronics as most of the ratings are clearly displayed. Often energy efficiency will cost you a bit more upfront, but the long-term savings will make it worthwhile.
Sealing and Insulation
A drafty house will cost you more on your energy bill as your AC will have to work much harder to keep the inside of your home cool and comfortable. A well-sealed home will lower your energy bill.
Lighting: Day and Night
Choosing energy-efficient bulbs and solar-powered garden lighting are two small changes that can have a huge impact over time. Solar power is a big investment, but the benefits are worth it. Clever use of energy-efficient skylights to light dark areas of your home during the day is a good way of making use of the natural light outside.
Cooling
Keeping your AC in good running condition will affect its energy efficiency. Installing a modern AC with a better rating will also make a huge contribution to the issue.
Water Heating
Installing an energy-efficient water heater is a start, but you can also reduce the energy expenditure by lowering the temperature setting. A solar-powered water heater is also a good option.
Skylights, Doors and Windows
Traditional skylights are known to increase cooling consumption by 40%. Now, energy efficiency can be achieved by choosing an energy efficiently designed skylight, a different shaped skylight (for e.g. tubular skylights are highly energy efficient) or paying attention to the angle that the skylight is installed. Energy efficiency in windows has to do with the type of frame and glass that is used. Caulking and weather-stripping doors will make them more energy efficient.
Other Solutions To Consider
Advanced House Framing
If you’re building new or adding on to your current home, you can make use of optimum value engineering when it comes to the frame of your house. This reduces the amount of lumber used and wasted in a wood-framed house, making it more energy-efficient.
Cool Roofs
Highly reflective materials are used to reflect light and heat from sunlight. This keeps the inside of your home cooler without any energy expenditure.
Passive Solar Home Design
This means that your house is cleverly designed to take advantage of the climate, setting, and sun in your home’s location to achieve the right level of cooling that you desire.
6 Benefits Of An Energy Efficient Home Design
Indoor Comfort Is Increased
Your home is kept at the temperature you want it to be, keeping you cool and comfortable all year round.
Reduced Energy Bills Save You Money
Not only will you be spending less on your energy bill, but there are possible benefits available to you for running an energy-efficient home.
Improve Your Family’s Health
Breathing healthy, fresh, clean air will make a huge difference to your family’s health.
Reduce Moisture In Your Home
Excess moisture in your home from leaks and condensation encourages the growth of mold which causes damage to your property and can have a negative effect on your health.
Building Resale Value Increase
With a strong wave of focus on saving our planet, future buyers will be willing to pay more for an energy-efficient home.
Lower Use Of Fossil Fuels
Energy efficiency will naturally lead to reduced fossil fuel usage and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
So, whether you are starting fresh, or renewing an existing structure, now is the time to think energy-smart. Contact our Miller Construction & Design staff for experienced and diverse expertise on any home building project.
