There are numerous reasons why it’s worth investing in an energy-efficient home. For environmentally-focused people, increasing energy efficiency can reduce greenhouse gas emissions in your household, making it an ideal choice. This can translate to less pollution and contaminants and even save natural resources like water and gas.
Learning the best strategies and practices for building an energy-efficient home is crucial. A lower utility bill and reduced cost of living are benefits of living in an energy-efficient home. Additionally, buying good energy-star-rated appliances is a significant baby step toward decreasing carbon emissions.
There are more practical and sustainable options to reduce your environmental impact. If you’re interested in learning more about making your home more energy efficient, this comprehensive guide is for you.
1. Install A Solar Energy System
The sun could only be harnessed for a small fraction of its power by solar panels in the past. However, thanks to advanced innovations in the solar industry, homeowners can now afford to install a solar energy system in their homes. This is the best solution to transform your home into an energy-efficient one.
Installing solar panels is an excellent step to making your home eco-friendly and energy-efficient. Sunlight contains photons and is the source of solar energy. You can harness the photons that can generate solar power through solar panels. Solar energy may be more than enough to meet the world’s energy demands.
Using the photovoltaic effect, solar panels can produce electricity. The photovoltaic cells in a solar panel absorb photons into them. Electricity flows in the cell due to the movement of electrical charges created by this energy. The free electrons will be pulled into a current, creating electricity. When solar cells are linked together, they can produce more power.
Meanwhile, the use of electricity has become one of the essential aspects of human life. It’s a basic necessity that everyone needs daily. Every household appliance runs on electricity to perform chores and household tasks.
Unfortunately, the supply of non-renewable resources, such as fossil fuels, is running low. This is why more and more people are looking for other alternative energy resources. One viable solution is to install a solar energy system in your home.
However, the key to installing an efficient solar energy system is to find a reputable supplier of solar products like Solar Run. This can give you a guarantee of their longevity and efficiency. Nevertheless, learning more about these products and reading reviews is crucial before investing in them.
2. Find The Right Location
Another essential component of transitioning into an energy-efficient home is to find the right location. Construction materials, geographical location, and the home’s shape are vital considerations when building a comfortable, energy-efficient home.
Regarding shape, the most energy-efficient homes are dome-shaped since they have fewer corners. Wind can pass over your house with little to no change in air pressure, limiting airflow in and out and keeping the interior temperature more stable.
In addition to the traditional dome, there’s also the cube shape option for your home. Regardless of the shape, your home should have passive solar energy gain during winter and steady summer heat gains to make it energy efficient.
Home site, orientation, and landscaping should all be optimized for this purpose. How much sun your house gets depends on its placement. Temperatures in your home are directly affected by this. Hence, consider different sun angles when designing your home. You can hire an architect or engineer to check the correct positioning to improve your home’s energy efficiency.
It’s essential to position your house correctly to take advantage of seasonal warmth. Also, consider installing insulated or glass walls to minimize your solar power consumption. This way, you can conserve energy by decreasing the cooling requirements of your house.
Solar exposure, wind direction, and surrounding terrain can affect your home’s heating and cooling needs and costs. A household’s energy use depends on many factors, but you can maximize potential savings by building your house in the right location with energy efficiency in mind.
3. Invest In Cool Roof
Another good component of an energy-efficient home is investing in a cool roof. A cool roof can protect your home from solar heat gain during the summer months. Additionally, a cool roof is made of materials with a low thermal mass. On the other hand, heat will be absorbed quickly and transferred to the home’s interior by traditional asphalt shingles due to their high thermal mass.
Solar energy is absorbed less by a cool roof because it reflects more sunlight than a conventional roof. The building’s temperature decreases as a result, just as wearing light-colored clothing keeps you cool on a hot day. On the contrary, when you use conventional roofs, hot summer afternoons can go as high as 140°F or more.
When choosing cool roofs, go for ceramic shingles, clay, or slate. Coatings or colors that reflect sunlight can be applied to these surfaces. You can also consider having a green roof if it’s flat. In either case, the basic concept remains the same—a layer of earth and plants absorbs stormwater runoff while keeping the house cool.
4. Install An HVAC System
The heating and cooling system accounts for almost half of your home’s energy consumption. Therefore, if you want to make your home energy-efficient, it would be wise to invest in a durable, high-quality heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
Installing HVAC systems with ENERGY STAR standards is the responsibility of HVAC professionals. The key here is to ensure that the systems are properly installed. Using modern HVAC systems, you can maintain your home’s perfect temperature and humidity level.
In addition, your home’s interior temperature can be optimized and customized so rooms can be heated or cooled precisely to your preference. Also, keep in mind that it’s necessary to perform HVAC preventative maintenance to maintain an energy-efficient home.
5. Give Attention To Your Landscape
While some homeowners overlook this aspect, landscaping can significantly improve your home’s energy efficiency. You can reduce the temperature of your home by up to six degrees by landscaping with elements of shade in mind.
It’s essential to hire the right landscape artist who can show you how to take advantage of the shades that trees and plants provide. It would also help to plant dense trees and shrubs for continuous shade and wind protection.
For instance, some common trees best planted close to the house are willow trees, maples, aspens, poplars, and cottonwoods. The risk of damage to your home is lower with smaller, shallow-rooted trees.
Meanwhile, it’s essential to spot the most suitable locations when landscaping and planting trees. Keep in mind that it’s best to plant trees on the east, west, or south sides. This way, you can keep your house cool during extreme heat.
East-facing trees will shield your house from the heat of the early morning sun. In the mid-morning and early afternoon, trees to the south can cast shadows on your home. As the afternoon sun is blocked by trees planted in the west, they can reduce energy bills the most, especially in extreme temperatures.
6. Go For LED Lighting
If you’re building a new home, LED lighting should be your choice. They’re not only the most energy-efficient option on the market, but they also deliver an exceptional amount of light. Moreover, they last a very long time and contain no mercury.
Installing LED lights can drastically reduce your home’s energy consumption. It would also help to position them strategically so that you can utilize natural light to the fullest extent possible. Fluorescent bulbs and LEDs can help you save energy since they produce less heat and emit more light. They can also highlight your home’s interiors and exteriors too.
Apart from LEDs and bulbs, the windows of your residence can also be designed to allow natural light to enter during the day. This way, without the need for artificial lighting, you can save on electricity costs.
7. Create Water Conservation System
Water-saving systems are increasingly being incorporated into energy-efficient homes. Incorporating a water conversation system allows you to minimize water consumption. One great idea is to utilize greywater recycling systems. They’re becoming increasingly popular among homeowners.
In this system, the wastewater produced during showers and laundry can be reused as greywater. Your electrical appliances, like a washing machine, can be connected to a diversion system that transports graywater to your bathroom or garden.
Overall, you can save money on your water utility bills as you reduce water consumption by almost half. This new technology can help you save and recycle water used during showers and dishwashing. With low-flow fixtures in the kitchen and shower, water is distributed more evenly, but less is used.
Conclusion
You can increase energy efficiency in your new home in many ways. You can install solar power systems, invest in cool roofs, use LED lights, and create a water conservation system. You can refer to this guide and build a more energy-efficient home. The ultimate goal is to reduce energy usage on a daily basis significantly.
