Energy-efficient homes are quickly becoming the norm. If you are not already living in one, chances are you are probably trying to increase your home’s energy efficiency or looking around for a new home.
Almost all new homes are being built with energy efficiency in mind.
Energy efficiency is a popular term, but what does it mean?
On this page, we dive further into this hot topic and find out why energy-efficient homes matter.
What Is An Energy Efficient Home?
Energy-efficient homes are designed to reduce energy waste and energy usage. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and demand for carbon-based fuels.
Building homes that require less energy or renovating existing ones, is believed to make our homes healthier and cleaner. Long-term, energy-efficient homes can help us to save money.
How To Get Started
If you don’t want to build a new home, you can probably renovate your home to make it more energy-efficient.
The concept is just as applicable whether you live in a hot or cold climate. Both heating and cooling a home uses energy and costs money.
If you would like to get started, planning is important. First, you need to establish how your home uses energy now. After that, you move on to the next stage and find out how to use energy more efficiently.
Check all of the systems and appliances you have in your home. Cooling and heating systems probably use the most energy.
Then you have lights and cooking appliances.
What About Water?
Heating water is energy expensive when you use carbon fuels. If you are fortunate enough to be able to use solar power, you can heat your water almost for free.
While you are planning your new energy-efficient future, it is a good idea to explore how you can use water more efficiently.
In other words, you can make your home environmentally efficient in more ways than one.
Why Do Energy Efficient Homes Matter?
Energy-efficient homes matter because they reduce living costs and help us to better manage resources. If you used only natural resources in your home, you would have lower bills and reduce your reliance on energy providers.
The ultimate goal is to achieve energy freedom. That could mean you would be 100% responsible for generating energy for your home.
It is an amazing concept. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Tips to Have Energy-Efficient Homes
Appliances and Home Electronics
The first step is to reduce the amount of energy your appliances and home electronics consume.
Appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers consume vast quantities of energy and water.
If you exchange your small-size washing machine for a larger-capacity machine, you can do the laundry less often. This reduces both energy and water usage.
Dishwashers are found in most modern homes. But, are we too reliant on them and do we use them in the right way? Instead of using your dishwasher after every meal, try using it only once or every other day.
In large families, reducing your reliance on the dishwasher is probably tough. You could change family culture instead. Ask the kids to do the dishes in exchange for a top-up of their pocket money.
Using the oven less contributes to lower energy use. Batch cooking is popular. If you have not tried it yet, you should try it. Batch cooking reduces energy consumption and saves time.
The Japanese love their steam ovens. It is a healthy way to cook food and is energy efficient. Japanese-style steam ovens are quickly becoming popular in Europe.
Fans of air fryers claim they are energy efficient. However, compared to air fryers, steamers and slow cookers use far less energy.
Insulate Your Home
Better home insulation works in cool and warm climates. In warmer climates, insulation keeps the heat in. In hot climates, insulation keeps the heat out.
Improved insulation substantially helps reduce heating and air conditioning bills.
Day Light Rules
Most energy-efficient homes make the most out of natural light. By increasing the amount of natural light in your home, you can help to reduce the amount of electricity-generating lighting.
Skylights and better window placement help a great deal. Scandinavian countries have been using this method of increasing natural light in their homes for many years.
If your home gets too bright, use shades, shutters, or blinds to control the light entering your home.
Cooling and Heating
Cooling and heating go hand in hand. The choice of new cooling and heating systems coming onto the market is endless.
The size of the area you are trying to heat or cool matters. If you are not sure what option is right for you, it is best to discuss it with a local contractor.
Water Heating
Once again, new ways of heating water are becoming available.
In warm countries, the best option is probably solar power. In the future, wind power may play a role.
It depends on what area you live in. If wind is a natural resource in your area, it can be used to generate electricity to heat water.
As always, it is best to discuss available options with a local contractor who knows the area.
Orientation Of Your Home
Can your home take advantage of the natural landscape? The location of your home can matter.
If you know the area, you probably know from which direction you can enjoy cooling breezes in the summer and warm winds during winter.
Builders will likely pay close attention to local weather conditions when they build houses in the future.
Final Thoughts
Energy efficiency is the name of the game. We have come a long way, but we still have a lot to learn. Planning where we build our homes and what materials we use will have a huge impact.
More than likely, we will also be asked to accept increasing responsibility for generating energy in our homes. You might find yourself going off-grid in the middle of town!
