The Importance Of Energy Efficiency In New Home Design

A key focus of my blog is Financial Literacy/Money. A significant purchase for most individuals and families is that of their primary residence. One way to save money on your home, particularly when you’re having it designed is the make it energy efficient. Creating a home that’s environmentally friendly and which will save you money in the long run is a win-win. The following contributed post is entitled, The Importance Of Energy Efficiency In New Home Design.

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When it comes to new home design, there are two words that are increasingly cropping up in conversation ‘energy efficiency’. There’s more focus than ever on reducing the carbon footprint of the building process and creating sustainable energy-efficient homes that are better for the environment and more comfortable for people to live in, so what does the future look like for energy-efficient homes?

What does energy efficiency actually mean?

Energy efficiency, when used in the context of building design, means constructing or upgrading a building to reduce the amount of energy required for it to provide its basic services. Put simply, using less energy for everyday processes such as heating and lighting. Older houses have many inefficiencies which are now being corrected during renovations using up-to-date materials that can provide better results. Newer homes, on the other hand, are now being designed in such ways that their inefficiencies are removed from the get-go.

What are the benefits of an energy-efficient home?

Building regulations are in place around the world to try and ensure a minimum standard for energy efficiency in all-new home designs. But prioritizing energy efficiency is about more than simply being compliant.

● Solving an economical issue
Although energy efficiency can greatly benefit the pocket of the home-owner it is also about reducing reliance on resources such as oil, coal and gas, which are becoming critical economic issues. Homes and other buildings account for nearly 40% of total energy use in the United States, making it a key area for the government to tackle.

● Saving home-owners money
An energy-efficient home can save the home-owner money on wasted energy, particularly in areas such as heating costs.

● Reducing greenhouse emissions

Energy production directly contributes to the creation of harmful greenhouse gas emissions that are currently accelerating the rate of global warming. Energy-efficient homes demand less energy production, thus directly reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by running them. Reducing emissions has both local and global effects, reducing pollution and the impact on the environment.

Building an energy-efficient home

The easiest way to ensure energy efficiency within a home is to tackle it at each stage of the building project, making new-build housing sites a key area of attention. Contractors, builders and surveyors such as https://thurlow.co.nz/ are all aligning with regards to the importance of energy-efficiency in their line of work. Some of the things to consider when building an energy-efficient home include:

● Using correct insulation
● Weatherproofing the building
● Using high-quality windows with a low environmental impact
● Installing quality systems that last a lifetime
● Monitoring energy performance through audits and making adjustments when necessary
● Using materials whose production has less impact on the environment
● Trying to use renewable energy sources when possible such as solar or wind power.

Doing your part

Although energy-efficiency is easiest to consider during the new build stage, we can all do our part to reduce our energy consumption. Consider small home upgrades that can reduce the amount of energy that escapes from your home. Make more environmentally conscious decisions when purchasing new appliances paying attention to their energy efficiency ratings and adopt more eco-friendly habits.

Author: anwaryusef

Anwar Y. Dunbar is a Regulatory Scientist. Being a naturally curious person, he is also a student of all things. He earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Michigan and his Bachelor’s Degree in General Biology from Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU). Prior to starting the Big Words Blog Site, Anwar published and contributed to numerous research articles in competitive scientific journals reporting on his research from graduate school and postdoctoral years. After falling in love with writing, he contributed to the now defunct Examiner.com, and the Edvocate where he regularly wrote about: Education-related stories/topics, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Financial Literacy; as well as conducted interviews with notable individuals such as actor and author Hill Harper. Having many influences, one of his most notable heroes is author, intellectual and speaker, Malcolm Gladwell, author of books including Outliers and David and Goliath. Anwar has his hands in many, many activities. In addition to writing, Anwar actively mentors youth, works to spread awareness of STEM careers, serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the David M. Brown Arlington Planetarium, serves as Treasurer for the JCSU Washington, DC Alumni Chapter, and is active in the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace Ministry at the Alfred Street Baptist Church. He also tutors in the subjects of biology, chemistry and physics. Along with his multi-talented older brother Amahl Dunbar (designer of the Big Words logos, inventor and a plethora of other things), Anwar is a “Fanboy” and really enjoys Science-Fiction and Superhero movies including but not restricted to Captain America Civil War, Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Prometheus. He is a proud native of Buffalo, NY.

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