Rising energy bills may require homeowners to find ways to reduce their energy consumption. They can ask home builders to create a more energy-efficient building. The builders can use new designs and certain construction materials to increase the building’s energy efficiency. Here are some of the ways that builders can construct more energy-efficient homes:
Proper Insulation
High-quality materials can prevent the movement of heat between the inside and outside of the house. During the cold months, the insulating materials can keep heat within the home and make the house warmer.
In summer, the insulating materials can prevent excessive heat from the outside from entering the home. Builders can properly install and seal insulation materials to reduce air leakage from the home.
All the air generated by your heating and cooling systems remains inside while unconditioned outdoor air stays out.
Quality Windows and Doors
Because glass is a poor conductor of heat, windows, and doors can be the biggest contributor to heat loss or gain for your home.
Your builder should install windows with double or triple-pane designs to reduce heat transfer between the interior and exterior of the home.
This type of window has an insulating gas between the panes to trap and reflect heat. The builders should also use glass with low emissivity coatings. These coatings reflect heat but allow visible light to pass into the house.
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Appropriately-sized HVAC Systems
Home builders can select HVAC systems that are properly sized for your home. If the builder selects an oversized HVAC system, it will short cycle.
If the system is too small, it will not effectively meet your home’s heating and cooling needs. The builders should select HVAC systems that have high energy efficiency ratings.
The builder can also create various zones in the home. You can cool or heat each of these zones separately. This helps so that you don’t waste energy in rooms that are not occupied.
A builder can design and install the latest ductwork. Your ductwork should have proper sealing and insulation to prevent air leakage from your HVAC systems.
Energy-efficient Lighting
Some types of bulbs consume lots of energy. Your builder can add light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs to your house to reduce energy consumption.
These bulbs provide the same or better illumination as fluorescent or incandescent bulbs. The builders should create a lighting design that minimizes the number of bulbs in your home while providing adequate illumination.
One way they can do this is by installing task lighting. This type of lighting illuminates specific areas of your home, such as kitchen countertops or workspaces.
Another option is to install dimmer switches on all lights in your home. The switches reduce the intensity of the light depending on the needs of the home’s occupants.
This reduces energy consumption when you don’t require full brightness. You can add skylights and large windows to let in enough light during the day. Maximizing natural light reduces reliance on artificial lighting during daylight hours.
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Work With a Reliable Home Builders
The journey towards creating an energy-efficient home starts during the construction of the house. Home builders can design and build an energy-efficient home that can help save you money. Start your search to find reputable home builders today.
