5 Steps to Designing and Building an Energy-Efficient Home
It takes multiple steps to design and build an energy-efficient custom home, but it will bring countless benefits. Combining common building materials, energy-efficient strategies, and thoughtful building methods can give you a new custom home that is less expensive to own and maintain. This article will review the five main steps to building and designing an energy efficient custom home.
Energy Efficient Custom Home Tips: Five Main Steps
Use the Sun
Benefit from the natural sunlight you receive daily for the optimum goal of having a net-zero home. For example, windows with southern exposure help heat the interior space of houses, especially during the winter months. This way, you can freely make your home warmer without needing additional expensive heating equipment.
Moreover, you can use the sun as a renewable energy source. Grid-tied solar photovoltaic (PV) panels are a cost-effective renewable energy source. These panels can provide your home with the energy required for almost any needs, including lighting, heating/cooling systems, appliances, and water. In addition, installing battery walls will guarantee a continued energy supply when the grid goes down.
Tight Air Seals
One of the most cost-effective procedures for a zero-energy house is to super-seal it. This step can effectively enhance the energy efficiency of net-zero energy homes. Air sealing helps reduce energy consumption for heating and cooling the house. Also, it enhances your comfort and the air quality.
Currently, there are several air-sealing approaches available on the market. Remember to pick the best method for your climate, skills, and budget. Some methods involve less expensive materials but require more labor and higher skills. Others need less labor but have higher purchase prices. It would be best to balance these factors, but air sealing can save more money in the long run than other systems involving expensive heating and cooling systems or solar panels.
Insulation
Insulating your house is another cost-effective step to creating an energy-efficient custom home. Apart from walls and floors, windows and doors are a house's most significant energy holes. Therefore, you need to choose the most energy-efficient windows and doors to control the gain and loss of heat. Also, install them carefully and choose the size and orientation based on maximum optimization.
Heating/Cooling System
The heating and cooling system may be a house's most significant energy consumption source. Therefore, installing a highly efficient, cost-effective heating and cooling system is essential to have the net-zero energy-efficient custom home of your dreams.
One great choice is an air source ductless or mini-split heat pump. Systems like this are highly energy-efficient and help you eliminate the shortcomings faced with a central, forced-air system or the expenditures of a thermal heat pump.
Lighting and Appliances
The last step is to minimize the energy consumption of the home. LED lights are a better choice when compared with CFLs, as they are more energy-efficient, last many years longer, and don't contain mercury. Apart from lighting, another significant source of energy consumption is appliances and electronics. As a result, it is critical to purchase Energy Star appliances and electronics that consume the least amount of energy possible.
Grayson Homes
Are you thinking of building an energy efficient custom home? Grayson Homes can help. Designing and building energy-efficient homes is our expertise. We'll help you through the whole process, from selecting the building plot to picking the kitchen appliances to create an attractive, energy-efficient home within your budget. Contact us today at 919-578-6222 and see what we can do for you.