A House that Saves on Energy Costs

Green is the new buzzword in housing construction. Conservation of energy is not only good for the earth, but it also helps financial savings in the long run. So while you are doing your bit to save the planet, you are also adding to your bank balance for the future!

Energy efficient homes use significantly less energy then traditional homes. Along with reducing the harmful greenhouse gas emissions, an energy efficient home also helps you save hundreds of dollars in utility bills. Several million tons of greenhouse gases are pumped into the atmosphere every year. Simply by optimizing the usage of electricity and gas in households, a significant impact can be brought about by greenhouse gas emissions and thereby help reduce its harmful effects on climate change.

When you are building a new home there are certain elements that can be incorporated into the design to create an energy efficient home.

1) Pay attention to the building materials

Every material has a certain thermal mass, which is the ability of the material to store thermal energy or heat. By using materials with higher thermal mass for constructing the floors and walls, they will absorb heat and release it into the living spaces during cooler periods. Concrete floors and masonry walls that use cavity bricks are good examples of materials with thermal mass.

The building materials that are used for constructing your house must be carefully selected after studying the area's climatic conditions. This will help you and the building architect decide on what materials can be used for a better, energy efficient home.

2) The layout and placement of the rooms are important

When you decide on the layout of the house and the placement of the rooms, always keep in mind that the house should be able to absorb the maximum sunshine so that it can add to the warmth of the house. Then you must balance it with appropriate ventilation and shading so that the interiors are kept cool in summers.

Placing living day areas such as the family room, dining room, kitchen and lounge on the northern side of your home will ensure that you get the maximum out of the sunlight streaming into your house. Place the bedrooms on the southern or eastern sides, service areas on the western or southern sides. A very efficient way to conserve energy by reducing heat loss in pipes is to group together rooms that use hot water, such as the bathroom, kitchen and laundry rooms.

3) Choose the right heating and cooling systems

By using energy efficient heating systems it is possible to save up to 40% energy. A good heating package includes the right window coverings, ceiling, floor and wall insulations, efficient heaters, and appropriate zoning of living and sleeping areas.

If you spend some time in designing your home cleverly, you can save quite a bit in cooling the house during summers. If you can just take care of some basic factors as those mentioned below, you can cut down almost 90% on the heat.

Insulate walls and ceilings and also draught seal around doors and windows to keep the interiors cool. Design a good ventilation flow to allow the cooler air outside to come into the house. The external shading is ideally to the north and the windows to the east and west.

If you can keep an eye of just a few of these factors it is possible to cut down on your utility bills to a great extent.


About the Author:

Par Development is the popular new home builder in Illinois and Wisconsin. We know the Chicago and surrounding areas better than anyone else, and we have some great offers on Wisconsin new homes and Illinois new homes. Visit us at www.pardevelopment.com for some great deals on your new home!

Author: White Alex