We are living in unprecedented times and there is no better time to reduce your environmental carbon footprint and slash your bills by being more energy efficient. Today, there is a requirement for every home to meet minimum energy efficiency standards. Fortunately, there is a potential to take it to a whole new level.
Although energy efficient home designs were initially considered trendy, they are slowly becoming a lifestyle. What this means is that your home design will have a huge impact if you ever decide to put your property on sale.
Interest in energy efficient homes is rising according to a report in the Herald-Sun. This might just lead to an increase in the value of energy efficient homes. Therefore, if you are looking to sell your house in the future, consider how energy efficient your home is and whether it is likely to attract potential buyers.
An attitude to go green is already evident in millenials. They are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products. This will definitely have an impact on the houses that they choose to buy, too. Instead of being fixated on prices, millennials are negotiating even on the basis of how their homes will be both environmentally friendly and energy-efficient.
Decide and Communicate Early
If you want to come up with a great energy efficient home design, you should make up your mind and talk to your builder about it even before the onset of the project. You should know exactly what you want at the early stages of choosing land and coming up with a home design.
This way, your builder will be in a better position to give you energy efficient home ideas and options. It will be easy to incorporate each aspect of the plan as your property goes up.
Sustainable Design
There is a lot involved when it comes to building a sustainable home design. It is vital that you work together with your builder to come up with overall design. For instance, when designing an energy efficient house, choose a design that lets the living room face to the north so that it can take in the winter sun.
You can shade your windows or limit them to the east and west to allow for cross-ventilation. Also, consider locating service areas like laundry and garage in the areas that will require heating and cooling.
When it comes to sustainability, size does not matter. It is imperative to design floor plans that suit your situation. However, it is always advisable to avoid unnecessary spaces. For example, you can decide to forgo a second living room or a media room.
It is wise to be smart about how you use your space. A great idea that will help you save on heating and cooling costs is to create zoned areas for rooms with similar uses. To limit energy drain from your home, design high ceilings and open plans such as using room-dividing screens and placing the doors properly. The design decisions you make for your house will impact your energy costs for years.
Building Choices
It is advisable that your builder becomes your eco buddy when it comes to making building choices for your energy efficient home. Your builder will advise on selection of materials and installation of insulation such as buying energy efficient appliances. However, remember it is up to you to make the big choices that impact your energy bills
