What Are the Benefits of an Energy Efficient Home?
Whether you are building a new construction home or renovating an older home, you often hear terms like energy efficiency and the impact on the environment in terms of building components and materials. Building or renovating a home in order to become more energy efficient can be beneficial for homeowners in multiple ways including: a reduction in utility bills, trimming heating and cooling losses, enhanced environmental controls, and a better resale value when that time comes.
From framing materials to appliances each element of a home remodel can be designed to use fewer resources thus improving the bottom line of running a home and ultimately the precious environmental resources around us.
Let’s explore the benefits of remodeling with energy efficiency in mind.
What the Statistics Tell Us
We often hear the phrase “lowering our carbon footprint” with no real idea how to do that. Your home’s energy consumption can greatly impact your impact on the environment including simple ways to make your home more energy efficient.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Resources Defense Council, “approximately 113 million residences in the U.S. collectively use about 22% of the country’s energy.” Sadly, a quarter of all residential energy consumption is used on devices in idle power mode. What a waste of energy that could be saved for something else.
Statistics also tell us that, “Living in an energy efficient building can lower your heating bills by more than 50%,” according to PEMBINA Institute, a non-profit think-tank that advocates for clean energy transition.
Thankfully, Massachusetts has taken 1st or 2nd place in state energy efficiency in the U.S. for the past 12 years and is taking the lead on home efficiencies that can make not only a huge impact on your carbon footprint, but on your wallet as well.
Typical Home Improvements for Efficient Home Energy
Many builders and remodeling contractors know the key components of how to make your structure more efficient. These improvements include steps like: sealing air leaks and adding insulation where needed, improving and maintaining heating and cooling systems, replacing older windows, installing renewable energy systems, and upgrading equipment like water heating appliances, kitchen appliances, and lighting throughout the home.
Incorporating these changes during a remodel can be fairly easy as your contractor should know how to choose the best materials and use best practices to make your home as energy efficient as possible.
Why Add Energy Efficiency?
There are multiple reasons why homeowners are choosing to add energy efficient components to their homes. Here are just a few of the top reasons why you may want to consider energy during your next renovation project.
Money Savings
The Department of Energy asserts that “heating and cooling make up 50-70% of home energy use.” By installing an energy-efficient HVAC system, sealing air leaks around your home, using ENERGY Star appliances, and adding insulation, homeowners can decrease their home heating and cooling bills dramatically.
Reduce Heat Loss
New Englanders know that when the temperatures plummet (like they tend to every winter in the northeast,) that drafts and chills can be avoided by adding insulation, replacing older (draftier) windows, and sealing duct work properly.
Improved Resale
Homes that have been renovated and upgraded with energy efficiency in mind have a generally higher resale level than homes of equal size and character. Real estate experts suggest taking part in home energy audits to show the efficiency of your home as compared to others in your region and neighborhood.
Less Environmental Impact
Ultimately, the goal of making your home more energy efficient should have a major positive impact on the use of precious resources that could impact our global climate. Using less energy and being able to control your internal home’s energy level can cause your home to have that lower “carbon footprint” we spoke of earlier.
Talk to our experts about how you would like to see your home become more energy efficient in the future.
