3 Design Tips For Building An Energy-Efficient Home
Posted on: 20 December 2021
Custom house construction presents the opportunity to get a home built just for you. But before you can begin construction on the project, you'll need to have a clear picture of what you want your home to look like. This is planned out during the design phase of the project.
If building an energy-efficient house is one of the goals you have set for yourself, here are some home building design tips to help you achieve it.
Don't Build A House That Is Bigger Than You Need
While there's absolutely nothing wrong with building a house that's as big as you want it to be, a larger house will increase your home's energy demand. Every square footage of living space increases the total demand for heating, cooling, and lighting. This can make your domestic energy bills add up quickly.
One of the best practices for building an energy-efficient home is to create space that fits your needs and nothing more. Every inch of space you don't build can translate to significant energy savings down the road.
Build An Airtight House
When it comes to building passively designed homes, the importance of airtight construction can never be overstated. Even the tiniest cracks and holes in your building envelope have the potential to waste significant amounts of energy and increase your domestic energy bills substantially.
Before construction is complete, carry out blower door tests to measure the airtightness of the building — that is, to determine how much air is entering the building or escaping from it. Any air leakages found should be properly sealed to minimize heat losses and gains, thus maximizing the energy efficiency of the house.
Use Quality Insulation And Eliminate Thermal Bridges
If your house construction site is located in an area or region with a hot, humid, or cold climate, you should consider using high-quality insulation to help keep the heat or cold out.
Aside from causing occupant discomfort, extremely hot or cold temperatures, as well as high humidity, can cause major damage to the building and require expensive repairs.
When installing insulation, it is important to eliminate thermal bridges. Also referred to as thermal bypass, thermal bridging occurs where there is a weak link in your building, like in the building envelope or the residential insulation. The 'thermal bridge' acts as a path of least resistance that allows heat to escape much more easily than the surrounding area.
Reduce Your Dependence On The Grid
Going solar is a clever way to reduce your reliance on grid power. It allows you to heat your water and power up your lighting systems and household appliances without incurring monthly electricity bills.
Plus, you can store extra power for later use, thanks to the availability of solar battery storage solutions.
Building an energy-efficient house will cost you more than building a standard house, but the long-term savings on energy bills justifies the investment. If you need more ideas for building an energy-efficient house, feel free to consult a residential building designer that serves clients based in your area.
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