5 Tips to Build an Energy-Efficient Home

Traditional homes carry the carbon footprint of a conventional home. They use conventional technologies, building materials, and systems that do little to improve their energy efficiency. A residential home builder in Sonoma County can help you navigate the home building process providing you with guidance every step of the way during construction.

When you opt for building an energy-efficient home, you are met with several compelling benefits, including having a lower environmental impact and helping owners reduce their energy bills. Retrofitting your home with advanced, energy-efficient systems enhances the comfort and sustainability of your home.

If you are looking for tips on building an energy-efficient residence, here are a few tips from the professionals at Holly Construction.

1. Choose Location Wisely

How your home is oriented can affect the amount of sunlight it receives. In summer, the sun is at a steep angle, whereas in winter, it is at a lower height. One side of your home will receive more direct light than the other, so choose the orientation of your home accordingly. The ideal home location maximizes solar energy gain in the winter and minimizes heat gain in the warmer months. How your home will be oriented is just one of the essential decisions you need to make before building.

2. Use High-performance Insulation

Choose Energy Star-certified insulation. Discuss different types of insulation, including loose-fill/blown insulation, fiber insulation, and foam board insulation, with your residential home builder in Sonoma County. If you have a crawl space, be sure to insulate your foundation.

A solid, well-insulated foundation can help improve indoor air quality and prevent cold and warm outdoor air from entering your home. Remember, the better the insulation, the more heat your home retains in winter and the cooler it remains in summer.

Building a custom home provides you with more options and using high performance insulation should be one of them. A comfortable house temperature means less work for your HVAC and lower energy bills.

3. Opt For Energy-Efficient Building Materials

Use building materials with energy-saving properties. Examples include insulated concrete formwork, cross-laminated timber, timber frames, and structural insulated panels. If you want to use traditional building materials like bricks, use special tapes and membranes to boost their insulating capabilities.

4. Install Energy-Efficient Appliances and Electronics

In the average home, household appliances account for up to as much as 60% of the total energy use. Look for Energy Star-certified appliances that reduce energy consumption without negatively impacting comfort and convenience.

Though energy-efficient appliances may cost slightly more than their traditional counterparts, they can help you lower your energy bills by 5-9%. With energy-efficient appliances, you will also reduce your carbon footprint with fewer emissions.

5. Leverage Smart Home Technology

Smart home technology enables you to program your smart home devices to automatically switch on and off during certain times of the day. You can control these devices remotely using your phone. As part of the essential questions to ask your custom home builder, make sure to inquire about how you can incorporate smart home tech.

So, if you forget to turn your smart lights off before leaving home for work, you can switch them off from your office with just a few taps on your device’s screen.

Here are some smart home devices to consider:

➢ Programmable or smart thermostats – Can help reduce energy use by 6-10%
➢ Smart light bulbs – Use up to 75% less energy than traditional bulbs
➢ Smart blinds – Can help reduce heating and cooling costs by 11-20%
➢ Smart water heater – Reduce water heating costs by 15%

Build Your Energy Efficient Home with Holly Construction

Holly Construction is a well-known residential home builder in Sonoma County. Our home designers have a wealth of experience in incorporating energy-efficient features into home designs. To learn more, contact Holly Construction or give us a call at (707) 541-0700.