What is in homes of today that make them greener than homes made even just ten years ago? To start with, new home designs have incorporated many different innovations to make them more efficient at saving energy. EnergyStar homes are springing more and more every year.
For an EnergyStar home to be qualified as such, it has to be at least 15% more energy efficient than a home built before 2004, and it also has to include energy saving features such that it’s 20 to 30% more efficient than a standard residence.
The EnergyStar program begins with new construction, and today’s green homes have many energy saving features. For example, today’s wall insulation is not fiberglass. Instead, it’s recycled cellulose insulation that provides better insulation than fiberglass and also fills up wall spaces and those in the attic much better than fiberglass did. You can also install this type of insulation either in dry form or by using it as a semi liquid that you can spray between the walls. Besides these benefits, cellulose is a much better thermal protectant than standard types of insulation are.
Power sources, too, offer choice. You’re not limited to being connected to standard utility power grids, and instead can opt for installation of renewable energy sources, like wind, solar, or geothermal energy, depending on where your house is located. You can also combine these methods of power generation, such as solar and wind power, so that you get a more reliable energy source. You can incorporate these renewable energy sources into new construction and existing homes, too. These renewable energy source installations give you many advantages, including a reduction or elimination of utility bill expenses, and not having to worry about brown- or blackouts, as you would with traditional “on the grid” power hookups.
Alternative power sources are just one facet of green energy, though. High efficiency appliances are also part of the program, and cost roughly the same as other regular appliances. These can include appliances like refrigerators, washers and dryers, stoves, tankless water heaters, or high-efficiency heating and cooling systems. Power sources are interchangeable here, too. For example, if you are still connected to a traditional grid setup, you can use more energy-efficient, clean propane or natural gas as your power supply for those appliances.
Insulating factors matter, too, and windows are no exception. Double paned, high-efficiency windows can do a number of things to help with energy savings. Some are constructed with inert gases between the panes so that harmful UV rays are kept out, even as they keep heat or cool from escaping from within the house. If you choose not to replace your windows, you can still save energy, such as applying films to the windowpanes to seal them up and protect against UV rays, less expensively.
So even though you can build a green home right from the start and it will make your home more efficient, you might be asking how much more it’s going to cost you to build that home. And the answer is that it will cost roughly about 17% more in initial cost that will to build a standard home, but that the extra expense will be offset by the energy savings you’ll incur from that home.
You can find out more about EnergyStar homes and appliances online. Many of the materials, like the cellulose insulation, inline water heaters, and many other green items can be found at local home improvement stores, saving on shipping costs. There are many websites for those do it yourself people that provide plans and kits for alternative energy sources.
Author: Jerry Dyess has published articles for the Texas Electricity for the past 7 years. Get more information on Texas Electric rates.