Building energy efficient homes - old and new homes alike

Building energy efficient homes – Isn’t it a dream? The simple answer to this question would be a big capital NO. Everyone would love to have an energy efficient home but building energy efficient homes isn’t that easy neither is it hard. All you need is time and the right ideas to help you through.

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Why do we want to build ourselves energy efficient homes?

First and foremost I can confidently say that over 95% of the people around the world are looking for ways to reduce their energy bills and what better way than beginning at home? They say habits start at home, energy saving is a habit as well and therefore where else can it begin?

Most of us have the perception that it’s expensive to get the right equipment to convert your home into an energy saver. Yes, I do agree but this one time investment will save you loads in the years to come. So, go ahead and begin some research into the various opportunities available. So building energy efficient homes isn't a dream after all. Now you can relax and rest tension free as you'll be getting lower bills. Did I mention that less tension reduces your medical bills as well?

When we first get up in the morning we brush our teeth and we often keep the tap running letting water flow into the drains. You’re not just wasting a precious resource of mankind but electricity as well. I’m sure you’ve had to pump up the water into a tank so that it’s available for use, if you waste water you’re wasting the electricity spent in pumping that water and thereby increasing your bill. So, one of the first and most important steps to building an energy efficient home is reducing the wastage of water.

Some more places where water is wasted and cash as well since electricity isn’t free: -

Washing your car or any other automobile you own – How often do you wash your vehicle? Is it every day, once a week, once a month or scarcer? I agree you have to keep your vehicle clean but why reduce the energy efficiency of your home by wasting water?

Here’s what you could do: Instead of using a hose that lets water run profusely use a bucket and cloth to wash the car it will even look shinier.

Don’t over water the plants in your garden, use just the right amount and make arrangements for drip irrigation if possible – this will keep both your plants and wallet happy. Growing plants native to your locality will save you lots on water because they're adapted to the climate, soil, the water content and other general conditions.

Having a bath with a bucket and mug instead of wasting a whole tub full of water is the way to go, try it out you’ll surely enjoy it and suppose you don't there's no harm in giving it a try. I’m not saying to do this every day – every little drop counts so save when possible.

You may say the amount that’s being wasted while brushing is negligible but multiply that amount by everyone in your family into the number of times you brush a day and find out the amount wasted per month and you’ll be astonished.

So this is surely a way wherein you could build an energy efficient home no matter whether your house is under construction or already come up.

• Compact Fluorescent bulbs consume far less energy compared to other bulbs; therefore, switch over as soon as possible. Just wait for the day when LED’s are available and savings will increase even more. What’s more is the life of these bulbs is far greater than the rest and hence you’ll have to replace them less often and at the same time you’ll find your electricity bills being reduced drastically. So this is just another small way towards building an energy efficient home. They even emit less green house gases and this could lead to lower needs of cooling if everyone does this.

• Use day light instead of artificial lighting during the day. Open your windows and don’t draw your curtains across as natural light isn’t just good for your bill but it will freshen up your entire home as the circulation of air will increase. If you’ve got your AC or heater on you could at least open the curtains i.e. draw them to a side so that light enters. Building an energy efficient home seems rather simple now –doesn’t it?

If you've got 5 minutes to spare you could watch this amazing video and there are plenty of simple things that you could do to improve the overall efficiency of your house. Building an energy efficient home is fun and you'll love every step of the way.

Insulate your home: - If you need and AC or a heater at home this is the single most important factor. Failure to do this is one of the major roadblocks towards building an efficient home. It’s always better to have extra insulation than losing out because of less. If your home is well insulated it will keep the air inside at the desired temperature but at the same time reduce the dust within your hose as well as the chances of pesky insects entering is far less. The type of insulation needed depends on area as well; therefore, you‘ll need to find out the best type of insulation for your locality.

Thermostats may be a bit expensive but placing them within your home will save you loads on cash as your energy bill will reduce drastically. If you have internal cooling or heating systems and are planning on building an energy efficient home; then, a thermostat is your golden compass. It controls the temperature when people are present at the desired temperature and there are certain thermostats that could be adjusted to go off when you leave home and turn back on just before you enter so that the internal environment is just perfect.

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Sensors: -

Many of us have porch lights and garage lights and we often tend to leave them on during the nights. But, a simple yet great thing that you could do is replace these lights by sensor lights. There are many types of sensors like daylight sensors that go off when the surroundings are bright enough and others include motion sensors that turn on only when needed – say when you’re approaching your garage or entering your porch. This lets you have fabulous lighting without worrying about wasting energy.

This hub isn't complete without mentioning the basic rule of energy efficient homes: -

1. Turn off the lights when you leave a room
2. Turn off your laptop when not in use
3. Don't keep the TV on when you're not watching and this is one of the biggest contributors to overall energy loss as most people tend to do this.
4. Use the AC and heaters only when needed - a degree above pleasant isn't going to kill you.
5. Most importantly follow the methods already mentioned above as well as these pointers. Building energy efficient homes leads to an energy efficient community and most of all a tremendously happy wallet and bank account.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it and got some new information at the same time :) If you have any more methods please leave a comment as I'd love to add it into this hub. Every mind thinks in unique ways so who knows a gem may be lying within you. No matter what it is; you may think it's crazy but it could be the next revolution! I hope you go ahead and turn your home into an energy efficient home.