In the simplest terms, having an energy-efficient house is having a house that uses less energy to operate. Not only is having an energy-efficient house beneficial for you, you are also contributing something good to the environment.
You may not believe it, but having an energy-efficient house can have significant changes in the environment, mostly due to the reduced pollutants you release. Because of this, more and more people are making upgrades to their houses to build energy-efficient homes. In fact, among millennials, 65% would switch to green electricity, even if it costs more.
If you’re planning to build a house for your family in the future, you might want to check out the types of energy-efficient houses that you can pick from for future residence. Of course, depending on the budget, they might change slightly but not overall. However, before discussing the types of energy-efficient houses you can choose from, let’s first discuss what an energy-efficient house is.
What is an Energy efficient House?
What makes a house energy-efficient? Well, the first factor of that is its Energuide rating. The Energuide rating calculates how much energy the house is using, and of course, the higher the energy used, the lower its rating. One of the main appeals of energy-efficient houses is that they are well-insulated and airtight. This means that your HVAC system is doing its job well, contributing to a lower energy bill.
And of course, this doesn’t change no matter the season, whether it’s summer or winter. Also, because of great HVAC systems, your ventilation is great, and your house has excellent air quality, which means it’s never too humid or too dry. Not only that, but the room temperature is programmable via a smart thermostat, which lets you manage the temperature at any time of the day whenever you want it.
With an energy-efficient house, you can resell your house with much more value. Buyers nowadays are more aware of the changing climate, which tells them to buy an energy-efficient house for themselves and the environment. Also, not to mention the fact that a single energy-efficient system in your house can do wonders to its original value. But of course, that is just some of the pros of an energy-efficient house.
Now, let’s discuss the types of energy-efficient houses you can choose from for your family in the future.
Sun Energy-efficient Houses
This type of house offers owners the opportunity to make the most out of solar energy. And because the house is getting energy from a renewable source, it doesn’t only contribute to the environment today but also for the future. One of the main pulls of this type of house is that it removes your dependency on other energy sources that are prone to the fluctuations of the market and the long-term increases.
A typical solar house can provide up to 2/3 of the energy needed to operate a modern home. You might think this is too small, but if you opt for a complete solar panel system, you can generate energy that can last the whole year round, albeit with some upgrades.
Sun energy-efficient houses don’t burn fossil fuels, but instead, they use solar panels, a stratified water tank, and a booster heater in their design. Although they can be quite expensive, they will gradually exceed their value over time.
Energy Self-sufficient Houses
This is arguably one of the most popular types of houses in the market today. This type of house is created and stores its energy supply from external sources such as solar power, wind, etc. For it to store electricity and stabilize, it uses a bank of rechargeable batteries for storage purposes. Energy self-sufficient designs are the basis of the advancement and progress of housing and other energy conservation projects worldwide, especially in Munich, Germany.
Passive Energy-efficient Houses
As we all know, a large portion of our energy bills come from our HVAC systems. This is especially true if the HVAC system is not working properly, making it work harder to maintain the house’s temperature.
However, with a passive energy-efficient house, the house will be purposefully designed with triple-glazed insulated windows and heat exchangers to further manage the house’s ventilation. It uses eco-friendly materials to build, but they also come with sensors that automatically remove stale air in the house, which further increases the house’s air quality.
To Sum it Up
These are only some of the types of houses you can pick from if you want to build an energy-efficient house in the future. Although some of them are expensive, the expenses will be offset gradually in the future. Not only will they help you financially, but you are also contributing something good to the environment and the future generation.
