Energy Efficient Home Design
An energy efficient home is good for your wallet as well as the planet.
Here are a few of my favorite energy efficient home design tips.
Click here if you have a green living tip you'd like to share with other
readers.
- Get a home energy audit- this will help you see if your home is energy efficient, and if not, it will show you how to take steps to correct
problems (you might need to replace drafty windows with the best energy efficient windows or install door weather stripping, etc.). A home energy audit can be performed by a professional or you can do a simplified home energy audit yourself.
- Replace conventional lightbulbs with energy efficient light bulbs
- Consider solar energy!
If your home is a good candidate and you can afford the initial investment, this is a great way to reduce your
carbon output as well as decrease your utility expenses.
- Install a programmable thermostat- this is one of the best ways
to save energy and money. Set it so that your heat is down at night while you are asleep and when you are not home.
Turning the heat down just 3 degrees in winter (and up 3 degrees in summer) is key to energy efficient home design and can make a significant
difference in your energy bill.
- Use energy efficient appliances. If you are in the market for a new appliance,
buy only those that meet energy star standards.
It is best to turn off appliances when not in use. A power strip like the Smart Strip
is the easiest way to do this. Try to do most, if not all, of your laundry in cold water only and get a clothesline so you can
hang your laundry out to dry when the weather permits.
- Conserve water. Ok, this isn't really about conserving energy, but it is about conserving resources...
Make an effort not to run the tap unnecessarily (the entire time you are brushing your teeth, for example), take shorter showers, and install low-flow showerheads
and toilets, if possible.
Run only full loads in the dishwasher. Place rainbarrels below your gutter downspouts to harvest rainwater and use
it to water your plants.
