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Basics on Energy Efficient Houses
Most of our homes are clearly
non-energy-efficient buildings, causing tremendous energy wastes.
According to the US Department of energy, the home sector
uses approximately 66% of the electric energy in the United
States and electricity consumption in USA has doubled between
1989 and 2005...
We waste too many energy in our homes, and we must reduce it, if
we want to leave a healthy planet for future generations.
Elements
of energy efficient houses
An energy efficient house
involves elements as:
- Passive solar techniques
- Advanced windows, adequately placed and sized
- Right insulation (walls, roof, ceilings...)
- Air leaking
- Ventilation and draught proofing principles
- Adequate building materials
- Use of energy efficient appliances
- Renewable energies
Types
of energy efficient buildings
There are, of course, many
degrees of energy efficient houses.
In some cases placing or sizing differently the windows and a
good insulation remodeling can turn a building with a low
efficient performance into an energy efficient one.
But sometimes the designation is applied to some specific types
of energy efficient buildings:
Types of energy efficient houses.
Layout and orientation
of the house
A basic and major
principle of an energy efficient building is to allow the sun's
heat in winter and avoid it in summer. To achieve
this goal you
should take into account the angle of the sun in each season...
See, for more information:
Orientation of the house
Shading
and landscaping concepts
Shading and landscaping concepts
involve elements as
gardens, lawns, deciduous trees,
vines or shrubs adequately placed. Or elements as shaded pavings
and courtyards... All these elements are of extreme importance
to a better energy efficiency of a building.
See: Trees and
Landscape for your house,
Shadow strategies,
Pergolas,
Trees and Shrubs
Interior
rooms layout
If
you live in the north hemisphere, indoor living and entertaining
areas should face the south side of the home, whenever possible
(if you live in the south hemisphere they should face the north
side). This favors warm and bright living areas in winter...
Advanced windows and their placement and sizing
Windows
can act as solar collectors (trapping heat) or as ventilators
(during summer) and daylight gateways. But to accomplish that
they should be advanced windows, rightly placed and sized.
See, for details:
Advanced windows,
Windows and Climate Zones
Air Sealing
Sealing air leakage paths is a
major improvement you can introduce in your home.
See,
for details: Air leakage and air
sealing
Appropriate Insulation
Insulation - of the walls, the
ceiling, the basement... - is crucial in home building
efficiency.
See,
for details: House Insulation
Ventilation and draught proofing principles
Doors
and windows should be properly positioned to achieve cross
ventilation when needed, while air leaks, draughts or ducts
should be sealed or insulated to avoid unwanted heat or cool
air.
See, for home air quality, commonly linked to inefficient
ventilation: Bad Indoor Air Quality
Appropriate building materials
There
are building materials with high thermal mass as brick, stone,
concrete or rammed earth: they heat up and cool down slowly. And
there are materials with inverse properties, such as
weatherboard and fiber cement: they have a low thermal mass.
And this should be taken into account, when building an energy
efficient home.
Energy efficient appliances
Clothes
washers and dryers, air conditioners, refrigerators,
fireplaces... all
have very different energy performances and an high impact on
energy consumption. And they are responsible for around 20% of
home energy uses... Energy Star labeled products are a
smart option when equipping your home.
Renewable
energies
The
use of solar energy, geothermal heat pumps and other are smart
renewable energy options aren't only an environmentally friendly
solution. With today's energy prices, the initial investment is
recovered in a relatively short time.
See,
namely: Solar Basics,
Heat Pumps basics
Back to top Basics on Efficient Houses
Return to
House Energy Savings Home Page
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