Building the Future: Green Home Design – Energy Efficient Home

Table of Contents

Implementing green home design energy efficient design and materials in your home is essential for creating a long-lasting house. It reduce the use of utilities (electricity, water, gas)- helping you to keep more money in your pockets. Using quality materials saves money in the long run by having to do less maintenance for the house.

Whether you are building a new house, planning a major remodel, or simply looking to upgrade your home. Incorporating energy-efficient techniques into your project is crucial. Moreover, many cities in Los Angeles and Orange County have set laws for Green Building. Green building codes set standards for energy efficiency and sustainability.

More Money in Your Pocket

Save on Taxes

If you already intend to upgrade your home, start by looking for energy efficient products. you can claim on tax credit deduction. List of products you can find here.

Take Advantage of Special Loans and Programs

For energy-efficient products, the state is encouraging homeowners to upgrade their homes. Multiple loans and programs are available. Some of them are attached to your property taxes, others to your home, and some are based solely on your credit. Contact us today to check our financing options.

Harness the Power of Nature

Passive Solar System (PV)

Having a solar panels on your roof is one of the greatest ways to stay friendly with environment. Based on the size of your system and your electrical bill, you will be able to predict savings. By having a large enough system, not only that you save on your bill, but also you might be able to produce and sell electricity to your provider. Check here to see compensation rates.

Natural Lighting

Another great way to harness sustainable energy is to let natural lights comes in efficiently to your house. if you are planning building home, well planned architectural plans should do the work. You can read more about design tips for an architectural plans here: Architects reveal: developer’s secrets for luxurious custom home.

Windows

Besides being the passageway for light to enter, windows also play another role in the house. Windows are the thinnest insulators between your interior space and the outside world. Therefore, having a quality, energy-efficient LOW-E rating windows is crucial for maintaining a properly insulated house. Windows are usually double or triple glazed with special insulating gas in between. Make sure you invest in quality for your house, it will pay off in the future.

Energy Efficient Building Materials

Insulation

Insulation is one of the most important elements in a house. Without insulation, it would be almost impossible to live in a house, especially in extreme weather conditions. Insulation is usually installed in the walls and attic. In some cases, it is also installed in the roof rafters and under the house (for raised foundation system). There are different kinds of insulation for different applications. The most common types are fiberglass batt and foam insulation. The quality of the insulation is specified by the R-value, which represents the material’s resistance.

Cool Roof

A ‘cool roof’ is a term for any roofing material that can reflect heat efficiently. A typical roof can reach up to 150 degrees or more on a hot day during the summer. A cool roof will reflect heat and keep temperatures around 50 degrees. Not all roofing materials are certified as cool roof systems. For a roof to be specified as a cool roof, it needs to have properties of higher solar reflectance and thermal emittance values. Some natural materials such as wood shakes and certain clay tiles are naturally considered cool roofs. For other materials, especially asphalt shingles and composite materials, you must check for certification to ensure they are considered energy-efficient products. It has become so important recently that in some cities in Los Angeles and Orange County, it is mandatory to install cool roof systems.

Designing an Efficient Landscape

You probably wonder how landscape design can help you be more efficient with your bills. Well, there are many ways to save on your water bill. For example, Designing a landscape in a Desert Design is a great option. In this kind of design, we use low-maintenance plants that do not need a lot of water. For homeowners who are tired of the desert-looking landscape, we can offer turf and pavers. Turf is an artificial material that looks like sod. Pavers, on the other hand, like permeable pavers, are also considered energy-efficient since they allow water to seep through and be absorbed naturally into the ground. For your electrical bill, solar garden lights can be a good solution to light up pathways and decorate your yard. For more landscape design tips read our: Backyard Makeover Design Guide.

HVAC

Heating ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is the biggest energy consumer on every typical house. therefore, your electrical bill is mostly depends on the unit energy rating. many factors can affect the unit efficiency. In general, every unit is composed by Furnace or Heat Pump (inside unit) and Condenser (outside unit). the efficiency of the system is measured by SEER rating. the higher the rating- the more efficient is the system. the whole system includes ducting to convey the air into living spaces. quality and clean ducts are also important for efficient system. HVAC one of the biggest factors in every house energy design so be sure to look for a quality unit.

Incorporating energy-efficient techniques into your project is crucial, whether you’re building a new house, planning a major remodel, or simply looking to upgrade your home. Contact us today for more information!

Table of Contents