Modern homeowners are looking for different ways to make their homes more energy efficient. Energy conservation has environmental and financial benefits in the long run. Green living is a desirable lifestyle that anyone can adopt, unlike when it was a reserve for avid environmentalists. The following home design ideas can help enhance your home’s energy efficiency,
1. Design Orientation
When designing your home, ensure your living areas are located on the northern side of your house. The positioning allows you to maximize the sunlight during cold seasons, ensuring the living spaces stay warm and bright. On the other hand, try to limit the number of east-or-west-facing windows and keep them shaded to avoid excess heat during summer. Similarly, ensure you have fewer south-facing windows since they don’t receive significant sunlight during winter.
Homes with a view are desirable but often require a custom design to ensure passive solar intake and keep energy rating low. Since you need natural heat in colder months, an architect can advise on the best way to execute the design, depending on your location.
2. Use Energy Efficient Glazing and Insulation
The thermal performance of your windows and doors affects the temperatures in your home. Typically, smart window and door designs with glazing and external shading can make your residence habitable all year round.
While double glazing is becoming increasingly affordable, it minimizes heat loss during winter and reduces heat gain in summer. Unlike single-glazed windows, double-glazing can reduce heat loss by 30%. You can also use E-glass, which is less costly but offers numerous benefits than single glazing.
Your home might be losing heat due to poor insulation. Good insulation has lifetime energy benefits and can boost your home value when planning to list a property for a quick sale in Missouri. Insulating the walls, ceiling, and floors can save a significant amount on energy costs. While installing sufficient insulation in your home design is vital, you must ensure proper installation and waterproofing. Most contractors often install the insulation necessary to meet the minimum energy ratings. However, you can go a step further and enhance the insulation to boost your energy ratings.
3. Choose Your Floors and Colors Wisely
Rugs and carpets offer a convenient way to enhance your home’s energy efficiency since they insulate your flooring to prevent unnecessary heat loss. Rugs help you stay warm in winter due to their fluffy design. Regardless of your current flooring option, carpets or rugs are an affordable option to improve energy efficiency. However, it’s essential to choose colors that match the overall design of your home.
Color is an essential aspect of interior home design, affecting the feel and appearance of your space. Similarly, color has a significant impact on your home’s energy efficiency. Typically, your choice of colors can determine heat and light dissipation in your house. Dark exterior colors enhance heat absorption, while light interior colors brighten your spaces and boost energy savings.
Endnote
Enhancing energy efficiency in your home isn’t complicated but has numerous benefits. Besides increasing your property’s value, higher energy efficiency ratings help you save money on energy bills, and you don’t have to implement all the strategies at once.
