Building an Energy Efficient Home
There are numerous ways to increase the energy efficiency of a building, and many different parts of a building that can be improved to boost this value. Better insulation, more efficient windows, doors, and skylights, as well as high-efficiency air conditioners and furnaces can all contribute to a more efficient home by keeping warm air inside or outside the home. As well, being able to properly regulate the temperature of a home through the use of a thermostat is a major part of having an energy efficient home, as having the right equipment is just as important as using it properly.
Overall, there are numerous strategies to increase energy efficiency. These steps include:[1]
Using proper amounts of insulation in the walls and roof, being sure to reference regional standards
Properly weatherizing the building using weather stripping and caulking
Installing high quality windows that utilize low-e coatings and gas filling, while choosing the glazing and window frame material that will be most beneficial in the environment
Installing high-performance systems and appliances and evaluate their performance over their life cycle
Monitoring and verifying performance through energy audits to see where energy is being wasted in a building and where it is most cost-effective to make improvements through retrofitting
Overall, the general approach to achieving high efficiency buildings includes cutting the energy demand of buildings, producing energy locally from renewable resources, and sharing energy by creating buildings that generate a surplus of energy that can be fed back into an advanced grid structure.[5]
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