Tuesday 6 March 2012

Energy Efficient Homes: Benefits to the Homeowner



What is Energy-Efficiency?

The World Energy Council defines energy-efficiency as "a reduction in the energy used for a given service (heating, lighting, etc.) or level of activity."

The Council goes on to further explain that due to the financial burden imposed by rising energy prices, consumers may attempt to decrease their energy consumption by reducing the energy services they use. They may turn down their heating or reduce the mileage they rack up in their car. Reductions of this nature should not be classed as energy-efficiency, since they do not necessarily result in an increase in overall energy efficiency and any savings made are deemed easily reversible.

Reducing the Influence of Human Behavior

A truly energy-efficient home reduces the influence of individual human behavior by automating certain functions such as room temperature and lighting. While some may take the concept to the extreme and take great pains to build solar pod homes and the like, this is beyond the reach of many consumers.

The Benefits of Energy-Efficient Homes

Technological advancements have created an array of eco-friendly building materials and techniques. Solar panels, wind turbines, ultra efficient insulation and glazing are just some of the methods used to make new homes energy-efficient. The informed homeowner can take full advantage of the technological innovations in energy-efficiency, and enjoy a host of benefits.

Performance - Energy-efficient homes feature thermal regulators to maintain the temperature between 18 and 24 degrees Celsius. This represents the World Health Organization's recommended temperature for optimum comfort and health. The air in a thermally regulated home will be dry, healthy and safer for vulnerable individuals like the elderly, small children and those with allergies. Homes are free of irritating condensation and protected from extreme weather conditions.

Financial Considerations - Living in an energy-efficient home will almost certainly lead to decreased energy bills. This is undoubtedly a major attraction for many consumers. If energy-efficient measures are added at the home owner's expense, any money spent on making alterations is generally recouped within a certain number of years, thus making savings in the longer term. It is worthwhile to consider passive systems that deliver maximum benefits but do not cost anything to run. In addition, an energy-efficient home will be more desirable and thus have a higher perceived value to potential buyers.

Greener Home, Clearer Conscience - An eco-friendly home will reduce energy waste and minimize its environmental footprint, without the need for the homeowner to compromise on comfort or lifestyle. While saving money and living in a comfortably heated home are important, it is equally important to consider the consequences of our actions today on the generations of tomorrow.

Comfort - The level of comfort in any home can often be viewed as being directly attributable to the annual energy spend. When comparing standard new homes to energy-efficient homes, greater levels of comfort can be seen with energy-efficient builds for the same annual energy spend.

Energy-efficiency in the home offers a host of benefits to the savvy homeowner. Cost is an important factor but as can be seen, there are many other important issues to take into account.

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