Use Energy Efficient Home Plans to Slash Your Energy Bills and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Energy efficient home plans for construction are now mandated by government regulation and codes as a key way to preserve our resources and reduce energy waste. There are two ways that you, too, can contribute to living in a very energy efficient way without sacrificing home comforts or quality of home life.

One way is build or buy into new construction based on energy efficient house plans. But if this is not in you near future, the second option is to take advantage of a variety of effective ways that you can implement in your existing residence to make it a more energy efficient home.

A house that is built or remodeled based on energy efficient house plans is typically built with the correct design, materials and construction practices. Not too much can be done in a cost effective way with homes built decades ago, as modern designs and materials weren’t available then. Builders simply didn’t have access to the insulating materials and polymer compounds that can make such a huge difference today.

Energy Efficient Home Plans – New Construction

Energy efficient home construction is most cost effective when the home is built from the ground up using the most modern materials along with good energy efficient house plans that are specially designed for excellent insulation and the capture of passive solar energy. This can be coupled with active solar panels and/or geothermal heat capture systems that could give you a "net zero" or even a positive energy home. Active solar panels and geothermal assist systems are expensive, but the high cost can be partially recovered through government energy rebates and tax credits.

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Combine Passive Solar Design Structure with Active Solar and/or Geothermal Assist for Near Net Zero Energy Requirements Look for “Energy Efficient House Plans” under “House Plan Styles”

Energy Efficient Home Plans for Reconstruction

One of the most cost effective ways to make your new or remodeled home energy efficient is through proper roof constructions and attic insulation. This is true whether you live in a cold or warm climate as an inadequately insulated roof system can allow to much heat to escape in cold weather, or allow to much absorbed heat to come in during warm weather seasons. Modern compound shingles, and even raised seam insulated metal roofing are good choices these days.

A second important consideration for new energy efficient homes and remodeling projects is to install the most energy efficient windows and doors. Typically, windows and doors are the biggest energy drains in old houses. The energy efficiency of old style single pain glass windows can be greatly improved on by replacement with modern energy efficient "Low-E" glass windows that are typically double pain and even triple pain in some cases. This kind of glass is now mandatory in all new construction, and it works just as well in replacement projects.

Another key consideration in window construction and replacement is the frame material. Frames of wood, fiberglass composite and vinyl are available. Wood framed windows require considerable painting maintenance for protection from weathering and they can be prone to warpage. Vinyl windows can’t be painted and look cheaper, but usually cost less. The optimal choice is a modern window construction that has a paintable fiber composite structure on the outside with a natural rich looking finished wood structure on the inside.

A final step implementing your energy efficient house plan is to make your heating and cooling system as energy efficient as possible. Today’s heating and cooling systems are far more efficient than than they were even ten years ago. Because a typical heating and cooling system typically has a life of fifteen years or less, you may have and opportunity for replacement in the not too distant future.

A final consideration for your energy efficient home plans is whether or not to employ active solar panel electricity generation and/or a geothermal assist system. These can be most cost effective when your home is totally dependent on electricity for heating and cooling, but even then and when coupled with government rebates and tax credits, the payback on your investment may be ten or more years, particularly in climate areas with less consistent sunshine.

There are a variety of considerations for improving the energy efficiency of you new or existing home. These include passive solar home design, roof and attic insulation, new energy efficient window and doors, and even active solar panels and geothermal energy assist systems. You should active consider all of these options as you put together your new energy efficient home plans.