With a little guidance and a few tools at your disposal, adding to your sustainable home construction can be easier than you imagine! You may even save resources and money along the way with Calgary custom home builders.
The best way to do this is to speak with a provider or a sustainability consultant who can analyze your needs and specific requirements before advising and navigating you through the correct steps to help you make changes. Before you do, read our suggestions below so when you go to meet your local expert you are prepared and have a clear idea of what may suit your sustainable home construction.
Double or Triple-Pane Windows to Make Your Home Warmer in Winter and Cooler During Summer
If your current plans are to install single-pane windows, you should reconsider and invest in double or triple-pane. Double glazed windows have two panes of glass inset into the frame. The panes of glass are separated with argon gas, creating an insulating pocket that inhibits heat transfer better than single-pane windows. This keeps your home cooler in the summertime and warmer in the winter. This solution can also reduce the amount of noise coming into your home by up to 60%. If you have used double-glazing previously and still suffered noise disturbance through it, consider triple-glazing, this adds another pane of glass and argon gap further reducing energy consumption and lowering bills. Where double glazing has an R-value of 1.8, triple pane windows can have 0.5, or better. The weighted sound reduction index (Rw) is usually around 32 for double glazed windows, but for triple glazed, it can be 40 or more. The higher the rating the better the window is sound insulation.
Maximize the Sunlight in Your Design
Unfortunately, many homes were not built with natural light in mind so this is your chance to consider the benefits of doing so. Without relocating to a sunnier location or spinning your home round to face the sun, there are a few remodel projects you can do that considerably increase interior natural light in your design with a Calgary custom home builder. Often known as ‘windows for the roof’, skylights are an amazingly effective way of pulling in natural light. Not only do they present as much glazing area as a medium-sized window, but they also face upward, capturing as many rays as possible from the sun. Skylights are less likely to be shadowed by outdoor objects and therefore bring in more consistent light than most windows. Sunlight reflected off of clouds comes right into the home through a skylight.
Invest in Home Insulation That Will Keep Your Home Warm and Save Energy Costs
Insulation is the best investment you can make in a long-term residence. Even if you pay a hefty price upfront, you're almost sure to recoup that money with lower utility bills over time. If you don't have the money to do your entire home, consider one area at a time and look for local suppliers using recycled materials. Insulating is one of the most cost-effective ways to stop overspending on your energy bill. According to the Energy Star program “homeowners can save an average of 15% on heating and cooling costs (or an average of 11% on total energy costs)”. Your savings potential could be even greater by air sealing your home and adding insulation in attics, floors over crawl spaces, and accessible basement rim joists.
Select Energy-Efficient Appliances (Energy Star)
Without sacrificing performance, products that have earned the Energy Star help you save energy and money. Energy Star is a label that identifies energy-efficient products, such as appliances, which meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). It not only provides a sense of authenticity but approval of professional validation for the appliances you choose. The term energy efficient means that all the appliances that are fitted in different rooms save electricity and thus pave the way to conserve the environment. As we lean towards an energy-efficient green world, changing from traditional appliances to energy-efficient ones becomes paramount for further global awareness and progression.
Use Local Materials and Local Contractors
In order to build using locally sustainable materials, you will need to be creative. It may be that what you require is not readily available in the shops, so you will have to find it or make it. Sustainable materials will ideally be recyclable and found locally with Calgary inner City Builders. It may be possible to recycle household plastics in the building process. Previous sustainable material builds have included hand basins made from old yogurt pots and pavilions made of clay and straw, the possibilities are endless! If you live near a beach it may be possible to use stones and driftwood in the building process. If you know of someone refurbishing a home, it may be possible to use some of their waste, such as old floorboards, doors, etc. Be creative with your recyclable materials; these materials will help you build a unique, sustainable home.
If you are considering building a sustainable home contact Sunset Homes today.
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Too Long Didn’t Read (TLDR)
There are lots of options to consider when building a sustainable home. Choose products that help reduce your utility bills such as double-pane windows. Incorporate sunlight into your designs, source local recyclable materials, and select energy-efficient appliances.
