Your Ultimate Energy Cost Saver by Charles Krampah - HTML preview

Chapter 12: The Energy Efficient New Home

The Energy Star program that we talked about in an earlier chapter also provides for Energy Star new homes. If you have a home that has been certified as an Energy Efficient home, then you are well on your way to saving a great deal of money on that home.

These homes are becoming more and more popular choices. That’s because people realize that the way that their home is laid out, designed and landscaped all plays a large role in how costly it will be to power and run that home. There is no limit to the number of options that can be played into here.

If you are purchasing a new home, it is well worth your time to consider looking for or building one that can be considered Energy Star certified.

What are they? Energy Star homes are homes that have met specific guidelines as per the US Environmental Protection Agency and through the US Department of Energy. These homes are actually about 15 percent more energy efficient than those that have been built by the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code which is generally used.

What They Can Offer

There are plenty of benefits that can come from an Energy Star home. Each home has to abide by the guidelines set forth, but the type of benefits that they offer can still differ from one home to the next.

You may find benefits such as:

• Better insulation in the home’s structure.
• The construction has been done in such a way as to make it tighter and neatly fitting.
• The duct work is tight and better for energy benefit.
• The windows on Energy Star homes are usually a large plus as they are generally quite high performance in that they allow little to get in or out in the way of energy.
• The heating and air conditioning units are highly Energy Star approved for energy efficiency.
• The lighting in the home as well outdoors is more energy beneficial.
• The appliances in the home are all Energy Star approved appliances.
• Even the home’s landscaping can help it to qualify for this certification.

When you purchase an Energy Star home, you are getting a home that has been designed to meet specific guidelines. What’s more is that you are sure to get the most out of this type of investment. There is no doubt that these high quality, high performance appliances and design features may cost more, but they are designed in such a way as to pay off in the long run.

Of course, purchasing a new home or building a new home that is energy efficient is good for your wallet and the environment.

Yet, many people shy away from this as they think that it is too complex, too strange or something that is too much work. Yet, this can not be farther from the truth. Energy Star products are designed to be both energy efficient and user friendly. In fact, there is really no reason not to take full advantage of products like this.