Building a House: Are New Homes Energy Efficient?

Imagine this situation: you walk into your new home for the first time, and you take in the beauty of the craftsmanship surrounding you. You’re about to move into a brand-new space that no one has ever lived in before. Efficient homes are that much better since you get an energy efficient home credit. A new home is a blank slate, clean and pristine. Every detail is absolutely perfect, and it’s exactly what you want. Sound like a dream come true? Sure does. But, you might be wondering, ‘Are new homes energy efficient?’ 

More than 15 million homes are constructed across the United States each year, and given the excitement around Florida’s real estate market, much of that construction happens throughout the state. If you’re in the market for that perfect experience of stepping into a new construction home that has you in mind for its first owner, though, there’s something you need to know now: Are new homes energy efficient? Not all of them. In fact, some were constructed without energy efficient principles in mind. 

What Is Energy Efficiency, Anyway?

In the simplest possible terms, being energy efficient means using the least possible energy to accomplish the task at hand. For example, you can either light a room with a 75-watt incandescent bulb or you can light it with a 5-watt LED. There are many energy efficient products on the market and changes you can make in a home to ensure you’re using as little energy as possible when you go about your daily life. 

Does It Really Matter?

For many people, energy efficiency in a home really does matter. It helps to lower your overall energy costs, which can keep your heating and cooling bills down and save you money when it comes to your water usage. Some places even offer an energy efficient home credit to help save a bit of money on your taxes. In the much bigger picture, though, energy efficiency at home actually helps ensure the air you breathe is cleaner and works to combat climate change in your own community. 

Why Are New Homes Energy Efficient?

The simple truth is that they’re not all energy efficient. Only those built with the core principles of energy efficiency in mind are, and that means shopping for a home that is energy efficient is key to realizing those benefits. 

Wondering why many new homes are energy efficient while existing structures aren’t? It’s fairly simple. To make a home more energy efficient, a number of things have to happen. It actually begins with the design of a home. Those that use energy well are designed with efficiency in mind. They tend to use every inch of the available space, and they don’t incorporate wasted space that might cost you money – like vaulted ceilings that trap hot and cold air that could be used to enhance your home’s comfort. They also make use of lots of natural light and are situated on the lot to ensure the heat of the Florida sun doesn’t make the interior too hot. 

During the building process, these homes are treated differently too. They’re built on a strong foundation that ensures moisture and air don’t move from the ground into the home. They also are constructed with a thick frame and top-quality insulation. Airtight windows and doors are typically installed too to ensure that the cool air inside your house during a Florida summer doesn’t escape to the outdoors. Cool roofs are added, as well. A cool roof is one that doesn’t absorb the sun’s heat. Instead, it reflects it back, allowing the home itself to stay cooler and the surrounding area to stay cooler too. 

Throughout the building process, developers are careful to use low waste processes so that building materials are used to the fullest extent without a lot of overages that might end up in a landfill. 

Inside an energy efficient home, there are many differences too. High-quality HVAC units are installed to offer cleaner, better air throughout the home. They’re typically paired with smart thermostats so you have better control over the temperature of your home.  Light fixtures using upgrades like LEDs are installed throughout to keep energy to a minimum. Tankless hot water heating systems are used throughout the house to help optimize energy usage as well. Many builders add Energy Star rated appliances, too, to help further lower overall energy costs. Smart features appear throughout the house so you can turn off unneeded energy use when you want from the touch of your phone.

Even the landscaping on these homes is different, taking advantage of native plants that require less water and shade trees to help keep the home cool in the summer sun. 

Making It Happen

An energy efficient home. It’s not a dream. It’s possible, and we can help. Contact us today to see our energy efficient home plans so we can design something that’s perfect for you.