One of your biggest priorities when building or renovating should be comfort. You’ll want to create a comfortable, warm and inviting space that makes you feel relaxed and instantly at ease when you enter the door.
A big contributor to this type of atmosphere is energy efficiency – making sure that your home stays warm in winter and cool in summer, without reliance on artificial heating or cooling. So how can this be achieved? Read on to find out…
SEAL YOUR WINDOWS
It will be a surprise to no one that heat and air escape and invade through windows. This means it’s essential to have an energy-efficient window system in place. This involves investing in internal blinds and curtains, constructing external wall shading and installing double glazed windows, which are optimal for energy efficiency.
ORIENTATION
If you’re constructing a new home and energy efficiency is important to you, you should make a considered choice about the orientation of your home. Depending on where you live and if you are on a sloped block or not, sun exposure can be maximised or minimised through smart choices with the orientation of your home.
INSULATION
As you may already know, insulation in your ceiling, roof, walls and floor helps create a barrier to prevent heat loss in winter and gain in summer. It can also assist in reducing the potential of mould or condensation. While insulation is essential to any home project, the type and amount of insulation you choose will have a big impact on how energy efficient your home becomes. Bulk insulation is a good idea if you’re looking to keep temperatures cool in summer and warm in winter.
LANDSCAPING AND OUTDOOR DESIGN
Your outdoor living area and landscaping choices can have a big effect on the temperature of your house. Cleverly placed trees or shrubs can provide much-needed shade over windows and reduce the amount of direct sunlight that enters your home. Outdoor decks and verandahs can also help moderate the temperature of your home through additional shading provided by the outdoor area’s roof.
COOL ROOFING
An excellent innovation in the building trade, cool roofs are built from reflective materials that help reflect sunlight, keeping a house cooler. A cool roof can be achieved through reflective paint, tiles or shingles. This is a particularly good option if your home is located in a hot climate.
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Are you ready to create an energy-efficient home that will keep you comfortable all year round? Get in touch with the team at Edina Building Group today.
