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Three Tips for Making Your New Home as Energy Efficient as Possible

21 December 2016

Cecil Bryant

Whether you're working with professional home planners or designing an entirely new place for you and your family on your own, considering how you can make the end product as energy efficient as possible is important for a number of reasons. Not only would adopting an energy smart household be better for Australia's increasingly hot and fragile ecosystems, but implementing measures to reduce your energy consumption now will save you thousands in energy costs years down the line. Often times it pays to be as forward thinking as possible. Here's a few things to think about when designing an energy-efficient home. 

Go solar

Every year, more and more Australians are installing solar panels on their homes to supply them with the power they need for everyday life and for good reason. Few other places in the world are as suited for an energy system that runs on the power of the sun as Australia. While Australia still has its share of bad weather in the winter, most days are sunny enough to sustain anyone working off of solar. Using solar as a substitute for electricity or gas is a fantastic option if you care about the environment and your wallet. Solar reliance will lower your energy bill significantly. Furthermore, you can opt for solar powered heating systems over gas systems, which release harmful substances and can contaminate both indoor and outdoor air. 

Insulate and reflect

If you're building your home, consider investing in a far reaching and efficient insulation system. Insulating your home means you'll be able to easily trap heat in during winter, meaning you won't have to rely on a costly heating system, and also keep the cool air from your A/C system inside for longer during the summer months, meaning you won't have to have the A/C on for too long to bring down the temperature. Turning to your roof, you can also implement specially designed shingles that reflect the heat away and keep the internal temperature down.

In the garden: artificial grass and trees

Designing your garden or backyard is just as important as designing any other part of your household. For a more energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly approach, strategically plant a few trees or hedges in areas that will provide the most shade for your home. Also going with synthetic grass over natural grass means you'll need to put in less effort for maintenance and won't have to use as much water, thereby keeping your water bill down.

These are just a few considerations to begin with. Consult a professional home designer when considering new homes.

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