• Follow us:

Erecting the Energy-efficient Home in a Constantly Cold Region

We all live in an era where energy efficiency is the hottest trend. But have you ever stopped to think what an energy efficient home is?

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, an energy-efficient home design is one that has a high score on energy efficiency. This Score reflects the energy efficiency of a home based on the home’s structure and heating, cooling, and hot water systems (Source: https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/energy-efficient-home-design)

The Natural Climate

It is important, nay, crucial to know the natural climate in your region. Consider the conditions of the winds, the skies, and the sun. Get your hands on a sun path diagram so you can find out which rooms the natural lighting will seep through. Take note also of obstructions such as telephone poles, trees, and nearby buildings.

Apart from the sun path diagram, you can also obtain a wind rose which will show the rate of prevailing winds. The U.S. Department of Commerce has its own wind data collection. These are based on various airport locations so it might be easy for you to find one that is near your would-be home.

Knowing the predominant sky conditions will also help you set up your energy-efficient home. Throughout the year, does your area have clear, overcast or partly cloudy skies? Take advantage of natural light as much as you can. This will greatly reduce your electrical bill since you won’t be depending a lot on artificial lighting.

Just to give you an idea, overcast skies are three times brighter at the peak of the sky’s dome than the horizon. Predominantly overcast areas include the Pacific Northwest where you can maximize free natural lighting. With this in mind, you can now be aware of your window placement so that you also won’t have unwanted glare.

The building orientation which includes the shape of your home will also greatly influence cooling or heating requirements. The best energy-saving orientation is to have your home face the south when you’re from the Northern Hemisphere.

This setup will help you capture solar gain during the wintry months and block solar gain during summer.

Choose Energy-efficient Building Materials

Concrete or concrete foams. This can be sandwiched by two-layered insulation materials. This will then become a permanent part of the house whether through freestanding walls or building blocks.

Rigid foam. This can be used to insulate your home but can now be made from natural sources such as hemp, bamboo, and kelp. Rigid foam is also widely used in the creation of surfboards, turbine blades, and some furniture.

Rigid foam also offers heat and moisture resistance, better acoustics, and protection from pests and mold.

Straw bales. These weigh 50-90 pounds each. You would need 300 medium-sized bales to construct a 2,000 square foot house.

And the great news is? They can last for thousands of years.

Other materials such as recycled steel, foam insulators sandwiched between plywood, plastic composite lumber, and earth can also be used.

Invest in Energy-efficient Appliances

Reduce energy costs by installing Energy Star-rated appliances. You can potentially save up to 70% when you choose these.

An Energy Star is a government-backed symbol. It is there to measure energy efficiency, reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases, and for consumers to save on their energy bills.

Figure 1.

Green Furniture

Just as you would choose your appliances or your building materials, make sure that your furniture materials are also made from natural, energy-efficient sources. An example is our Uttermost Living Room Avner Wooden Cube Table here at McCreery’s Home Furnishings (Figure 1).

Constructed almost entirely of sustainable, plantation-grown mango wood, this bunching table offers invaluable storage and style in an elegantly casual, waxed driftwood finish.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 13th, 2017 at 8:00 am and is filed under Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Comments are closed.