Advanced Framing – Talk with ecobuilders .green about using the advanced framing technique during the construction of your home. This creates a structurally sound home with improved energy efficiency, and lowers material and labor costs. This technique replaces lumber with insulation material and maximizes the wall that is insulated, improving the R-value of the home. On average, advanced framing uses 30 percent less lumber, which reduces the building costs and saves 2 to 4 percent of the total energy use.
Hot Water Heater – Water heating can account for 14 to 25 percent of the energy consumed in your home. To increase the efficiency of your hot water heater, locate it near the highest point of usage. This is typically near the shower followed closely by the clothes washer.
Pipes – Insulate the hot and cold water pipes within 3 feet of the hot water heater. This reduces standby heat loss. Your hot water heater is continuously heating the piping and water in it, even when no water is being used.
Household Appliances – A green built home features appliances that are as energy efficient as possible. The U. S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have developed a program called Energy Star which labels those appliances meeting strict energy efficient criteria. The typical household spends $1,900 a year on energy bills. As you can see in the diagram above, a great deal of that energy is consumed by the appliances in your home.
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