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Home Designs
Energy Efficient Homes
Energy efficient homes will benefit the environmental and reduce your living costs. Type of climate in which you live will influence your choices for energy efficient home design.
There are few things to remember when you are building a new house, or taking steps to make your current home energy efficient.
- Home orientation is very important to reduce your living costs and make your home energy efficient. Take into account other nearby structures and vegetation: are they protect or obstruct your home?
- Financial benefits of thermal mass in your energy efficient home design can be substantial including savings on electricity, gas and increased comfort. Research the cheapest and most energy efficient forms of heating and cooling for your climate and situation.
- Proper home insulation not only maintains temperature but also assists with weatherproofing and humidity.
Install ceiling, walls and floor insulation if possible.
Insulate your air conditioning ducts and hot water pipes. - In Australia, the external home shading is a must. Install outdoor blinds and awnings. We need to reduce heat passively to give our air condition (or evaporative cooling) that deserved break.
- Glazing is a key thermal performer for windows and glass objects after insulation and shading. Choose double glazed windows to cut down on heat/cool transfer with the outside.
- Dress windows with thick curtains. Install an enclosed top pelmet above your windows.
- Install well fitting doors and put *door snakes* at the bottom of doors to stop air leakage.
- Use a smart landscape design with drought tolerant plants, synthetic grass, mulch and stone. Tall trees can shade buildings and reduce glare. If you wish to allow winter sun, choose a deciduous tree, or removable shade cloth.
- Use energy efficient home appliances. Operate appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines with a full load, or choose a low water setting. Wash clothes in cold water where possible.
- Install energy efficient home lighting.
- Install water saving shower heads.
- Install rainwater tanks.
- Install a grey water system.
Home Maintenance For Energy Efficient Homes
Most green homes designs have already entered the building market. Technology is there and government rebates are substantial. To improve Eco-living you need:
- maintain your existing home to keep energy efficiency
- invest (if possible) into new passive energy storage devices
- maintain your passive energy storage devices
Eco-living is all about the energy efficient home designs and its maintenance. The following is a list of things you can do to maintain your eco-living standards:
- Cut or trim tall plants facing north site of your house.
- Reseal appliances and outside doors when needed. Rubber seals and silicon sealants are widely available from building distributors (Bunnings, Mitre10, Rubber Clark).
- Maintain cleanliness of glazed windows. Dirt reduces ability of the glaze to work properly.
- Check for dripping taps. The method to change the seal inside a water tap is described later on.
- Check for broken roof tiles and call experts to replace them (if needed).
- Every 2-3 years call experts to check and maintain your: ducted heating, evaporative cooling and air conditioning
All eco-living technology devices such as:
- Solar hot water system (using sun energy)
- New evacuated tube solar hot water systems
- Solar power panels - photovoltaics
- Water tanks above 1800 liters
should be installed and maintained by the qualified handyman or tradesman.