subject: Energy Efficiency: Tips on How to Make Your Home Green [print this page] Energy Efficiency: Tips on How to Make Your Home Green
Whether you want to follow small, personal steps or big, constructive steps to make your home eco friendly, every little bit counts. Here are some actions you can take to help create an energy efficient environment in your household.
1. Conserve Water.This can be implemented in your lifestyle now, or you can take steps to conserve water in your home's construction. For today, be conscious of when your water's on; don't leave it on when washing hands, brushing teeth or washing dishes. Just turn it on when it's needed. For tomorrow, consider having wastewater rerouted to water your yard; with Austin's sun, watering a yard is the only way to keep it green.
2. Use Energy Efficient Appliances. For example, front-loading washers and dryers use less water and energy than top-loading ones. Certain refrigerators save energy while others suck it dry.
3. Be Conscious of Your Energy Use.Even if you don't use energy efficient appliances, you can still be green and add to your savings just by cutting back on energy use. When you leave a room, turn off the light. When autumn chills the air, turn down the A/C and crack a window. Unplug computers when not in use; they continue to drain power as long as they're plugged in, even if they're powered off.
4. Insulate.Ask your Austin green builders to install insulation throughout your house. Just having a thick barrier between your interior and the harsh outdoor weather can increase your savings and sustainability.
5. Passive Solar Home Design.This process involves allowing sunlight into the room during the day, and constructing your home's architecture out of specific materials which contain the heat, releasing it after night falls and the cold reaches in. This "thermal mass" provides you with a consistent ecologically efficient heat source. Talk to your Austin area builder to discuss this heating and cooling option.
6. Let in the Light. Building your home with windows and open spaces allows natural lighting to substitute electricity, allowing you to leave your lights off more frequently and save more money.
7. Alternative Energy.While such sources as wind energy and solar power recycle the world's renewable resources creating renewable energies for your home, it can take a long time for the construction process and cost a fair amount of money. Consider other energy efficiency options before pursuing an alternative energy route.
To discuss your green home plans with Austin's qualified home designer and builder, contact Marsh-Vorspan. The master builder and master designer at Marsh-Vorspan can help you develop solid eco friendly home plans to fit your lifestyle.
