Here at Merle Builders, we know the words used to describe energy-efficient homes can be very confusing to home owners. Here are some simple definitions to help you understand some of the energy saving options for your home.
Energy-Efficient Home
An energy efficient is a house that uses less energy than a traditional home without reducing the functionality of the house.
You can make your home more efficient through things such as closing gaps in the thermal envelope (the ‘skin’ around your home), building with solar generated electricity in mind (whether it be solar panels or facing the house to make best use of daylight), low-e windows and, new energy efficient appliances.
To achieve energy efficiency in your home you will reduce or eliminate services and/or energy usage to save energy.
Living in the Central New York/Syracuse/Baldwinsville area it is important to know how your home stacks up. Learn how efficient your home is currently and ways to improve your home’s efficiency with ENERGY STAR’s Home Energy Yardstick .
Net Zero-Energy Home
A home in which energy production and consumption are equivalent.
This simply means that the amount of energy you produce in the home equals the amount of energy you use in the home. Solar panels are perhaps the most common way for homes to produce energy.
Net Positive-Energy Home
A home that produces more energy than the household needs.
It may be possible for a home owner to receive credit from their utility company for returning the excess energy they have produced in their home to the grid. Contact your local utility company to learn more about this possibility.
For information in planning your Energy Efficiency upgrades please feel free to contact us today!