Construction & Contractors Blog
Your construction contractor oversees the building project for your new home, including the designs and plans before construction starts. So if you'd like to have your home built with eco-friendliness in mind, be sure to communicate to your contractor how you'd like that done.
Here are some of the major exterior parts of your home that can be specially designed and built for greater energy efficiency.
1. Exterior walls
The siding and insulation used in your exterior walls are critical parts of your home's exterior. Plan to make the walls thick enough that they can hold plenty of insulation, since a more insulated house wastes less heating and cooling energy. If the insulation used is a type that settles over time, make sure the walls are constructed so that you can easily add more insulation later.
The siding can also play a part in energy efficiency. Some types of siding come with insulation pre-installed, and you can add an extra layer of rigid insulation before installing the siding itself. This can increase the insulation value of your walls even more, helping to reduce even further the energy needed to heat and cool your home.
2. Roofing system
Your home's roofing system can play a big part in how well insulated and energy efficient the finished structure is. Since it's open to the sky, the roof can catch a lot of sunlight, which can then transfer through the roof into your home in summer, making your cooling systems work harder.
So choosing a cool roofing system (such as one with a metal roofing material) can help you save energy on cooling in the summertime. You can also talk to your construction contractor about other ways to design a more efficient roof, such as adding plenty of roof ventilation, covering the roof with a thermal reflective coating, or adding extra insulation under the roof.
3. Foundation
One reason basements are typically so cold is because any heat tends to leach out into the ground around the basement, through the foundation slab and walls. If you're interested in the most energy efficient, eco-friendly home possible, talk to your construction contractor about designing and building with a more efficient and insulated foundation.
In today's construction industry, multiple types of energy-efficient foundations are available. These include structural insulated panels and insulated concrete forms. The insulative value of these types of foundations can then help your home stay warmer in the winter, making your home more energy efficient.
These are just a few of the parts of your home that can be designed and built specifically for greater energy efficiency. Talk to your construction contractor about how to make these and other home components as efficient and eco-friendly as possible.
Share21 April 2021
My name is Debbie Greenberg. I’m a single woman who owns her home, and like most homeowners I dread home repairs. I’m not very handy with do-it-yourself projects around the house. I can do a few minor repairs when necessary, but for the most part I have to call in a professional. Last year I had a leak in my roof. When it rained, water would leak into my kitchen. What appeared to be a simple fix turned out to be anything but simple. It took over four months to finally identify the problem, and double the money I was initially quoted to fix it. The problem ended up being that the flat part of my roof didn't have shingles, but a sheeting material. I learned a bit about home roofs along the way, and that is what I want to share with you.
