Constructing an Energy-Efficient Building

By Franco Zinzi

If you really intend to "go green" and create an environmentally-friendly building inside and out, you will find two major advantages to creating a new structure instead of moving into a current one.

1. You are free to select the most energy-efficient systems and styles on the market (as long as you are able to pay for them)

2. You can design the building itself to reduce its energy requirements, using daylight and other lighting techniques to minimize the requirement for heating and cooling.

Realize up front, nevertheless, that the idea of sustainable construction has become quite chic - or as some put it, eco-chic. The specialized experts, consultants, materials - everything will cost a lot more than "just plain building." Here may be the trade-off:

By designing and selecting wisely, your future power bills could be 30 to 50 percent lower than they would otherwise have been. Actually, you might even take your city or state's minimum standards for construction and go beyond them, adding a bit more insulation, self-closing valves on water faucets, or any number of extras to further enhance your savings.

So no matter how "green" your architect or builder claims to be, prior to construction, look at the blueprint and styles and check this list of items:


Are you saving as much power as you might be?
Plenty of daylight; minimizing the use of electric lighting
Lots of light switches and/or dimmers, allowing for flexibility in turning off lights that are not needed
One of the most efficient types of lamps and fixtures; energy-efficient ballasts for fluorescent lights
High-pressure sodium lights in parking areas
Efficient exit signage
Timers or computerized or photoelectric controls for indoor/outdoor lighting
Occupancy sensors for storerooms
Glazing for windows to reduce incoming heat and increase daylight penetration
Use of sufficient insulation for roof and walls
Use of light colors, both inside and outside
Positioning of building so that, if feasible, trees or sloping land provide an insulating shield from wind and weather
Awnings or overhangs to shield windows from direct sunlight
Use of "spectrally selective" window film that cuts incoming heat in hot-weather areas
Adjustable shades or blinds and, if suitable in your climate, windows that open
Caulking and weather stripping around doors and windows
Double doors or revolving doors at entrances
Energy-efficient hot-water program, with tank located near main point of use and insulated pipes
Low-flow and dripless faucets
Effective HVAC program, organized in zones to ensure that only areas in use are heated or cooled, with programmable wall thermostats and adjustable vents
Locking covers on wall thermostats
Heat pumps, where suitable
Restroom exhaust fans wired to go on/off with lights
Installation of a computerized Power Management Program for optimum power control


Numerous items on this list can also be utilized in improving the efficiency of current buildings. Think of the building itself as a shell that is the primary barrier between a controlled, temperate indoor surrounding and the often harsh and unpredictable outdoor conditions. Better yet, think of the building as a filter, and use it to allow the outdoors inside to make the indoor surroundings more comfortable with light, fresh air, and humidity. If this works well as both a barrier and a filter, you're on the right track to using energy wisely.

Franco Zinzi has been involved with online marketing for nearly 3 years and likes to write on various subjects. Come visit his latest website which discusses Restaurant Fridges and fridges supplies as the owner of his own business.

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