Think of the whole house as a system of components that all work together to create an energy efficient home. Overall energy efficiency can be impacted by heating, cooling (HVAC), ventilation (including indoor air quality, sealing, and insulation), and appliances. Making improvements to these systems can help to make a property more affordable, comfortable, and "green". Green properties are proven to be less costly to maintain because the energy bills are lower.
These same energy efficiency principles apply to all homes and buildings, new or old. A new property can be constructed as a green home, or an existing property can be renovated to become green.
Important Facts on Energy Use
Energy efficiency is so important because it is one of the primary ways to make a home more cost-effective to operate, and to lessen impacts to the environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, it's said that of the total energy consumed in America, about 39% is used to generate electricity (EPA[dot]GOV, 2008). And according to the US Department of Energy, as much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. And, residential cooling and heating alone makes up 20% of the United States' yearly total energy use (USGBC[dot]ORG, 2008).
The EPA says that 49.61% of U.S. energy electricity generation comes from coal, and another 3.03% from oil, and 18.77% from gas. This means the United States still uses fossil fuels for a majority of energy, and electricity consumption is an important portion of a consumer's environmental footprint (EPA[dot]GOV, 2008). Fossil fuels are considered to have one of the worst overall impacts on the environment.
FACT: The average household can be responsible for nearly twice the greenhouse gas emissions as the average car. The leading source of greenhouse gas emissions is energy production; whenever you operate any product in your home that runs on electricity, a power plant is most likely generating that electricity by burning fossil fuels (such as coal and oil), which produces greenhouse gases. (ENERGYSTAR[dot]GOV)
In addition to environmental issues, the rising price of fuel over the past few years has made the exploration of greener energy sources far more appealing to consumers. Heating a home with geothermal, solar, bio-mass fuel, or other alternative energy sources used to be a somewhat unique and expensive proposition. But increasingly, consumers are demanding alternatives, and the interest in the green movement and energy efficiency is no longer reserved to just a few die-hard environmentalists. The green movement is reaching a critical mass.
It's clear that making smart decisions about a home's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can have a big effect on utility bills. Whether consumers choose fossil fuel or an alternative energy source, the good news is that energy efficient options are no longer as difficult to obtain, or prohibitively expensive. It's possible to see huge reductions in energy consumption simply by using modern, more energy efficient systems, materials, and building processes. You can live a better life in a green home.
I'm Nestor Santtia, and I have 23 years of industry experience in homes and green building. I'm a General Contractor and a Certified Green Building Technical Professional, and a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. Learn more about green living on my website at:
http://www.ecorealtor101.com
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