An eco friendly custom home is an investment in a lifestyle and in most cases, the larger the property, the more comfortable the lifestyle. However, a large house can have a considerable impact on the environment. This fact does not mean that your custom home will need to be small to be eco friendly. With some planning, eco friendly materials and features can create a custom home that is comfortable and better for the environment.
Solar panels have become more affordable as the market expands and production has increased. Many programs exist to provide tax breaks and other incentives for the installation of these eco friendly materials. When including solar panels in your custom home, be sure to consider all of your power needs, like lighting, appliances, and other features.
As with solar panels, there are many tax incentives available for upgrading to high-efficiency appliances. While you will spend money investing in new appliances, you will save money with an immediate tax break and long-term energy savings.
Conserving water should be a top priority for any homeowner, especially in dry areas. Installing low-flow faucets, high efficiency washing machines and dishwashers, and water recapture devices can reduce the overall water usage in your eco friendly custom home.
The vast majority of heat loss and gain within a house comes from the windows. For this reason, dual-pane low-emissivity windows are a must to include in your eco friendly custom home. These windows provide a high degree of insulation and also prevent damage to furniture, pictures, and possessions by blocking UV rays.
Ceramic paints can provide a strong layer of protection against heat loss and heat gain. The paints rely on microsphere technology to encapsulate the home within a protective shield. The shield prevents air from seeping in or out of the home, and it also helps reflect UV rays, which can damage woodwork and siding. Ceramic paints can also provide an effective barrier that blocks volatile organic compounds and prevents them from polluting your indoor air quality.
The vast majority of homes within hot climates in the United States feature a powerful air conditioning system. When choosing your air conditioning system, be sure to select one with a high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or SEER. The higher the SEER, the more efficient the system will run, and the more eco friendly your custom home will be.
When choosing wood for your custom home, use materials that have high growth rates. Cork, cedar, pine, bamboo, and reclaimed hardwoods are excellent choices that can give an eco friendly home a distinctive appearance.
Blown insulation provides better coverage than traditional batting. This efficiency creates a more reliable barrier within the eco friendly custom home. Blown insulation is also non-toxic and can increase a home’s fire resistance by up to 57%. These benefits make blown insulation an investment that will not only keep you comfortable, but will also help protect your family, possessions, and the environment.
Home automation systems can be connected to your smartphone, tablet, or computer. You can control the temperature of your eco friendly custom home, whether you are in the living room or away from home. Home automation systems can help reduce your energy usage when the HVAC system is not in use, and in the process, decrease your utility bills.
Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFL’s) and other eco friendly lighting options are a valuable investment for your custom home. Coupled with dimmer switches, motion sensors, and automatic timers, these light bulbs can decrease your electric bills considerably.
When designing the landscaping for your custom home, be sure to incorporate trees and shrubs into the design. Position these plants so they will provide shade to the home’s exterior and windows. Drought resistant grass, xeriscaping, and other landscaping techniques can also help make your custom home more eco friendly.
Skylights provide extra light in the day and they can be opened at night to vent hot air through the roof. These windows can reduce your energy usage and provide a natural way to illuminate and cool your eco friendly custom home.
Recycled steel, glass, concrete, stone,and other materials can all be incorporated into your building and design plans. Many of these materials can be hidden so that they are not seen. Custom home builders can also showcase used building materials in such a way that they create a unique design element. When it comes to recycled materials, these can reduce construction costs and reduce your environmental impact at the same time.
Are you ready to design and build an eco friendly home? Contact the expert custom home builders at Champion 1 Builders in Amarillo, Texas today. You can call us at (806) 282-6903 or Contact Us by email for more information about our services. We would be happy to show you the custom homes we have built in the Amarillo area.
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