Energy-Efficient Options for Homes
Choosing how you will power your home is a significant choice in the custom design home build process. Luckily, Habermehl Contracting has diverse experience in energy options, including energy-efficient selections! Energy-efficient options are beloved for their efficiency, savings, and reduced environmental impact. It is no secret that many energy-efficient options can cost more upfront, but Habermehl Contracting’s CEO, Dwight Habermehl, reminds us that “for the additional cost, there are long-term savings.”
Efficiency Options
Dwight says energy efficiency starts with a strategic design and solid build, followed by the incorporation of your energy selection. A popular strategy in designing an efficient build is incorporating insulated concrete forms (ICF). ICF features insulation between concrete; the result is thick walls that hold heat, thus requiring less heat production, saving power, and reducing your carbon footprint. Our Assistant Contractor, Adam Greeley, notes that “there is a bonus of sound insolation” with this method.
ICF is just one piece of the puzzle of ‘Passive Houses’, a design concept that Adam says “looks after itself” when it comes to energy. A comfortable, sustainable, and ecological design that efficiently utilizes the natural heat from its surroundings, from the sunshine pouring through insulated windows to the body heat of its residents. These homes will receive an air tightness test to help identify any small gaps where heat could escape; areas of heat loss will be resolved to improve the efficiency rating of your Passive House.
Once you have an efficient design, you can consider energy-efficient power options such as heat pumps, windmills, natural gas, GEO thermal, or solar. Each of these options has its own merits, in addition to being environmental money-savers. For instance, a bonus in choosing solar is that the extra electricity that your house does not use is sold to the grid, resulting in rebates! Additionally, beyond the traditional roof panel options, solar is now being offered in wall forms or attractive roof shingles.
As a design-build company, Habermehl Contracting can help you create an energy-efficient home, from concept to reality. Our innovative renovations and custom new home build blend old-world craftsmanship with new-world building technology to change the ordinary into the extraordinary. Contact us today to discuss your home dreams and needs.
-Rachel Habermehl September 15th, 2022