In today’s society, people are much more aware of the sustainability of our planet and of taking advantage of and reusing our materials, so as not to pollute so much and not to deplete the natural resources we have so quickly. One of the ways in which we can contribute something to this sustainability in our day-to-day lives can be to make our homes sustainable and efficient, whether they are new construction or through renovation. Likewise, in order to build new-build homes in recent years, many sustainability and efficiency requirements that were not necessary in previous times are also requested to give us all the necessary licenses. For all these reasons, today we want to introduce you to the world of efficient homes. We will inform you better about what they are exactly, the types that exist and the characteristics they have, all their advantages and we will even explain how to turn your house into an efficient home.
What do we call efficient housing?
An efficient home is one that has the ability to save energy, water and electricity, among other resources. Sustainable homes can reduce up to 40% of the total energy consumed by the house. Although this type of housing is not only based on saving these resources, but also on taking advantage of everything that is used and not wasting them. Another characteristic is that it does not consume so many resources that they cannot be renewed. These homes can help a little more to reduce global warming, since by making the most of the resources that are used and not wasting them, the greenhouse effect, which causes climate change, is much more reduced.
Types of efficient housing
Depending on the solution you want to give your home, there are different types of efficient homes:
Homes that generate more energy than they consume
This type of efficient home can generate all this electricity thanks to solar panels that capture this light and convert it into energy for the house itself. Even this surplus electricity from the house could be sold and diverted to the general grid, being able to earn extra money.
Passive housing
What is achieved with these homes is to reduce the heating and cooling consumption that years ago was achieved through more traditional appliances. This is achieved thanks to the distribution that is made to the house, maximizing the potential of the different orientations of the house and the climatic conditions it has. To this we can also add systems of high energy efficiency and quality.
Self-sufficient housing
Self-sufficient housing is based on the principle of not using energy sources to meet the needs of its inhabitants and, therefore, not depending on any renewable energy for its maintenance.
Green Homes
Taking advantage of the natural resources that the Earth gives us to be self-sufficient in our home is the main point on which these efficient homes are based. Sunlight, land and plants, among others, are used to be able to supply ourselves with what they can give us and not use other artificial resources.
Characteristics of efficient homes
Efficient homes have better characteristics than homes that do not take advantage of this type of construction. They are as follows:
- The designs of these houses are bioclimatic, that is, their objective when building the house is to adapt it to the climate of where they are located, thus being able to foresee the rainfall that may occur throughout the year, the sunlight and the temperature that there will be.
- The space that exists is also taken into account in order to save on the issue of distributions and lighting.
- Efficient homes also have a very large improvement in their thermal insulation than other homes, in order to have the best thermal sensation inside without anything escaping to the outside or vice versa.
- Another characteristic of these homes is the use of materials that help contribute to sustainability , such as rammed earth or bioplastics.
Ways to make your home an efficient home
In order to make our home an efficient home, what we should first do is recognize the appliances that are not considered efficient in our current home. Once you have analyzed and changed that, you can follow some of the tips that we leave you here:
- Put windows with double glazing for better insulation and to be able to collect sunlight during the day and not leave at night.
- The most basic recommendation we can give you, and with which you will save a lot, is to change the lighting (if you have not already done so) in your home. Change all lights for LED lights, as this type of bulb greatly reduces electricity consumption.
- Instead of traditional boilers, which pollute more, a type of pumps that are used in aerothermal energy are used.
- We can install solar panels in our homes or even wind generators to be able to self-supply and reduce, and even not have to pay for electricity.
- Another basic tip for your efficient home is your responsibility to comply with the basic rules of the circular economy, the three R’s: recycle, reuse and reduce.
Benefits of efficient homes
With these ways to achieve an efficient home, you will get many benefits such as:
- Reduction in the price of invoices and expenses.
- A home with more value than it had previously.
- Contribution to the reduction of both the carbon footprint, noise pollution, water waste, etc.
With these explanations, tips, advantages and more that we have given you about efficient homes, we hope we have helped you decide to turn yours into one of them, contributing much more to the improvement of our planet. If you have any other questions about efficient homes, contact us and we will offer you the best solutions for your home.
