Energy efficiency in homes

Energy efficiency concept

The term energy efficiency, also called energy saving, refers directly to the efficient use of the energy we generate and consume with the main purpose of reducing this amount of energy to the minimum possible during the production of material goods and the management of services. Thus, energy efficiency aims to protecting the environment, limiting ourselves to the consumption of only what is necessary. However, we are still wasting too much energy today, and the situation calls for a timely moderation of this consumption, as well as a change in our habits

. El domestic recycling, the commitment to recycled materials for construction, the circular economy, collaborative consumption, the reduction of water waste and, as we have been saying, contributing to energy efficiency, are essential actions to be carried out.

Energy efficiency in homes

We, as citizens, can contribute to improving this situation from our homes, if we take into account the energy efficiency of our homes. Even so, there are those who refuse to bet on energy efficiency in homes

, as they argue that efficient and sustainable alternatives have a higher price and prefer to opt for less responsible products or services. However, in most cases, it is overlooked that in the long term, traditional energy models will take a higher toll, as is the case with traditional bulbs in the long run, if we compare them with LED lights (higher acquisition price, but more efficient and profitable in the long term due to electricity savings). Energy efficiency in homes of any type is conditioned by different factors, features and qualities such as heating, water supply, lighting, ventilation, insulation… through which we can determine the degree of efficiency of each building or house, always taking into account the energy classification criteria.

Currently, 80% of homes have been built for more than 20 years. In addition, today, The criteria that determine energy efficiency in homes are increasingly demanding and only the most modern homes are able to get an A, unless the appropriate adaptations are made in homes that are older than that.

How to calculate energy efficiency in homes?

To estimate the energy efficiency consumed in a home, an annual average of the energy consumption of the home must be made, with the home being inhabited and with frequent use of its different energy elements (water, electricity, appliances…) The data collected are reflected in kWh/m2 year and kg CO2/m2 year (kilowatt hours per square meter and kilograms of CO2 per square meter, etc.). respectively).

According to the results obtained, the house is famously classified within the energy efficiency certificate. This will be essential if you intend to sell or lease a property or property and the degree of efficiency will be classified by means of the energy label.

The energy label

The energy label represents the energy efficiency classification value in homes according to an alphabetical scale ranging from A (maximum level of energy efficiency) to G (the least efficient homes). This label is not unique to real estate, but It is also used for household appliances and other electrical and electronic products.

The differences between each “letter” are really remarkable, since in the case of an “A” energy rating, there is an energy efficiency in the home 10 times greater than in the “G” grade labels. De igual modo, una etiqueta de rango “B” consume siete veces menos energía, y si llegamos hasta la “C”, sería tan solo un 35% menos de consumo energético (siempre en comparación con la etiqueta de clase “G”, la más ineficiente).

It should be reiterated that it is difficult to achieve a good energy classification with isolated actions. A number of different measures will need to be put together to reduce energy waste and contribute to the environment.

The climate emergency has been knocking on our door for decades, and we are finally starting to put measures in place in the field of building and housing construction.

Proof of this is the Technical Building Code or CTE in force since 2006 and which at the end of 2019 underwent a series of extensions focused on setting joint references to improve energy savings in homes, among other things.

That said, let’s leave aside the “what” and get straight to the “how”…

How to improve the energy efficiency of homes or buildings?

Any renovation must take into account the energy efficiency of the home or the entire building, depending on whether it is going to be contracted. Exist Various factors that may condition the need to make greater or lesser efforts to achieve appropriate energy savings:

• The climatic conditions of the area: The type of climate, its proximity to the sea, the altitude, the usual gusts of wind, floods, heavy snowfall, etc.
• The size of the home: This is another factor that will condition the final energy rating, with large homes (in the same envelope conditions) usually having a better rating.
• The envelope: This refers to the interior spaces that border the exterior spaces (enclosures, openings, thermal bridges, etc.) and their insulation capacity will depend on the quality of the materials and profiles, glass, blinds, the degree of deterioration.

That said, let’s look at some options to improve energy efficiency in homes:

• Renew energy systems such as heating, ventilation, appliances, air conditioners or air conditioners, etc.
• Use eco-efficient heating systems: condensing boilers, biomass, electric heating…
• Betting on renewable energies: solar thermal energy, photovoltaic solar energy, geothermal, aerothermal energy..
• Insulate the home as much as possible: Good insulation and watertightness (windows, thermal plasterboard, etc.)Eliminating thermal bridges is very efficient in terms of energy savings.
• LED lighting: low consumption, low heat emission, longer product life, economic savings…
• In buildings: façade insulation, improvements in the thermal envelope, insulation on roofs, breakage of thermal bridges, etc.

Does energy efficiency improve the price of housing and rent?

Beyond the typical conditioning factors such as luminosity, presence of elevator, year of construction… Energy efficiency is currently another of the determining points when deciding to buy or rent a home; because of the economic savings or environmental contribution that it entails for the alleged buyer or tenant.

So the answer is: Yes, the energy label largely conditions the price that can be asked for a property or for renting it. It will therefore be an attraction for potential interested parties, who will think about the savings it can mean in the long term and will be willing to pay a higher amount for the acquisition or rental.

For all these reasons, betting on energy efficiency in homes is currently a good option, but it will not be long before it becomes an indispensable premise, to maintain the eco-efficiency of our planet from our homes.