| We no longer live in a world of cheap, abundant | | | | location of the home in relation to the sun can |
| energy. Recently we have seen the price of | | | | have a huge affect on home energy conservation. |
| gasoline and home heating costs soar to record | | | | A south facing window collects favorable heat |
| levels. So it comes as no surprise that everyone | | | | from the sun during winter, but must be blocked |
| these days seems to be concerned with going | | | | during intense summer heat. |
| 'green'. Keeping the environment green and | | | | How the wind interacts with your home in terms |
| keeping the green in our pockets are the two | | | | of air infiltration will also affect your energy |
| motives behind increasing the efficiency of our | | | | requirements. Simply weather stripping your doors |
| homes. There are many methods and routes to | | | | and windows helps air infiltration. Caulking windows |
| achieve higher levels of energy efficiency in our | | | | is one of the cheapest and most effective |
| homes, but a basic understanding of home energy | | | | conservation methods because it also blocks air |
| conservation helps the home owner make | | | | infiltration. Another suggestion to the home owner |
| educated decisions. | | | | would be to plant trees or shrubs on the windiest |
| There are many different building materials used | | | | side of the building, especially if it has egresses or |
| in residential construction. In traditional wood | | | | windows. |
| framed construction, gypsum based material | | | | More direct methods of home energy efficiency |
| covers the interior walls, connected to a 2x4 or | | | | include cutting down our appliance usage which |
| 2x6 insulated frame. The exterior consists of | | | | results in lower electricity bills. Raising the |
| stucco or a wood based siding material. These | | | | thermostat a few degrees in the summer and |
| components each have a particular R-value, or a | | | | lowering the thermostat a few degrees in the |
| thermal resistance value. Materials that insulate | | | | winter results in huge savings. Appliances which |
| reduce the need for heating and cooling. Materials | | | | are energy star rated, particularly refrigerators, |
| which are poor insulators, such as aluminum, | | | | washing machines, and dryers, offset any |
| increase this need. | | | | additional initial costs in energy savings. |
| The R-value of your walls, ceilings, or windows | | | | Now that you more fully understand energy |
| can be found using an "R-value Of Commonly | | | | conservation at home, you can expand upon the |
| Used Building Materials" table. Simply add the | | | | various topics. Understanding R-values allows |
| individual R-values together to calculate the total | | | | home owners to do energy audits and quantify |
| R-value. According to the Federal Housing | | | | how much energy they are saving after installing |
| Administration, walls should be at least R-19 and | | | | higher insulating materials. Familiarizing with the |
| ceilings should be at least R-38. Installing high | | | | building site allows new home owners to start on |
| R-value insulation is the easiest quick-fix to cut | | | | an eco-friendly and wallet friendly path into their |
| down on high energy costs. | | | | new homes. But the most drastic changes every |
| Site Selection remains a topic not often discussed | | | | home owner can do might require little to no |
| because it generally does not apply to energy | | | | money, just some ingenuity, innovation, and |
| retrofits but more often to new construction. The | | | | interest in energy efficiency. |
| issues with site selection are complex. The | | | | |