Starting more than a decade ago, we've designed "net zero" homes from the ground up, which means the house produces as much energy as it uses. But what about an older New England home? Can you improve your energy efficiency? Of course!
Here are a number of tips for doing just that, taking a look at different areas of your home for potential improvements.
(Visit our Green Building services section to find out more about the benefits of sustainable building and remodeling.)
Attic
Reflect heat away from your home by installing a radiant barrier on the underside of your roof. A radiant barrier is simply a sheet of aluminum foil with paper backing that can reduce summer heat gains in the attic, which cuts heat coming through your ceiling by as much as 95 percent.
This is particularly helpful if you have air conditioning ducts running through your attic, because the lower attic temperature keeps the ducts cooler. In fact, some homeowners save more from cooler ducts than from the benefits of keeping the ceiling cool. Both benefits save you money (and also reduce wear on your roof and attic).
Solar
Solar panels on your roof can power your home, and any extra energy that you don't use can be sold to the power company. New England states offer a variety of different incentives to help lower your cost of installing solar panels – rebates, tax exemptions and credits, and so on. These incentives can change from year to year, so if you're considering solar panels, make sure you find the most current information for your location.
Roof panels aren't the only way to take advantage of solar energy! If the sun shines on your home for most of the day in the winter, it is a potential candidate for a solar heating retrofit. The two major types of active solar retrofits are solar hot water fluid collectors that heat a fluid circulated within them, and air collectors that heat air to be distributed in the house with fan
Solar Batteries
You may be familiar with Tesla's "Powerwall", which is basically a battery for your house – it can store energy your solar system generates, instead of immediately putting that power back out on the grid.
What's the advantage? You can use your (free) battery power at the times when the power company is charging maximum rates. For National Grid, for example, that's typically 2pm to 6pm on summer weekdays.
(In fact, adding solar batteries helps make our whole power grid more resilient, reducing the types of power failures that have hit other states in extreme weather events.)
Tesla's product isn't the only one; today a dozen companies or more make solar batteries
Bathroom
In the U.S., showers account for 18 percent of indoor water use and 37 percent of a home’s hot water use. A family of four each showering five minutes a day will use about 700 gallons per week - a three year drinking supply for one person in the U.S. A high performance (or "low-flow") shower head uses less than two gallons per minute. That's up to 60 percent less water than a traditional shower head, which means replacing an older fixture can pay for itself in mere months from water-heating energy savings alone.
PAINT, FLOORING, AND OTHER MATERIALS
Any time you're updating, refreshing, retouching or remodeling, choose non-VOC or low-VOC paints, carpets and flooring materials.
VOC means "volatile organic compounds", which are chemicals that products emit in the form of fumes. VOCs cause air pollution, in addition to the fact that they often create an unpleasant smell when first applied to a home – like cheap vinyl. They're bad for your health as well as the environment.
There are so many great options available now. Non-VOC materials can cost more, but it's a good investment.
You can also find eco-friendly choices for flooring like recycled tiles or bamboo.
KITCHEN
Big picture: as you’re designing your kitchen, think about creating a space that won’t have to be remodeled again, thereby saving energy and resources in the future. You should be able to move around three key cooking areas - the stove, the sink, and the refrigerator - easily. Consider adding features that allow you to do more than just cook and eat, like adding a small desk in an unused space or creating an area for entertaining.
Beyond that, energy-efficient appliances and lighting will save you money over the long run. Water-efficient fixtures and appliances are important here too.
Also, installing a recycling center into the cabinetry makes recycling kitchen waste more convenient. You'll get more recycling done.
EXTERIOR
A home’s exterior wall surface is one of its most visible and defining features. Ideally, you want to choose an aesthetically appealing siding material - one that can stave off years of harsh weather, that will require minimal repainting and waterproofing, and that will optimize or avoid the use of wood.
When you re-side your home, it is also a good time to consider wrapping the house with rigid foam or semi-rigid mineral wool to increase the insulation factor.
OFFICE
As you plan for your new office space, consider what you will do with your obsolete electronic equipment. According to the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, “electronic equipment is one of the largest known sources of heavy metals, toxic materials, and organic pollutants in municipal trash waste (only pesticides are worse).” Encourage electronic equipment recycling in your area and support retailers like that have started holding special collection days where people can bring in old electronics for recycling.
BASEMENT
Fixing up the basement is the easiest and most cost-effective way to create more space in your home. The basement can be transformed into a recreation area, rental suite, or home office. However, beware of a wet basement! If you can’t afford to completely remedy basement moisture problems, do not attempt to renovate this area. The finish materials will simply rot and cause odor and health problems. Call a professional or use a full-face respirator for severe mold issues.
For additional information and resources on the web click here to visit our resource links page.
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