Create an energy efficient home: steps to take

Our homes consume a lot of energy every day, even more than they should. From heating to appliances and lighting, an average household consumes 37 percent more energy than an average home in 1980. However, there are methods you can apply so that your home wastes as little energy as possible. Energy efficient homes are a must in the 21 century. Modern technology and innovation allow us to create homes which spend much less energy than before.

In fact, energy consumed by an average home is dropping, even though it rose in absolute terms. We can now create energy efficient heating systems and electrical devices. This saves us money and reduces carbon pollution. What can you do to make your house an energy efficient home?

Smart houses

Today we can feed on information, from anywhere in the world. The whole Earth is an interconnected place, and we can have info about the heating or the lighting in our house just by looking at our smart phones. Thanks to real-time data, we can control practically all devices in our houses. Automated systems turn off the lights or heaters once we leave the house. When we feel like going home, we just send a message and the heating in the house turns on. Smart appliances communicate with each other and control all other electrical systems in the house.

Heat pumps

These systems are currently the most advanced and efficient heating systems you can install in your home. They work by moving heat from one place to another. There are a few basic types, so let’s just name a couple. Multi-function residential heat pumps, natural gas heat pumps, and air conditioners, as well as low-cost gas heat pumps.

Low carbon emission dryers

You can use the same concept we talked about with heat pumps when it comes to drying your clothes. Modern, state-of-the-art dryers use the heat pump cycle to give you dry clothes every time. These devices are also very efficient and consume much less energy.

Magnetocaloric effect refrigerators

Ok, enough with the fancy words. These refrigerators keep your food cold by using magnetic effect. They can alter the magnetic field strength to lower or raise the temperature in the fridge. This new technology will probably replace the 100-year-old system of vapor compression, which proved to be harmful to nature. Also, the coolant these modern devices use is based on water, so it is environmentally friendly.

High-tech window controls

Modern glass has come a long way. For example, now you can get highly insulated windows which utilize sensors and microprocessors to control the shading process automatically. This process allows us to control the amount of available sunlight, meaning we can let more sun’s rays into our homes in the winter and less in the summer. This method saves a lot of money because we can use less fuel to heat up our houses.

Construction Impact on the environment

With huge development and comeback in growth constructions business is making an impact on everything and significantly on the environment. Numbers say that even half of all nonrenewable resources are used in construction projects. Just taking some materials which are needed in this industry makes it already a big deal. Resources and tools used on the construction sites as well as the fuel needed for all mechanical vehicles have a significantly bad effect on living population and environment. Many materials used in construction business such as concrete, steel or aluminum have a great responsibility for large emissions of CO2.  This also contributes effect of global warming.  And every day is more evident that link between water and energy is becoming tighter. A lot of water is used for cooling generated energy; we can freely say too much water. Also, there is a huge wastewater effect from washing out concrete, the release of oils and painting. The obvious thing an even child would notice is a phenomenon of green surfaces and vegetation disappearing. Rest of vegetation that is still holding in some environments is more and more polluted with time together with water areas. All this pollution has a great effect on workers on the site, local grounds, water and air quality and surrounding neighborhood.

Protection impact

According to dangerous levels of bad impact on the environment, the protection of it should come first at the starting point of any construction project. All workers must be informed about environment protection rules and take them very seriously in practice.

There are many codes, regulations, and agencies which take care of practical use of this measures.For example measures in pollution prevention are used to stop the harmful effect of many chemicals used in the construction process. It ensures that pollutants have limited impact on the environment and are released correctly and safely.Erosion controls also minimize the effect of releasing pollutants as well as soil stabilization.

One of the most important measures that should be taken in every possible way is “Building green” using environmentally friendly materials. Green infrastructure  plays a vital part in encouraging economic growth and nature growth at the same time. Developing wellbeing and quality of life including health should be first steps in every building project. Every construction company is responsible for finding out is their work affecting some protected area or site.

Many programs are offering all kinds of ideas, regulations, and solutions in helping of environment protection. Starting with the use of energy efficient materials, recycling, landscaping and ground planning.Basic steps like safe and correct storage of materials or managing discharge of project waste have a huge positive impact in a fight for a cleaner habitat.We are aware that every business has some impact on the environment in which it operates and can do even smallest effort to protect it’s habitat and impressively minimize that impact. We all should consider the economic and social wellbeing of present and future generations and think a little further while making all kinds of business decisions.