Energy-Efficient Experts Talk about Best Ways to Save Energy and Boost your Home’s Value in 2019

Energy efficiency is one of the hottest growing trends in home design today. According to a recently released report by Fixr on Energy-Efficient Home Design Trends, many trends have recently emerged that may be important to homeowners wanting to maximize their home’s efficiency. The report was published based on findings from a survey that asked top experts in the home design field what they felt were the most relevant of today’s energy design trends.

If you’ve been wondering how to make the most of your home’s potential and ensure more interest with new home buyers, be sure to pay attention to these top findings.

Renewable Energy

renewable energy

When it comes to renewable sources of energy, solar panels are still topping the lists of homeowners. Solar energy has a lot of benefits, including the ability to reduce or even eliminate your electric bill.

renewable energy

Experts also reported that Millennial homeowners are the ones most likely to invest in a form of renewable energy. In fact, Millennials, in general, have become the driving force behind renewable energy, including solar energy for the home. In turn, Millennials are beginning to include them in their preferenceswhen purchasing new homes.

Heating

The way that you heat your home and the water you use can greatly impact your energy usage. The most popular method of heating in an energy efficient home utilizes heat pumps, which reduce electricity usage by 50%. Heat pumps transfer heat between your home and the outside air, which is more efficient than using a traditional furnace.

renewable energy

To further the energy savings, experts also added that to heat your hot water for bathing and cleaning, a tankless hot water heater makes the most sense. Tankless hot water heaters only heat water as you use it, rather than heating and storing the water constantly, so they result in lower bills as well.

Air Sealing

Air leaks in and around the home can mean a serious loss of energy. Air sealing is recommended by Energy.gov as a way to help combat energy loss and to make homes more comfortable. According to experts pooled, it seems that windows and air ducts are the two areas of the home that will see the biggest benefit from sealing. Homeowners wanting to make the most impact on their energy loss should look to these areas of the home, which may include replacing windows with Energy Star rated models.

Insulation

Many homes are underinsulated, meaning that they don’t have enough insulation to help prevent energy loss and keep homes comfortable. Today, homeowners have a lot of choices for how they’ll insulate their homes, including foam, tight building envelopes, reliable fiberglass, and blown-in cellulose.

Experts report that both fiberglass and cellulose fiber are tied in popularity amongst homeowners for attic insulation. Both forms are efficient and fairly easy to install with little in the way of retrofitting, so homeowners can start seeing improvements in comfort and efficiency right away.

Smart Lighting

With the rapid growth of smart home technology and the increase in numbers of homeowners using devices like Amazon’s Alexa, experts were asked how they felt that homeowners would benefit most from this technology. 44% replied that they felt that smart lighting was going to be the way that most homeowners used this technology in order to save energy. Smart lighting involves bulbs that sense a person’s presence and digital timers that can ensure the lights aren’t on when people are home.

What’s Motivating Homeowners

It’s likely not a surprise to most homeowners that experts are saying that the biggest driving factor behind efficient design is the monetary savings it brings. The cost of electricity in the residential sector is expected to rise to 13.45 cents per kilowatthour by 2020, with the costs of gas, oil, and other fuels rising as well. Homeowners wanting to offset these costs will be wise to make improvements to the efficiency of their home design in the near future.

Make Your Home More Efficient in 2019

While most homeowners are predominately motivated by potential energy savings, this doesn’t mean they’re unaware of their personal impact on the environment. The survey shows that most people are more aware of environmental concerns today than they have been in the past. Since most people report that the country should be taking steps to help the environment, it makes sense that some of that awareness is trickling down to how people view and work on their homes as well.

Rising Awareness about environmental concerns

By paying attention to trends, such as those uncovered in Fixr’s Energy-Efficient Home Design Trends of 2019, you can make better choices for your home. This is important because it can not only save you money now, it can make your home easier to sell. Homebuyers are also looking for the same savings and energy efficient designs, so investing is a smart way to capitalize both now and in the future. Be sure to check out the full survey for more information, and make sure that your home is up to date and efficient before energy costs begin to rise again.