How to build a home that saves you money!

In my last posting I discussed smart ways to save money when building your new home. Today I am going to suggest ways to actually build a home that will save you money. When choosing energy-efficient building materials you may dramatically reduce the costs of daily living.

Using ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms) for your walls and foundation will not only add to your homes R-factor it also reduces air infiltration, which is almost as important. ICF’s create a continuous solid wall that is poured in place to eliminate any possible places for infiltration where dissimilar materials meet.

Windows are extremely important, triple-pane windows are coming down in price and low-e glass is a standard feature, upgrading your windows no longer has to break the bank. By using high-efficiency windows properly placed, in conjunction with ICF’s you have the basis of a building envelope that will save you on heating and air-conditioning costs.

Combine this with properly positioning your home on your lot to take advantage of natural passive solar and using wider overhangs to shade your windows in the summer will help keep your home comfortable.

Skylights*, high-efficiency furnaces, and on-demand hot water heaters can also reduce your energy consumption. Forced air furnaces are less expensive and more efficient than many other home heating systems and have the added benefit of using the same duct work for the Air-conditioning and ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilation system).

Using today’s technology along with some good old-fashioned common sense, you can build a home with not only incredibly low utility bills, but one that is also much more comfortable to live in. There is no reason to sacrifice comfort for efficiency, you can have it all.

If you do have a limited budget to work with, cut the luxury items, which are easily added later and make the structure of your home as energy-efficient and comfortable as possible.

*Just a note skylights themselves are not typically very energy-efficient, however there are ways to make them more so. Skylights do add light to a dark interior room during daylight hours to reduce the need to turn on a light. The tubular skylights are particularly good at this. Another great option is clerestory windows.

Apache Creek Builders – Charlie Kattnig owner and ICF Builder in Southern Colorado including Pueblo, Westcliffe, Rye, Colorado City, Hatchet Ranch,  and surrounding areas.

www.apachecreekbuilders.com 719-251-3003

Noun

1.

clerestory– part of an interior wall rising above the adjacent roof with windows admitting light clearstory window – a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air