Being mindful of energy usage at home is a practical summer goal. However, you can only do so much to minimize your consumption to save money. Retrofitting your house with smart, sustainable features can reduce your bills without sacrificing comfort and health. Learn how to set your priorities straight so you can focus on the most impactful upgrades before the hottest season rolls around.
Biggest Sources of Home Energy Consumption
According to the United States Energy Information Administration, heating and cooling account for 52% of home energy use. Water heating and lighting make up the second- and third-largest shares. Concentrating on these three major sources of power consumption lets you achieve the greatest gains while spending the least amount of money.
Moreover, the International Energy Agency found that natural gas is the most used fuel for electricity generation in the country. Compared to coal, it’s lower-emission. Still, this fossil fuel isn’t necessarily more eco-friendly. Natural gas extraction can leak methane, a potent greenhouse gas, making its climate impact just as bad as, if not worse than, coal.
Imported natural gas is susceptible to price fluctuations. Supply-chain disruptions caused by geopolitical events can drive up electricity prices in the summer. Aside from energy-efficient home features, power self-sufficiency is the key to powering your house’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, water heater and lighting fixtures at the least possible cost.
3 Upgrades to Prioritize This Summer
Add these features to your home to beat the heat without letting energy costs eat up a larger portion of your budget every summer.
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Insulated Glazed Exterior Doors
Glazed entry and patio doors let in the sun, an abundant source of natural light, to brighten up your space for free throughout the day. Glass is a poor insulator, so choose products engineered to stop heat from moving outside to inside, and vice versa.
Renewal by Andersen is among the best door replacement companies to hire for installing glazed entry and patio door systems with superior thermal insulating properties. Its products are available in double or triple glazing and contain specialized coatings that reduce unwanted heat gain and ultraviolet radiation. Each model features a well-designed frame to limit the flow of energy, reinforcing your home’s thermal enclosure. One has a full-perimeter composite edge filled with a chlorofluorocarbon-free foam core, which is safe for the environment.
This door replacement company services Charlotte, North Carolina and offers white-glove service. It customizes every door to ensure the unit fits the wall opening perfectly, reducing the risk of air leakage. Renewal by Andersen makes the process hassle-free at every step and offers professional installation with expert service year-round.
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Complete Photovoltaic (PV) System
Having a solar array on your roof or in your backyard is key to reducing your reliance on the utility grid, enabling you to run your HVAC equipment, water heating and lights on renewable energy. Modern PV panels are becoming more efficient in converting sunlight into green electricity, but they still have limitations. Pairing them with a high-capacity home battery controlled by a virtual power plant (VPP) is vital to maximizing the free energy you harness.
Sonnen is one of the leaders in complete, integrated home energy systems. This German brand sells its packages through a network of accredited partners, giving you access to world-class solutions and allowing you to enjoy high-touch service from local contractors.
This Shell subsidiary offers a range of renewable energy storage systems for indoor and outdoor use. Sonnen’s in-house battery research team deliberately uses lithium iron phosphate cells to avoid cobalt, a raw material often sourced unethically and through environmentally damaging practices. The company’s battery technology enables seamless VPP integration, helping you manage your energy usage more efficiently.
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LED Lighting With Advanced Controls
Switching from traditional incandescent and compact fluorescent lights to LED fixtures can dramatically reduce waste. LED products convert most of the electricity they consume into light rather than heat, illuminating your space efficiently without raising indoor temperatures. They last longer than their conventional counterparts, helping reduce the amount of garbage you generate at home.
Lutron is a respected source of high-quality LED lights with an advanced control system. It has a comprehensive suite of smart lighting products you can control via an app or voice assistants, such as Alexa from Amazon.
The company’s product lines include do-it-yourself-friendly solutions compatible with older house wiring that you can install in just a couple of minutes. Lutron doesn’t require you to lock in, enabling you to start with one room and expand into the rest of your space as you like.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the most common questions asked about smart and sustainable homes.
What is a smart home?
A smart home can automate and remotely control and monitor various amenities, such as HVAC units and lighting fixtures, through a network of internet-connected devices. Deloitte found that U.S. homes had 21 smart devices and 13 different types in 2023, on average. Your setup can be simple and still be considered a smart home.
What is the main advantage of smart homes?
Energy efficiency is the main advantage of smart homes. Regulating the operation of resource-intensive amenities, such as a central air conditioning system, with minimal human intervention makes it easier to determine which device or appliance should run when and how hard. Preprogramming smart devices to switch specific settings at different times of day or letting artificial intelligence make decisions based on existing variables can reduce your home’s carbon footprint.
What is home sustainability?
Home sustainability is the idea of designing, using, maintaining and renovating your house while thinking about its impact on the environment, your finances and quality of life over the long term. This way, every decision you make to satisfy your current and future needs centers on mitigating the choice’s perceived negatives and maximizing desired positives.
What is a thermal enclosure?
A thermal enclosure is a system of building materials designed to reduce heat transfer. Its elements include high-performance windows and glazed doors, properly installed insulation and airtight building envelopes engineered for less thermal bridging. A complete system ensures whole-house comfort, improved energy efficiency, increased property durability, lower maintenance and enhanced climate resilience.
Make Your Home Smarter and More Sustainable This Summer
Adding smart, sustainable amenities to your home can be a lengthy process. Working with one of the best door replacement companies, a trusted provider of complete PV systems and a cutting-edge LED lighting innovator is a good start. Make it a mission to complete these three upgrades to prepare your house for summer and start lowering your energy bills.
