The cost of energy is skyrocketing, and as a consumer, you have no control over the charges. Whether you switch suppliers or regularly change tariffs, energy bills always demand a significant amount of your income. It is frustrating! 

While you can’t affect how much energy costs, you can determine how much you use! An energy-efficient home will require less heating and electricity, so you can reduce the bills you pay.

If you’re ready to develop a property that’ll be cheap to run, we’re here to help. Here are 7 things to consider when designing an energy-efficient home.

1. Plan For The Climate

First and foremost, you need to identify the primary issues you’ll face with the weather. Are you building in the highlands, where snow is a factor? Are you near the coast, where the chilly sea breeze will affect you? 

Different conditions will require a change in building materials. If you’re faced with lots of humidity, condensation could be a significant issue to the structure of your home. You’ll need insulation with a vapour control layer to protect your property like our reflective multifoil.

2. The Smaller, The Better

Big is certainly not always best. When it comes to an energy-efficient home, smaller rooms are essential—the less empty and wasted space, the less area you need to heat. As you’re designing your home, bear this in mind. 

Avoid unnecessary space and include plenty of walls to keep rooms cosy. While open spaces are visually appealing, long rooms are challenging to keep warm and require more radiators for a comfortable temperature.

3. Your Materials Matter

As you’re selecting bricks, flooring, and roofing materials, consider their thermal conductivity. Ideally, you want building elements that won’t absorb heat easily! Bricks or tiles with high thermal conductivity will cost you more money in the long run since they’ll swallow the warmth you’re trying to retain in your rooms. 

On the other hand, materials with low thermal conductivity will be an extra layer of insulation for your property! You won’t spend money on heating escaping through your walls or the roof.

4. Insulation Helps Everywhere

As you’re designing an energy-efficient home, insulation must be a primary consideration. Not only because it’s a building regulation requirement, but also because It’s much more convenient to install insulation while you’re building. Otherwise, you’d have to uplift floorboards and replaster your walls later on to add extra insulation.

Incorporate the thickness of battens and multifoil insulation into your design plans so you can be confident you’ll leave enough space. Rectifying errors after you’ve built proves more expensive than getting it right the first time.

5. Lighting Is Critical

Energy-saving bulbs exist for a reason. While it may seem counterproductive to spend lots of money on premium lightbulbs as you’re trying to reduce your bills, they’ll save you money long-term. An LED bulb only uses seven to ten watts an hour. 

In comparison, a fluorescent bulb can consume sixteen to twenty watts simultaneously. Incandescent light bulbs are the cheapest option upfront. Still, they consume sixty watts per hour, making them the least economical to run.

6. Assess Your Appliances

Similarly to light bulbs, your home appliances can consume plenty of energy and heighten your monthly bills. For an energy-efficient house, you need to assess cooking and washing machinery, electrical equipment, and other wired appliances to ensure they aren’t wasteful. 

Frequently the most energy-efficient appliances aren’t the cheapest upfront since they’re made with high-quality materials, but they’ll prove their worth in savings. Calculate running costs before you settle on inexpensive equipment.

7. Professional Advice Helps

You can easily miss critical steps if you’ve never designed an energy-efficient property before. Beyond reading blogs for tips and tricks, you can contact SuperFOIL for further support. 

We’re able to advise suitable materials for your project, the most effective insulation methods for your location, and the budget you should set aside. Request a free insulation quote today, and get the ball rolling on your dream, sustainable and affordable property.