Best Eco-Friendly Features for a New Home

There has never been a better time to incorporate eco-friendly features into a home than now. Energy efficiency and environmental changes are driving people to choose better options when building or remodeling a home. Not only will you enjoy substantial savings in energy bills, but you’ll also increase the overall value of your home. That’s why Mark Barber Custom Homes would like to provide you with some of the best eco-friendly features to consider when building a new home.

Home Design

Constructing an eco-friendly home begins with its design. For example, smaller rooms are much more energy-efficient than larger spaces. However, this doesn’t mean you need to design tiny, cramped rooms. Instead, you can incorporate more creative designs that make better use of the space. Eco-friendly design principles also incorporate the characteristics of the land, a home’s orientation, and landscaping. This might mean building a west-facing home to reduce sun exposure or planting a shady landscape to help keep your home cool, depending on your lot.

Eco-Friendly Insulation

When you think of insulation, you probably envision pink fiberglass insulation. After all, most homeowners leave the insulation process to the contractor building their home. However, when it comes to more eco-friendly options, spray cellulose, and open/closed cell foam insulation are both eco-friendly options that have truly revolutionized the way a home performs. Spray cellulose is made up of recycled paper that would have otherwise gone to the landfill, releasing harmful greenhouse gases. Open/closed cell foam insulation is made with recycled plastics and vegetable oil. Both boast a higher density and greater airflow resistance when compared to traditional fiberglass insulation. Not only will you reduce the number of toxins in your home, but you’ll also save thousands of dollars in expensive energy bills over the long run.

HVAC System

Over the years, many home builders have sized HVAC systems for homes by taking simple estimates. While these calculations may seem reasonable enough, they often result in drafty homes that make it hard to maintain a comfortable temperature. At Mark Barber Custom Homes, we know rough estimates are way too inaccurate for today’s energy-efficient building methods. With them, you’ll probably end up with an undersized or oversized unit that either runs forever or shuts off before your home reaches an optimal temperature. Furthermore, this constant cycling will end up wearing out your HVAC system, reducing its lifespan in the process. Needless to say, you’ll end up spending thousands of dollars in energy bills over the course of its lifetime. That’s why we carefully calculate and size the HVAC systems in our homes and make sure all ductwork is properly sealed to achieve maximum energy efficiency. The bottom line here is that a well-designed HVAC system is an eco-friendly feature that will not only save you money but keep your home as comfortable as possible during the winter and summer months.

Fountain Hills Custom Home Builders

If you’ve been considering building a custom home with eco-friendly features, Mark Barber Custom Homes has got you covered. We would be more than happy to explain all of the different options available to you and provide you with the home of your dreams. For more information to get in touch with one of our custom home design professionals, contact us today by filling out our online form or give us a call at (480) 826-2424.