When many people think about building an energy-efficient home, expensive solutions like solar panels and geothermal energy often come to mind. However, energy-efficient homes don’t have to be a massive investment. In fact, there are many simple, cost-effective ways to make your new home energy efficient.
One of the easiest ways to make your new custom home energy efficient is by starting with an open floor plan. Not only do open floor plans create an elegant sense of space, but they can actually help you regulate temperatures, especially in a scorching Central Florida climate. If you’re looking to build an energy-efficient home, below are some reasons why it might make sense to start with an open floor plan.
Open Floor Plans Generate More Air Circulation
Interior walls can actually interfere with the air circulation inside your home, which explains why some rooms often feel warmer or colder than others. If you consistently have mismatched temperatures across your home, chances are you are frequently having to adjust your thermostat depending on the time of day or area of the home you’re using. This means your air conditioner is likely working harder than it needs to in order to compensate for the lack of air circulation.
An open floor plan allows both cool and warm air to permeate throughout a space. For example, if your windows are open at night, a larger proportion of your home will benefit from a cool breeze that circulates throughout an open area. Ceiling fans are also an important part of every energy-efficient home as they ultimately drive air circulation, especially in an open floor plan. This can help ease the workload on your air conditioning unit.
Lighting Efficiency
Energy-efficient homes with open floor plans allow light to reach more areas of the home, which can ultimately cut down on utility costs. During the day, you can rely on sun exposure from the window to illuminate a larger area of your home. If your home has a lot of walls, then there will most likely be areas that don’t receive a lot of sunlight. A higher quantity of natural light will not only help you save on energy costs, but it can also improve your mood.
In the evening, you’ll need less artificial light to illuminate your rooms in your energy-efficient home, due to fewer walls and barriers. As a result, you can probably get by with one or two major lighting fixtures to light up your open floor plan. Cutting down on electricity not only has an environmental impact, but it can also save you in the long run.
More Space With A Smaller Footprint
Open floor plans not only promote air circulation but also have more interior space. Without walls and barriers, you’ll actually find that the inside of your energy-efficient home feels much roomier. As a result, building an energy-efficient home with an open floor plan allows you to maximize space while reducing your overall footprint. Fewer materials and less construction are both energy-efficient and cost-effective.
Why Are Energy Efficient Homes Important?
Energy-efficient homes provide consumers with numerous benefits. Below are just a few of the reasons why you should keep energy efficiency in mind when building a custom home.
They Benefit The Environment
It might seem obvious, but by investing in an energy-efficient home you are doing your part to help the planet. Power generated by fossil fuels ultimately releases carbon into the atmosphere, which is a contributing factor to climate change. Energy-efficient homes use less power. By using less power, you’re consuming fewer fossil fuels and ultimately doing your part to help the environment.
Energy Efficient Homes Save You Money
Cutting down on energy costs is especially important during hot Florida summers. By optimizing airflow throughout your home, you can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year on cooling costs. Additionally, using the newest ENERGY STAR-certified appliances and LED light bulbs can also reduce your electricity use. Newer appliances generally consume less electricity. These factors, combined with an open floor plan, can really make a difference.
Building an energy-efficient home can also unlock a wide range of local, state, and federal tax benefits. From using ENERGY STAR appliances to energy-efficient light bulbs, there are a number of ways you can reduce your tax bill. These tax incentives can help offset any upfront costs associated with installing these features in your home.
If you’re interested in building an energy-efficient home in the Central Florida area, contact Atlas Homes today. We’ve constructed quality, well-crafted homes for many satisfied customers. We specialize in energy-efficient, customizable models that will open floor plans. We’d be happy to help you today.