5 Benefits of Buiding an Energy Efficient Home

If you’re in the process of building a new house, your contractor might have mentioned to you that it’s a good idea to consider incorporating some things that could make your home more energy efficient. Although some of the suggestions will prove to be somewhat of an expensive investment on the front end, the amount of money that you will save in energy costs alone will more than make up for it in the long run.

So, aside from the amount of money that you can keep in your wallet, what are some of the other benefits that come with building an energy efficient house? We have five advantages for you below:

It’s better for the environment. When we use energy to heat, cool or light up our homes, that oftentimes requires fuel and when fuel burns, it puts emissions into the air that can prove to be damaging, not only to our health, but our pets and the overall environment. So when, for instance, you purchase an Energy Star appliance, not only will it help to keep your electricity bills down to a reasonable cost, but it will also keep less emissions in the air.

It requires less maintenance. Whether it is installing bamboo flooring, cellulose insulation or putting on a metal roof, another great benefit with using eco-friendly products is that it results in producing an energy efficient home. That’s because those kinds of items are extremely durable and require very little upkeep for years to come.

It tends to use more natural resources. One of the most expensive additions that you could ever put into your house would be solar panels (they will run you a few thousand dollars, easily). However, just think about what it would be like to have an entire house that runs on the sun’s energy rather than electricity. In just a few years, you will easily make back the money that you spent to install the panels just in the money that you save on monthly energy bills alone. And one thing that you can be rest assured about with the sun is that it will certainly outlast your lifetime; it will never “run out” of the natural energy that it has to offer.

It provides tax breaks. Even the most prestige home builders who make it a point to build energy efficient homes will admit that it certainly doesn’t hurt that the IRS rewards those who make eco-friendly additions (and adjustments) in their homes. Although certain tax benefits change with each year, currently there are tax credits given to people who use solar energy, install “green” insulation and water heaters and put in double-pane windows, just to name a few. (For a full tax credit listing, go to EnergyStar.gov and put “federal tax credits” in the search field.)

It can give you overall peace of mind. Whether you’re putting in a low-flow toilet, planting some extra trees around your house or putting in some new insulation, knowing that being energy efficient is good for you and your family’s health and the environment’s overall well-being can be one of the biggest benefits of building an energy efficient home of all. For more information on how to make your home more energy efficient, visit GreenBuildingAdvisor.com.