Building Your Energy-Efficient Dream Home

Take some notes from the 2018 HGTV Smart Home designs and equip your home with the best ways to make your home energy efficient. Source: HGTV 

Customize your modern home with energy saving appliances that can offer style and comfort. While older homes have their charm, building a new house is a unique opportunity to customize. You can choose building materials, layouts and add-ons that can make your home more energy efficient.

When shopping for the fixtures and appliances to install in your new home, make sure to think about both the initial and long-term cost. Less efficient appliances may be cheaper up front, but be more expensive when lifetime energy usage is taken into account. Here are some of our recommendations for energy-efficient fixtures and appliances to consider for your new home.

Energy-efficient fixtures and appliances

Setting a schedule to your programmable thermostat is a great way to adjust to your family’s schedule. Source: Trane

Programmable thermostats

You can set a programmable thermostat to change the target temperature throughout the day. This lets you set a different temperature for when your family is at work, school or sleeping. If you’re looking for more, consider a remote thermostat, like the ComfortLink II. These can be paired with the Nexia system and your smartphone, tablet or desktop computer to control your heating and cooling system from anywhere.

Low-flow water fixtures

Low-flow shower heads, toilets and other water fixtures can help reduce manage your water usage. Ask your plumber for recommendations that will provide the right balance of comfort and efficiency for you.

Tankless water heaters

Tankless water heaters instantly heat up water as you need it. This is more efficient than keeping a tank of water hot all the time. While tankless water heaters can reduce your energy bill, they are currently more expensive than traditional water heaters. If you’re considering a tankless system, do some research to make sure the long-term energy savings will make up for the difference in price.

Efficient appliances

When selecting your kitchen appliances consider those with Energy Star certified products. Source: Modern House Architects

When shopping for appliances like stoves, refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines and dryers, make sure to consider the estimated annual energy usage of each. Look for ENERGY STAR certified products to keep gas and electric costs down and minimize the total lifetime cost of your appliances.

Your local Trane dealer can talk to you about ENERGY STAR qualified HVAC systems, as well as Nexia thermostats today.

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