As summer temperatures soar in Greater Chattanooga and North Georgia, so do home cooling costs. Homeowners are clambering to find ways to reduce energy usage, but terms used for energy-efficient elements in homes can be technical and confusing. Here are some simple definitions to help you understand popular energy-saving options for your home.
The Energy-Efficient Home is one that uses less energy than a traditional home without compromising service to owners and occupants. Energy efficiency can be achieved through things such as improved thermal envelopes, solar-oriented construction, low-e windows, and efficient appliances. Note that energy efficiency and energy conservation are different in that conservation efforts reduce or eliminate services to save energy.
In a Net Zero-Energy Home, the energy production and consumption are equivalent. That means the energy produced by the home must meet the household’s needs. Rooftop solar panels are perhaps the most common way for homes to produce energy. To help achieve net-zero energy, the home should be designed using a holistic, whole-house approach that strives for efficiency and reduces energy consumption without sacrificing service or comfort.
A Net Zero-Energy-Ready Home is outfitted with the necessary structural and technological support to install energy-producing technologies. Net zero energy-ready homes are appropriate for home owners who plan to install energy-producing technology in the future but do not have the means or desire to do so at the current time. When the home owner is ready to install such technology, it will be a much simpler process.
A home that produces more energy than the household needs is referred to as a Net Positive-Energy Home. A home owner could receive credit from their utility company for the excess energy returned to the grid that is produced by the energy technologies and saved by energy-efficiency measures.
To learn more about how to out-
fit your home to be more energy-
efficient, contact the Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga at info@HBAGB, or visit us online at www.HBAGC.