Planning your Calgary Custom Home: Energy Efficient Homes

Published January 31, 2019.
Est. Reading: 4 minutes

When building the custom home you have always dreamed of in Calgary, one of the main advantages is that you can choose every item for your new home. It is also the perfect opportunity to trust your project to a professional Calgary custom home builder who can help you build an efficient home and make a positive impact on the environment.

Besides elements such as flooring, doors, and windows, you can select your building materials according to their environmental impact. At Sunset Homes, Calgary's bespoke home builder, we believe in green building and we are always trying to put in practice the top sustainable techniques to build and renovate stylish, comfortable, and luxurious homes that also help protect the environment and reduce the environmental footprint to a minimum.

We are proud to be active members of the Built Green Program whose main goal is to increase efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and to build homes that contribute to homeowners’ health and lifestyle thanks to the efficient use of quality building materials and resources.

What are the Main Characteristics of Energy Efficient Homes?

As experienced Calgary infill home builders, when planning or measuring the energy efficiency of a home, we always take into account the home’s structure, as well as its water, lightning, heating and cooling systems. Usually, energy efficient homes combine sustainable building practices, energy-saving appliances, and renewable energy systems that may include solar panels to generate electricity and heating.

One of the clever moves by custom home builders is to take advantage of the local climate and lot conditions to determine which are the perfect green techniques that apply in each case. The common goal is to reduce waste and improve the efficiency of homes in a cost-effective way to protect the environment for future generations.

What are the Benefits of Energy Efficient Homes?

If you already have the perfect lot, then you can start planning your building project with the help of the home builder in Calgary of your choice, who can explain to you why it is worthwhile to invest in an energy efficient home. Even if many homeowners believe that going green is costly, the truth is that an energy efficient home can increase your home’s value significantly.

Additionally, if you add sustainable features to your custom home design, you will immediately reduce waste, improve the quality of indoor air, and save energy and money. One of the most remarkable health benefits that you can enjoy thanks to an energy efficient home is the reduction of allergens, dust, pollen, and outside pollution in the air. All this means that your home will be healthier and more durable while featuring all the style, luxury, and comfort provided by advanced building technologies.

What are Energy Star Certified Homes?

The main characteristic of an energy star certified home is that it uses less energy than a conventional home. Following the requirements of the program, they are built to be 20% more efficient.

This type of home is built and designed without the usual heating and cooling systems installed in most traditional homes. Instead, they use energy efficient systems and energy efficient windows. Other essential features of low energy homes built by home builders in Calgary are high-level insulation throughout the whole property and Energy Star appliances in all rooms.

What are Net Zero Homes?

As its name suggests, a Net Zero home produces as much renewable energy as it consumes. This means that the extra energy produced is fed back into the grid. This type of energy efficient home is the perfect example of how much green building techniques impact your dream home and translate not only into savings but into an improved lifestyle.

At Sunset Homes, Calgary's bespoke home builder, we believe Net Zero homes are the perfect combination of top green building techniques, eco-friendly practices, and advanced design. According to the Canadian Home Builders Association, a net zero home is 80% more efficient than regular homes. Net Zero homes include perfectly insulated windows and roofs for reduced outside noise, has sophisticated green heating, cooling and ventilation systems that allow having even temperatures in all rooms, and is equipped with water and energy-saving fixtures and appliances.

What are Built Green Certified Homes?

A built green certified home is a property that has obtained a green certification by any program promoting sustainable and environmentally responsible building practices. The perfect example is Built Green, that encourages homeowners and home builders in Calgary to build homes that comply with seven areas of sustainable building.

Usually, all green certification programs are based on essential pillars such as resource use, energy efficiency, recycled content, indoor air quality, durability, innovation, alternative construction, and environmental impact.

As a proud member of the Built Green Canada Program and the Canada Green Building Council, at Sunset Homes, we promote the use advanced green building techniques to protect the environment and preserve our natural resources for future generations.

Are you considering to build an energy efficient home? Contact Sunset Homes today! We will prepare a class 3 estimate for your project, and provide you with the right tools for every step of the custom home building process.

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Too Long Didn’t Read (TLDR)

Energy efficient homes combine sustainable building practices, energy-saving appliances, and renewable energy systems to reduce the impact on the environment. Some of the most common energy efficient homes are Energy Star Certified, Net Zero, and Built Green Certified homes.

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