Up energy efficiency via home remodel
Energy efficiency is a critical consideration when building or updating a home and is something that is easily incorporated throughout the construction and remodeling process.
Given the innovations in these efficiency practices, homeowners now have more access to incorporating ecofriendly touches into their pre-existing property. When undergoing a remodel, there are many ways to incorporate energy-conserving and environmentally conscious changes that will reduce your monthly utility costs. Here are some energy-efficiency best practices to consider when undergoing a remodel.
Meet with an energy consultant
Before starting your remodel plans, it is highly recommended that you and your builder meet with an energy consultant. This is especially important when undergoing significant renovations throughout your home.
The consultant will evaluate your home’s current energy efficiency as well as evaluate what your future efficiency will be after construction changes. When evaluating your home’s energy efficiency, a consultant will often use what is known as a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score, which is the industry standard for measuring a home’s overall energy efficiency.
The rating takes into account everything from the installation of new energy-efficient products such as HVAC systems, insulation, new windows, and more efficient hot water heaters and appliances. The lower the score, the higher the energy efficiency of the home. For reference, new energy code standards in Houston require a score of 65 or lower for all new homes.
By having the formula calculated, you can select the most cost-effective products to maximize your home’s energy efficiency while keeping your construction costs within budget. Your energy consultant should test and analyze the efficiency of the remodeled equipment multiple times throughout the construction process to ensure the anticipated efficiency is maintained on the end product.
After meeting with an energy consultant, it’s time to select the products you want to install in order to bring down your home’s energy consumption.
Recent changes to tankless water heaters make it easier to retrofit them into an existing home, resulting in a significant decrease in energy usage. Traditional water heaters keep water hot regardless of it being used, which drives up energy consumption.
With new tankless heaters, you only heat the water you use, resulting in a significant increase in efficiency. Rinnai is one of the easiest tankless water heaters to retrofit, as it offers an adapter to recirculate the water so you don’t have to tear through walls during your remodel in order to loop the plumbing. Rinnai units are also WiFi controlled, allowing you to regulate usage and high-traffic periods of recirculation from your smartphone.
Upgrading thermostats and lights to be programmable or smart-home systems also helps control overall energy usage. The capacity to manage the interior heat load and overall efficiency of your HVAC system will likely have the biggest impact on your energy costs.
Upgrading A/C to a two-stage unit can greatly decrease energy costs while also controlling the humidity for a healthier home, and is almost always a necessity when making large-scale improvements to the home’s exterior envelope.
Depending on how tightly sealed your home is, various levels of humidity control within the A/C system will be needed.
If you make improvements during your remodel to better seal your house, including installing new Low-E doublepane windows or spray-foam insulation in your attic, you will likely need to replace the A/C unit. This tightening in the envelope will require less tonnage to heat and cool, but will create an environment where you should be mindful of humidity control. Standard systems run at full speed and then shut off, resulting in wasted energy and increased humidity levels in your home. Installing a two-stage condensing unit will allow operation at either a low or high speed, depending on how much energy is actually needed to cool a space. This, coupled with a fresh air intake, will maximize the efficiency and create a comfortable climate with a lower monthly cost on utilities.
This article was provided by a member of the Remodelers Council of the Greater Houston Builders Association. The Remodelers Council is dedicated to promoting professionalism and public awareness of the remodeling profession through education, certification and service to the Houston community. For information on this article, contact Lorraine Hart at lorraine@idealconsulting.net.