Most people choose to buy a prefabricated house simply because of the short-term comfort that this entails. However, buying a house adapted to needs that are not yours can lead to a few years that you do not feel comfortable in your own home, or feel that it does not meet your needs as much as you would like.
New construction houses are a less frequent option, but certainly the most successful one. Designing your custom house allows you to choose the number of rooms, the distribution of the kitchen, the rooms with terrace, and most importantly, you can choose to have an energy-sustainable house. Turning your home into an efficient place will be a great long-term savings, making it a recoverable investment .
New buildings follow the new energy efficiency standards, which means that they take better advantage of natural resources, rather than going to gas. This will mean great savings on the electricity, gas and water bill .
The way you build your house will affect the subsequent sustainability and durability .
How to make a house energy efficient , 5 steps:
1- What is the best orientation for a house
The ideal orientation of a home will be the fundamental factor to save more or less energy . A bad orientation will make your bills rise up to 70% more.
However, in order to orient a house correctly, external factors must be taken into account, such as weather, winds, natural accidents or surrounding buildings. There are 4 types of orientations and their characteristics:
- North Orientation : The sun’s rays do not perpendicularly affect the house. This is why you will only receive light during sunrise and sunset. This makes the house not warm up in winter and we go to the heating constantly, however in summer the use of air conditioning is not so noticeable or. However, we can always count on good insulation, for example, by placing a double window, which will prevent heat loss.
- South Orientation : the sun affects during the day in winter, spring and autumn, while in summer it only affects during the midday hours. It is ideal for cold climates . If you have a warm or temperate climate you can help yourself with awnings in the rooms, but, in general, you will have a higher cost of air conditioning .
- Orientation East : this is the most efficient option . In the morning it is hot when the sun rises, since the lightning strikes until noon and during the afternoon, the heat that has accumulated throughout the day is released, which means a lower expense in heating in winter. </ li>
- West Orientation : the sun falls from noon until it disappears. This phenomenon supposes a great expense of air conditioning during the summer , since the house does not have time to cool down when we go to sleep, so we tend to put the air conditioning to fall asleep. < / li>
2. Sloping roofs improve the efficiency of a house
Another advantage of designing your home to measure is to choose what type of roof you want, whether a flat or sloping roof. This element is what marks the point of difference between one style or another, as far as aesthetics are concerned. But it is not the only thing that should interest you, also it is a determining element for the inclement weather .
The most recurrent roofs are the sloping ones, not only because of their appearance, but also because of the efficiency and protection they grant to the house . These sloping roofs lead to greater thermal insulation. The design of your roof will allow you savings of up to 35% energy , since they allow natural ventilation between the outer layer and the building.
In terms of protection, sloping roofs are intended to better withstand snow, water, smell and wind ; unlike flat roofs that can weaken structures against these environmental hazards. Not only do they provide greater durability to the house, but these in themselves also have a longer shelf life .
To increase sustainability, you can also opt for the assembly of solar panels using natural light to generate energy. As for the room you place on the attic roof, you can also install windows on sloping roofs, allowing natural lighting, more comfortable and efficient.
3. Efficient windows and doors
The way of installing a window can vary considerably the bill, both of heating and air conditioning. A good work and a good seal will make a difference , but, in addition, you can opt for other extra solutions such as plastic adhesive sheets that help reduce heat losses by placing them inside, or increasing this by placing them outside.
Finally, and especially for those cooler rooms , with lower incidence of sun rays it is advisable to install the so-called double windows or double glazing .
4. Save on heating and air conditioning, geothermal
Geothermal energy has its origin in the difference in temperatures between the interior of the earth and its surface. It is an energy that is stored in the form of heat below the surface of the earth. Geothermal heating is constantly generated by the sun, rain and heat of the earth, which makes it one of the most efficient renewable energies .
How does geothermal energy work?
From approximately 15 meters deep, the earth has a stable temperature throughout the year. But this energy is commonly wasted since the installation of a system that takes advantage of the subsoil temperature is needed constantly, which allows to absorb or give up heat as needed . Thanks to this you will keep your house warm in winter and cold in summer.
If you are interested in a custom geothermal installation for your home, Site and Field takes care of everything so that you are satisfied with the result.
5. Installation of underfloor heating
It is a floor heating system based on a pipe network that is installed under the floor. Hot or cold water circulates through them throughout the surface, and allows an increase or decrease in temperature .
It is a system with a high level of performance . This is so, because the circuits installed under the ground are very thin, they do not reach 10 mm, so the flow that moves is insignificant, so the energy to heat or cool it is too. It is, therefore, a very efficient and renewable system , since it uses geothermal energy for its operation.
In addition, if you like minimalist, modern and spacious designs and are doubting between installing underfloor heating or radiators, this first can be a good solution to get your home custom, since with the radiant floor system you avoid the traditional radiators that in few occasions agree with the aesthetics of the house.
This is a still very new system in Spain, but with Site and Field you can do it.
At Site and Field we take care of build your house to measure and according to your needs. We are with you throughout the project, from license management, to the construction and subsequent delivery of keys.
