Under Construction

Plan for Energy Efficiency While Building Your Home

Building an energy-efficiency home

When building a new home, wise choices with energy efficiency can save you money down the line in utility costs, making the up-front investment worth it.

Various factors play a role in how energy-smart your new home can be — appliances, home electronics, insulation, windows, doors, lighting, water heater, and the home’s heating and cooling system. Some energy-efficient measures are both easier and cheaper to address during construction.

“When a house is being built, there are things you can do for caulking and obviously insulation that you can’t do when it’s over,” says Andy Kimbro, vice president of member services for South Alabama Electric Cooperative.

Tim Sanders planned for 2 years before building his new home, and he wanted it to be as energy-efficient as possible. Sanders, a member of the SAEC Board of Trustees, opted for an energy-efficient heating and cooling unit and hot water heater, as well as double-paned windows and spray foam insulation.

For heat resistance, Sanders’ home has 5½ inches of open-cell spray foam in the roof and 3½ inches in the exterior walls, says Derrick Cain, sales manager for Pro-Tech Insulation, which sprayed the home earlier this year. R-13 batt insulation lines the home’s interior walls for soundproofing.

“The thermal resistance you get from foam is way better than the resistance you get from normal, traditional batt insulation,” Cain says. “It has the same R-value, maybe a little less from the traditional batt, but the thermal resistance you get out of the foam is way greater than that of the fiberglass batt. It seals all your cracks, nooks, and crannies — helps keep the bugs out.”

While closed-cell spray foam insulation is denser and water resistant, open-cell spray foam insulation is more affordable and fills smaller gaps that batt insulation and closed cells do not fill.

Insulating your home properly is key for your personal comfort, but it also lowers your heating and cooling costs. Combining a high-efficiency heat pump with spray foam insulation could allow homeowners to opt for lower tonnage on their heat pumps, Kimbro says.

Getting your window selection right the first time is also key, Kimbro says, and a lot more affordable than trying to replace them later. Your local climate will dictate the type of window rating or coating you want for your home.

With new construction, Kimbro says make sure any gaps in the framework around windows and doors are filled, as well as any gaps left in holes cut by plumbers and electricians.

“Getting the envelope of the house is what’s critical,” Kimbro says. “Your air infiltration is what it’s about.”