Going Green

Building a new home to be energy efficient is generally easier and often more cost-effective than retrofitting an older home. New homes can be designed and built from the ground
up to meet the latest energy-efficiency standards and building codes. This includes advanced insulation, high-efficiency windows and modern HVAC systems. It’s also a more streamlined process when the energy-efficient components are integrated into the design process, allowing for optimal orientation, natural lighting and passive heating and cooling solutions. Additionally, when building a new home, it’s easier to incorporate renewable energy systems like solar panels, geothermal heating and energy-efficient lighting into the initial design and construction.

Either way, there are many components to consider, and just because the investment might be higher for an existing home, it’s the comfort you want. And if you love your home or its location, the cost might be worth staying put.

BIG-TICKET EFFICIENCY OPTIONS

Insulation can be a great place to start if your home needs it. Enhancing insulation in walls, roofs and floors reduces heat loss in colder months and keeps the house cooler when it’s hot outside. You’re likely familiar with fiberglass, which is an easy and cost-effective option when you have access to open walls. Blown-in insulation comes in fiberglass or cellulose and is best when you can’t—or don’t want to—open up the walls. Sealing air leaks is often done hand-in-hand with insulation. You can have them in obvious places such as around doors and windows, but air might be seeping in and out around baseboards, vents and even electric outlets and switches.

Usually a big-ticket item, but also one that can make a big impact on comfort and the beauty of your home is windows. If you’re replacing existing windows, you have two installation choices: inserts or full replacements. Inserts are a good option for when your existing window frames and trim are in good condition and you opt to keep them. Full replacement windows include a new frame and have trim or flanges that cover the areas where the window meets the exterior home finish. Remodel or new construction, you want windows with low-emissivity (low-E) coatings, double or triple glazing, and insulated frames that can significantly reduce heat transfer. Lucky for today’s homeowners, energy-efficient windows are the go-to, so they’re available in a variety of styles and price points based on the level of efficiency.

Another major energy-efficiency consideration is your home’s heating and cooling system. In Denver, the price to heat your home with a furnace system might be significantly lower than in other areas of the country based on natural gas prices. However, if you factor in the environmental costs, you might make a different choice. Heat pumps—or mini-split systems—run on electricity but can be highly tailored to your home with individual temperature settings by room for better climate control. An easy addition to your heating and cooling system is a smart thermostat that allows you to access the system through an app on your phone, so if you forget to turn the thermostat down before leaving for a long weekend in the mountains, you can log on and make the adjustment. These also allow you to set schedules to run the system more efficiently.