For many people, building a custom home is their dream, allowing them the freedom to live in a house of their own design. New home construction is a long process made up of many parts. One of the most important parts of this process is planning to maximize the energy efficiency of your custom-built home.

3 Energy-efficient Ideas for Your Custom Home

1. Passive Solar Gain

Passive solar gain refers to the use of the sun’s energy to warm or cool your home. For example, if you’re going to have trees on your property, plant deciduous ones on the west and south sides of the home to create shade in the summer, while still allowing for sun in the winter, when the trees lose their leaves. This will make your home cooler or warmer, depending on the season, keeping the HVAC system from being overworked. 

2. Water Heating & Storage

Water is central to human life. Because of this, how you heat and store the water is one of the most important parts of your custom home design and can cause you to waste both energy and water. For optimum energy efficiency, install the water heater next to the most active point of use, like the bathroom, and choose a tankless model to only heat water when you turn on the faucet. 

3. Appliances & Lighting

Certain appliances and lighting features consume less energy than others. Energy Star^®—a program that ensures products meet a certain standard of energy efficiency—appliances can help lower your overall costs. Light-emitting diode bulbs, for example, last far longer than other options and can be integrated into your custom home design to maximize its energy efficiency.

To truly maximize the potential of your custom home, you’re going to need a reputable builder. If you live in the Chillicothe, OH, area, R & J Custom Home Builders could be the right choice for you. With over 25 years of experience, they are experts in “building your dream home in the real world” and can ensure your house is as energy-efficient as possible. To learn more about their custom home building history and process, visit their website or call (740) 703-9242 today.