When remodeling your home, you should consider factoring energy efficiency into your kitchen design to lower your bills and decrease your environmental footprint. You can use water, energy, and gas sparingly by implementing a few critical features. Below are four tips to improve energy efficiency in your remodel.

4 Ways to Incorporate Energy Efficiency Into Kitchen Design

1. Install ENERGY STAR® Appliances

When shopping for a dishwasher, stove, microwave, and fridge, look into ENERGY STAR® certified options. These appliances use the least amount of electricity to operate, lowering the utility bills, and minimizing your environmental impact. They are certified and held up to strict guidelines, so you can ensure you are receiving the value that you paid for. 

2. Incorporate Low-Flow Faucets 

Low-flow faucets use aerators that add air into the water to create excellent pressure while using nearly 75 percent less water. Consider installing a faucet that uses 0.5 gallons per minute to reduce water use. This is a major improvement from 2.2 GPM options that are often found in kitchens.

3. Add Smart Thermostats

When you cook or bake, the kitchen heats up and requires less furnace heat in the winter or more A/C in the summer. Add a smart thermostat in your kitchen design to make these adjustments automatically. You won’t have to worry about remembering to turn the A/C down after the cooking heat dissipates, because this innovative device does it for you. Plus, many of these controls switch into low-power standby mode if inactive, like when you’re cooking a large meal. 

4. Use LED Bulbs

The kitchen often features recessed and task lighting plus lights in the oven and microwave. Updating these fixtures to LED bulbs can use as much as 75 percent less electricity and last up to 25 percent longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. This technology can reduce utility bills and the amount of waste created by using bulbs with longer lifespans. 

Homeowners interested in hiring remodeling experts should contact Kitchen Upgraders in Henrico County, VA, for a free consultation and estimate. The full-service kitchen design team offers several price points to help you stick to a budget while updating your home. Visit the website or call the Highland Springs-area company at (888) 767-7704 to learn about their space planning, project management, and custom installations for lighting, plumbing, cabinetry, and appliances.