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Residential Buildings: Energy Efficient Building Practices

Energy-efficient homes not only benefit homeowners but our nation as a whole.

• Homeowners can achieve energy savings of 30 percent or more while improving the home's comfort level by adopting energy-efficient building practices. Substantial savings are possible whether building a new home or renovating an existing one. Homeowners who want even more dramatic reductions in utility bills can install on-site energy production methods, such as passive solar or active photovoltaic systems and other forms of renewable energy.

• Our Nation conserves energy resources and enjoys cleaner air and a healthier environment. In 2004, energy-saving measures and energy-efficient homes allowed Americans to cut their energy bills by more than $7 billion and save enough energy to power 15 million homes. The avoided greenhouse gas emissions were equal to removing 14 million cars from our nation's highways.

This site details best practice guidelines for realizing 30 percent energy savings, and is aimed at homeowners, builders, or designers who seek to incorporate energy-efficient building practices into a new or existing home. These guidelines are based on Department of Energy research through the Building America program, which includes collaborations with private-sector partners. The Department of Energy is committed to driving continuous improvements in energy-efficient technologies and practices.

The guidelines address each step of the home-building process, based on an integrated, or whole building approach. The guidelines cover the planning and financing of a home or renovation project, the design and construction phase, and ongoing maintenance.

A key consideration in creating an energy-efficient home is the climate zone in which the home is located. While many best practice guidelines apply regardless of geography, others are tailored to the challenges of a specific climate zone.

Whole Building Approach

Achieving a comfortable, energy-efficient home requires a different approach to the traditional home-building process: a whole building approach. This perspective views the house as an integrated system with each component working together to achieve greater energy efficiency and comfort.

For new construction, the whole building approach begins in the design phase and continues until construction is complete. It involves close coordination among the architect, site planner, and construction trades to design and build all aspects of the home with the goal of maximizing energy efficiency while ensuring good indoor air quality and occupant comfort.

The whole building concept, as its name implies, is comprehensive. It encompasses the climate, the specific home site, the foundation, walls, and roof, the use of windows and doors and natural lighting, the heating and cooling systems, appliances, and lighting. By integrating these components, a home can be built for the same or lower cost than a traditional home and can offer significant savings in energy use. For example, a properly sealed and insulated home that incorporates windows for natural lighting will be able to use a smaller, less expensive heating and cooling system. It will also require less energy for indoor lighting.