The Greenwich House is quickly becoming a prime case study for why it’s so important to engage in energy efficient building. The first non-construction energy bill for the home is now in hand and it amounts to a 66% savings over a home of similar size with conventional building methods.
That’s a huge amount of savings that can be achieved over the life of a home and a testament to the importance of building in this manner. Sure, upfront costs are a bit higher, but when you consider the long-term savings you have to ask yourself. Can you really afford not to build to this standard of energy-efficiency?
What makes this finding so impactful is that the measurement comes during a month where air conditioning was running at max due to the hot nature of June. The comparison home was a 1960’s house built with conventional building standards (fiberglass insulation and basic windows).
So what made The Greenwich House so energy-efficient? It’s the approach that was taken that insisted on energy-efficiency at every turn.
- BlueSkin air and water infiltration barrier from Henry Company which claims to reduce 40% of the energy loss from the exterior of the home.
- Spray foam insulation throughout the exterior envelope of the home (walls, attic, and crawl spaces).
- Comfort systems including the Zehnder ERV and Carrier geothermal systems we get consistent and efficient heating and cooling within the home.
- UV coating on the Jeld-Wen windows and exterior doors
- LED lighting throughout
- Super energy efficient appliances from Miele
Sure these innovations may add up in initial cost, but consider the savings. Already this home is running at a savings of $3,000 a year compared to our standard home. If you consider that most of these systems carry a 20+ year life cycle that’s an overall savings of $60,000 (not accounting for increases in energy costs down the line).
In addition to smarter, healthier and greener living, over the long-term these installations make sense to the bottom line of your home’s operating budget. The numbers simply couldn’t be clearer.
