Edgewater - New Homes = Energy Advantage

If your last energy bill made you faint, it might be time to investigate buying a new home. An extreme solution? Not really. New-build homes are constructed with the latest green materials and technology to lower energy consumption. Less consumption equals lower energy bills, which equates to a happier you. Here’s how it works.

Building science has come a long way. Edgewater builders Gehan Homes, Coventry Homes and Highland Homes have learned what causes homes to become less energy efficient. The culprits are usually poor insulation, outdated HVAC systems and old appliances. To combat this, they use the newest industry-leading construction techniques, appliances and technology.

In fact, advances in building science and stricter building codes mean new homes are now 20 percent more efficient than homes built 10 years ago and can save you as much as 30 percent on your monthly electric bill. If your home is older than 10 years, your savings in a new home would be even greater.

Energy-conscious builders build to the high-level standards set by ENERGY STAR® and the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED). These programs not only set strict guidelines but also require homes to be verified through third-party inspectors.

Among the many features you will find in an energy-efficient new home are:

• Effective insulation
• High-performance windows and doors
• Tight construction and ducts
• Efficient heating and cooling equipment
• Efficient products and appliances

That means your HVAC system is right-sized for your home and attics are well-ventilated to prevent excessive heat from building up. Walls, roofs and floors are properly insulated so heating and cooling systems aren’t leaking temperature-treated air.

Smart home technology has become increasingly important in the fight to lower energy bills. Most builders now include smart thermostats. These devices learn your routine and can be programmed to turn on and off when no one is in the house.

When looking at new homes, an important question to ask is what the home’s HERS score is. This is an industry standard set by the Department of Energy as a sort of “miles per gallon” for homes. A typical 10-year-old home has a HERS score of 100. Today’s new homes score much lower. Lower scores equate to less energy used and more cost savings.

As a bonus, the same building materials and technology used to lower energy costs, result in a healthier home with fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and fewer issues with moisture management.

Ready to lower those energy bills? Visit Edgewater and tour our builders’ beautiful model homes. While touring, remember what you don’t see can be as important as what you do when it comes to saving money.

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