Welcome to the renewable revolution. It’s now the norm to ensure your new home is energy efficient, especially if you’re building a custom home. Not only are we more conscious of our energy consumption and reducing our carbon footprint to reduce climate change, but energy efficiency also makes sense in other ways: lowering your utility bills and building a healthier, more economical home.
With today’s materials, building techniques and design concepts, you can create a comfortable and stylish home that’s also a paragon of sustainability. At Hamlan, we’ve made it a priority to build energy-efficient homes with a range of energy-saving features – several of which are standard inclusions that come with every Hamlan home. As a result, we have plenty of experience in which features offer the biggest sustainability bang for buck – making your home more energy efficient and offering financial and health benefits.
Related post: The benefits of building an energy-efficient home
Building an energy-efficient home in Geelong
One of the key aspects of sustainable building is to work in harmony with your environment. There’s no better place to do that than in Geelong, where some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes are on your doorstep.
Hamlan ensures all our custom homes score highly on the Australian Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS), which measures a home’s energy efficiency. NatHERS is based on a star rating out of ten: the higher the rating, the less energy is needed to heat and cool the home to keep it comfortable. NatHERS assesses house plans and building specifications to estimate the amount of heat added or removed to keep your home comfortable.
The 6 best energy-efficient features for your home
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Orientation
The first and most important step in building an energy efficient home is determining how your new home should be positioned to take advantage of the northern sun. This can reduce your power usage, resulting in better natural light and a more comfortable temperature in your home throughout the day. Hamlan floorplans have the flexibility of being able to flip living areas and bedrooms while maintaining the location of areas such as the garage to suit a range of block orientations.
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Insulation
Effective insulation is one of the most important aspects of making a home energy efficient. Properly insulated walls, ceilings and floors keep heat in during the winter and cool air in during the summer. Adding insulation to the attic and other areas of the home where air can escape will help reduce energy consumption significantly.
In addition, installing a heat recovery ventilation system removes air from the rooms and brings fresh air from outside – naturally regulating indoor temperatures to around 22 degrees.
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Windows and doors
Energy-efficient windows and door are designed to block out heat and cold, reducing your reliance on heating and cooling systems. Double-glazed windows and doors are made from two panes of glass that are separated by a layer of air or gas and then sealed. The gap between the layers acts as insulation.
Double-glazed windows and doors (from our local supplier Southern Star Group) are a standard inclusion on all Hamlan projects. We can also install thermally broken window and door frames, which minimise the transfer of cool air that occurs through standard aluminium windows and door frames.
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Solar panels and batteries
Solar panels are an emission-free renewable energy source: it’s no surprise that they are a popular sustainable option for powering your home. Panels are installed on available roof space. Some states offer financial incentives for installing solar panels to further reduce the cost of installation.
Solar panel and battery systems are increasing in popularity as a way to reduce energy bills even further (and provide some independence from the grid) – especially as the cost of batteries reduces. We strongly recommend future-proofing your home with a solar-plus-battery system: indeed. Hamlan is the first builder in Geelong to offer a Solar ChargePack and a Tesla Powerwall as a standard inclusion.
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Lighting
Switching to LED lighting and installing dimmer switches is one of the most inexpensive but most effective ways of reducing your energy consumption – LED lights can be up to 75% more energy efficient than halogen lightbulbs. Motion sensors for outdoor lights to automatically turn them off when not in use installing solar-powered lights are also a great way to save on your electricity bill even further.
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Envelope Design
The envelope of your home — the walls, roof, foundation and floor — should be well sealed and insulated to reduce energy losses. Caulking gaps and adding weatherstripping around windows and doors will help reduce drafts and make the home more comfortable year-round.
Hamlan can also install a vapour permeable barrier in addition to insulation. This improves the ‘wrapping’ of a home and reduces air leakage from the Australian average (equivalent of a 3m by 3m opening) to the equivalent of a small letterbox slot – significantly improving energy efficiency. It also reduces moisture leakage, preventing mould buildup.
Your energy-efficient home expert for the Geelong region
Hamlan Homes’ range of energy-efficient home designs features a wide range of sustainable features from standard inclusions to customisable additions. Our team is here to help you to choose the right features for your new home and advise you on eligibility for government rebates. Contact us today to find out more.
