Energy Efficient Home Plans
It is very unlikely that a client will ever ask an architect or home designer to plan a house that leaks energy like a sieve. Energy efficient home plans might as well be called basic home plans today.
There is just no doubt anymore that energy efficiency has moved into the forefront of everyone's mind when considered the design of a new home. It has become almost as important as the actual physical appearance of the structure. The need for energy efficiency hits us from so many different directions that it has become almost imperative in home design. Energy efficient home plans are, indeed, rapidly becoming standard home plans.
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One of these basic ideas is the use of passive solar design principles in the exterior design. In the past, certain elements of passive design were common. In the southern part of the United States during the Colonial era, it was standard practice to build a home on high ground to avoid the "vapors" that collected in lower areas. On the tropical islands or desert regions of the World, homes were built where they could take the maximum advantage of shade and cooling breeze.
As we became more dependent on energy produced by fossil fuel, this factors became less important. It did not matter where the home was located, or in which direction it faced. It was easy and inexpensive to either heat or cool away any flaw in passive design location. That is the major change in today's design environment. It is neither easy nor inexpensive anymore. So, designers are simply going back to the common sense of our ancestors.
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Although many energy efficient homes share some common themes beyond passive location design, there still is a lot of room for innovation and imagination. Yes, proper insulation, ventilation, window type and location, and energy efficient appliances are going to be a standard part of the design. This still leaves a lot of other areas where design features can add to the efficiency while not hindering the realization of the client's vision.
Energy efficient homes are certainly not going to be just a passing fad. We are past the point where we can afford to squander energy. The home owners of the future are going to insist on it and building codes might even some day demand it as well. Home designers, architects, builders, and even the general public needs to be aware of energy and should stay abreast of the rapidly advancing technology related to it.