How can energy efficiency in the home be improved? If you're looking for a clear answer to this question, you've come to the right place! Energy efficiency basically describes the relationship between the energy input and the benefit achieved. The less energy has to be used to achieve the desired benefit, the more efficient the action is in the end.
The whole thing can then be compared by dividing the final energy consumption into energy efficiency classes from A+ (highest efficiency) to H.
In times of the Climate change and the energy transition, more and more people are naturally trying to become more energy efficient. In addition to the Environmental awarenesscost aspects or the desire for a more comfortable living space also often play a major role.
In this article, I would like to introduce you to some valuable, practical tips that you can use to make your home more energy efficient. Let's go!
Advantages: Why improve the energy efficiency of houses?
Improving the energy efficiency of your home has numerous benefits, some of which I have already touched on in the introduction. Here I try to all motivating reasons once again.
By making your home more energy efficient, you can reduce your Reduce energy costs and so Save money sustainably. So lower energy consumption means electricity bills that won't make your jaw drop.
You also contribute to the Protecting our environment and the fight against climate change. The lower energy consumption also reduces your CO2 footprint. In addition, a Efficiency house or an energy-efficient house ultimately also your Living comfort. For example, good insulation ensures that it stays nice and warm in winter and pleasantly cool in summer.
Ultimately, however, the reasons for an energy-efficient house or corresponding modernization measures are not only the direct cost savings, environmental protection and increased living comfort. Maintaining the value of the property is subsidized, so that every energy investment is also an investment for your financial future.
Here I have you the reasons mentioned - and a few more - for improving energy efficiency of your own home once again clearly summarized:
- Save costs
- Protecting the environment and conserving resources
- Improve living comfort
- Increasing the value of property
- Promoting health and live healthy
- Meet legal requirements
- Ensuring future security
- Reducing dependence on fossil fuels
- Contribute to climate protection (tips at Stop climate change)
- Benefit from subsidies and other financial incentives
10 tips: How can the energy efficiency of a building be increased?
It's really important to understand that every step towards improving energy efficiency in the home is a step towards a more sustainable future - and that each of these steps is a step towards a more sustainable future. Investment and no expenditure is.
What you can do specificallyI would now like to give you the following tips on how to increase energy efficiency. Have fun and good luck with the implementation!
1. properly insulate the facade
Insulating your house façade is certainly one of the most important tips for improving the energy efficiency of buildings. A poorly insulated façade can lead to high heat loss, especially in the cold months of the year.
Here are a few things you should know if you want to improve your façade effectively and Environmentally friendly insulation want:
- Material selection: Use natural insulation materials such as wood wool, flax, cellulose or hemp. Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of thermal conductivity, moisture resistance and environmental compatibility.
- Insulation techniques: There are different techniques for façade insulation, such as the ventilated rainscreen façade (VHF), the external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS) or internal insulation.
- Consideration of windows and doors: When insulating your façade, you must not ignore windows and doors. If they are getting on in years, they often represent weak points in the outer shell of your home.
- Professional installation: The correct implementation of thermal insulation is crucial for its effectiveness. So look for trained experts who can help you with this. (e.g. in the form of a building owner consultation)
- Costs and subsidies: The cost of façade insulation can vary depending on the scope of the project and the materials selected. However, there are often state or regional funding programs (e.g. from KfW) that support investment in better energy efficiency. It is therefore essential that you find out about available subsidies and grants before (!!!) starting the building work.
2. replace old windows and doors
As mentioned, old, leaky windows and doors can have a significant negative impact on energy efficiency. Replace them with modern, energy-efficient windowsif you have the opportunity to do so.
In particular in combination with good facade insulation and adequate ventilation, modern windows, for example with triple glazing, can significantly reduce any heat loss and the energy consumption of the heating system. They are therefore an important milestone on the way to a particularly energy-efficient house.
3. use renewable energies
The installation of a photovoltaic system or solar thermal energy can not only improve the energy efficiency of your home, but also reduce your dependence on conventional energy sources (e.g. coal, oil and natural gas).
The solar panels are used for this mounted on the roof and produce large quantities of green water, especially on sunny days. Electricity from renewable, natural sources. If the investment is currently too cost-intensive for you, a balcony power station, for example, can be a cheaper and good start.
4. renew the heating system
An outdated oil or gas heating system can be a real energy guzzler in your own home. To reduce your heating costs and protect the environment, it is therefore advisable to switch to a more efficient heating system, such as a modern Heat pumpto switch. It extracts the thermal energy for heating and hot water from the ground.
Good to know: With a PV system on the roof, you can ultimately also cover the electricity requirements for the heat pump. A great combination for high energy efficiency.
5. rely on a ventilation system with heat recovery
A central ventilation system with heat recovery supplies your entire house with fresh air at all times. And without losing heat. It ventilates the entire building and also has only one Extremely low energy requirement. Installing such a system is therefore an effective way of specifically increasing the energy efficiency of your home.
Good to know: If you have a central ventilation system, you basically no longer need to open the windows to ventilate, as the Indoor climate is always healthy and pleasant. And if you do feel the need, you should air the room for a few minutes once or twice a day instead of always leaving the window ajar. In this way too, the energy input is a little more worthwhile in relation to the benefit.
6. working with intelligent building technology
Even if many Smart home technologies Although some of these applications are more of a "gimmick", there are also some useful applications that can improve energy efficiency.
In this respect, smart Thermostats which only run the heating when it is really needed. For example, they react to your presence and absence by adjusting the temperature.
Tip: A very similar principle is followed by motion detectors, which only switch on the light (e.g. in the garden) when someone really needs it. By installing them, you can save electricity and, ultimately, the Light pollution by the outdoor lighting.
7. insulate the roof properly
A poorly insulated house can lose a lot of heat to the outside not only through the façade, but also through the roof. With efficient roof insulation, you can reduce this Solve the problem definitively!
Converting and insulating the loft is also an important part of new homes. not always a matter of course - sometimes "only" the upper ceiling is insulated.
Tip: You should also insulate the basement ceiling! The cold from the cellar always finds a way into the living rooms above, so that the pleasant warmth that has been generated at great expense disappears. If you want to live more energy-efficiently and avoid cold feet, you should also take action in this area.
8. install water-saving fittings
Through the use of water-saving fittings you not only reduce water consumption in your household! You also save the energy needed to heat the water. Sounds logical, doesn't it? So you have a comparable benefit with a lower energy input - and thus another measure for greater energy efficiency.
9. give preference to efficient household appliances
Personally, I always associate the colorful overview of energy efficiency classes with large household appliances, such as Refrigerators, washing machines, tumble dryersbut also with televisions. You too? Either way, when buying new appliances, you should always give preference to those that are characterized by high energy efficiency.
Even if Class A+++ or A++ appliances may be a little more expensive to buy, they save you energy and therefore costs in the long term. So keep an eye out for them when you need to make a new purchase.
Good to know: The energy efficiency classes have been reorganized a few years ago. Even a modern A or B can now be awarded to very energy-efficient appliances.
10. conscious use of resources
As mentioned at the beginning, energy efficiency describes the relationship between the energy input and the benefits achieved. But Use and benefits may also be questioned from time to time. Because in many cases in everyday life, our energy consumption is completely unnecessary.
Conscious Save electricitymay not have a direct impact on efficiency, but it is still crucial for reducing your absolute energy requirements in times of the energy transition. And fortunately, it's also pretty easy to implement!
Here are 6 quick tips for you to use energy more sparingly and appreciatively and save your wallet at the same time:
- Use energy-saving lamps and LED lights for lighting - preferably with a motion detector.
- Have your heating and cooling systems serviced regularlyto maximize their efficiency.
- Cook with the lid on the pot, when you boil water, for example.
- Wash clothes and dishes with cold waterto reduce energy consumption for hot water. (Additional tip: Cold shower)
- Defrost your fridge and freezer regularly.
- Let in natural daylight and switch off your lights.
Improving energy efficiency - a win-win situation for everyone!
Increasing the energy efficiency of your home is a Important stepto reduce costs and preserve natural Conserving resources in everyday life. In the end, everyone benefits: you, the environment and our society.
With the tips above, you can now start to improve your Making your home more energy-efficient step by step. But you don't have to implement them all at once. After all, some measures really do cost a lot of money. Instead, be aware that every little improvement counts.
"What we do today will determine what the world looks like tomorrow."
Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach (more at Environmental protection quotes)
Do you have any questions, suggestions or other tips for greater energy efficiency in your own home? Then I look forward to your comment!
Stay efficient,
PS: Greater energy efficiency in your home also reduces your ecological footprint. I'll show you what else you can do next in the linked blog post.
