Amid rising energy costs and the increasingly apparent destruction of climate change, now has never been a better time to invest in green energy-efficient home design.

Adopting energy-efficient home design features can save you serious money. This is especially true in Canada, where the government offers a number of tax breaks and incentives to make your home greener.

If you’re wanting to go green but don’t know where to start, read this round-up of the best energy-efficient home designs that you can start implementing today. 

1. Energy Efficient Lighting and Appliances

If you’re aiming for the most energy-efficient home design, efficient lighting and appliances are an absolute necessity.

This is something that can be achieved with ease. For starters, you should consider switching out your regular incandescent lightbulbs for LED lighting.LED lights consume significantly less energy and have been falling in price for years now.

They will save you energy and money throughout their lifespan. In addition, you could go one step further and opt for sensor lighting that only turns on when you are in the room, reducing the need for wastage.

You can also opt for energy-efficient appliances. There are dishwaters than only use a fraction of the water that most regular ones do. There are fridges with built-in cameras so that you don’t waste energy opening the fridge before looking at its contents.

Always consult the Energy Star rating of an appliance to see if it can save you money on energy costs. 

2. Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Building Materials

When consulting energy-efficient home design plans, you will likely notice the abundant use of sustainable, eco-friendly building materials throughout any expert custom home design.

Concrete is one of the most environmentally destructive materials on Earth, and should, therefore, be avoided. You can instead opt for sustainable materials such as bamboo, natural stone, cork, and recycled steel.

Many of these items are cheaper, with the added benefit of often being locally sourced. This will reduce your carbon footprint further, ensuring that your home is not the result of tons and tons of CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere.

3. Solar Panels 

Finally, no energy-efficient home design ideas are complete without the inclusion of solar panels. Solar panels are, by far and away, the most popular sustainable energy source for modern homes.

Thanks to the limitless energy resources of the sun, solar panels can ensure that your energy needs are always met. If your household has regular levels of energy consumption, you can even break away from the national grid entirely and established a self-sufficient energy ecosystem.

Solar panels have the added benefit of being particularly on-trend at the moment. This means that they will make a welcome aesthetic addition to your home.

With the development of solar roof shingles in recent years, solar energy can be incorporated into your home design more seamlessly than ever before. 

Learn How You Can Benefit from Energy-Efficient Home Designs 

Energy-efficient home designs can benefit both your bank account and the planet.

If you want to learn more about how sustainable home builds can benefit you and your family, do not hesitate to get in touch with our qualified team of expert home builders today.