Top 10 Ways to Make Your New Home More Sustainable

When building a house, the process is all about making choices — picking the features for your new home. What started as an exciting journey may now feel overwhelming, but don’t forget to consider your home's energy efficiency. This is the perfect time to add eco-friendly features that can reduce your energy bills and increase the appeal of your home when it’s time to sell. If your builder hasn’t already offered suggestions for green options, we’ve put together 10 helpful tips to guide you. While green upgrades may involve some upfront costs, they will save you money long-term with lower energy bills and help conserve water and energy, contributing to environmental protection for future generations. We’ll outline the benefits and drawbacks of each option to help you decide.

10: Smart Thermostats

One of the easiest ways to make your home greener, conserve energy, and reduce utility costs is by installing programmable thermostats. After all, a large portion of your energy expenses goes toward heating and cooling your home [source: Archer]. Energy experts typically recommend setting your thermostat to 68°F during colder months and 78°F in warmer months. With a programmable thermostat, you can set it to these temperatures automatically, ensuring it only activates when your home reaches the desired temperature. Once set, you won’t need to worry about manual adjustments. Additionally, you can save an extra 3 to 5 percent on your energy bill for every degree you lower the thermostat in winter or raise it in summer [source: Archer].

You can further reduce your energy expenses by adjusting your thermostat according to your daily schedule. A 5-1-1 model allows you to set different programs for weekdays, Saturday, and Sunday. The 5-2 model offers separate settings for weekdays and weekends, while a seven-day model allows you to program each day of the week individually. A seven-day programmable thermostat can be found for as low as $40.

9: LED and CFL Lighting

LED and compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) offer significant energy and cost savings when compared to traditional incandescent bulbs. While they may cost a little more initially, they use less energy, produce less heat, and have a much longer lifespan, making them ideal choices for eco-friendly lighting in your new home. CFLs are about $2 more per bulb than incandescent bulbs but save over $60 in the long run, including energy savings, when compared to a 100-watt incandescent bulb [source: Sachs]. However, CFLs do have some downsides: some find their light too harsh and unflattering, and proper disposal is necessary, which some people find inconvenient.

If CFLs don’t suit your preferences, you might want to consider LED lights. In 2010, Philips introduced an LED bulb designed to replace the 60-watt incandescent bulb. This LED bulb uses 80 percent less energy and lasts 25 times longer than a standard 60-watt incandescent bulb [source: Lombardi]. Philips claims that the new LED bulb closely mimics the light of an incandescent bulb, and unlike CFLs, LEDs don’t require special disposal. While you could switch your lighting at any time in your current home, it’s best to start with eco-friendly lighting during construction, so the color temperature remains consistent throughout your home, minimizing noticeable changes in light color.

8: Water-Saving Plumbing Fixtures

There are numerous low-flow fixtures you can install in your new home to conserve water and lower your water bills, including faucets, showerheads, and toilets. Toilets are a great place to start, as they account for 26 percent of household water usage. The standard for modern toilets is 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf), and replacing older models that use as much as gpf can lead to substantial savings. But even more water can be saved with high-efficiency toilets, which use as little as 1.28 gpf. This can result in saving up to 3,000 gallons of water per toilet every year [source: Kohler].

So, what are the drawbacks of low-flow toilets? Some users feel that using less water per flush means more frequent cleaning. However, manufacturers are responding to these concerns by adding new features to water-efficient toilets. For instance, American Standard’s EverClean surface, which is silver-based, helps prevent the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew, reducing the need for frequent cleaning [source: American Standard]. Additionally, while eco-friendly toilets may be more expensive upfront, last year’s high-efficiency models can often be found at discounted prices.

7: ENERGY STAR Certified Appliances

ENERGY STAR is a widely recognized label for energy-efficient appliances. Although you're probably familiar with the symbol, you might not know that ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program created to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The program has become a trusted and easily recognizable way to help consumers choose the most energy-efficient appliances for their homes. Appliances with the ENERGY STAR label meet stringent criteria set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and offer substantial energy and water savings (usually between 10 to 50 percent) without sacrificing performance [source: Archer].

ENERGY STAR appliances are typically priced similarly to their less efficient counterparts. One of the conditions for receiving the ENERGY STAR label is pricing. If the ENERGY STAR product is priced higher than a standard product with the same features, the ENERGY STAR rating will only be granted if the consumer can recover the additional cost through savings on energy or water bills "within a reasonable period of time" [source: ENERGY STAR].

6: Energy-efficient Windows

Replacing windows in an existing home can be costly and typically results in only a modest reduction in energy bills, ranging from 7 to 15 percent [source: ENERGY STAR]. However, if you are building a new home, selecting energy-efficient windows during construction can provide enough savings to justify the additional cost, which is generally about $15 more per window compared to standard models [source: Sachs]. If you’re considering greener window options, it's important to understand the concepts of thermal transmission (U-factor) and solar heat gain ratings. These ratings indicate how much heat is lost in winter and gained in summer. The lower these ratings, the more energy-efficient the window. Don’t worry if these terms are confusing—ENERGY STAR has a straightforward rating system for windows. They even categorize windows by climate zone to help you choose the best option for your area. As a rule of thumb, look for the ENERGY STAR label to ensure you're getting an eco-friendly product, and the price should be comparable to standard windows or recoverable through energy savings in the near future.

5: Sustainable Materials

One of the great advantages of constructing a new home is the opportunity to personalize it to your preferences. If environmental sustainability is a priority for you, consider incorporating it into your design choices as well. You don’t have to sacrifice your style to create an eco-friendly space. Materials like bamboo, which is rapidly renewable, make an excellent choice for flooring. If bamboo's natural appearance isn’t to your liking, woven bamboo might be a great alternative. It can be stained in a variety of appealing colors, mimicking the look of grained wood, and is more durable than regular bamboo. Plus, woven bamboo flooring is quite reasonably priced.

When it comes to countertops, consider opting for a surface made from recycled glass, such as Vetrazzo, instead of traditional granite or other non-renewable stones. Vetrazzo’s recycled glass chips come in an array of colors, making it a striking addition to your kitchen [source: Vetrazzo]. While it may be a bit more expensive initially, the price is expected to decrease as it becomes more widely adopted, as is common with many green building materials. Major home improvement retailers now carry it as well. When compared to granite, it offers a more sustainable option for a similar price. But Vetrazzo isn’t the only eco-friendly choice out there; consult your contractor or a knowledgeable expert at your local home improvement store for more sustainable alternatives.

4: HVAC System Upgrades

Heating and cooling your home typically costs more than $1,000 annually [source: ENERGY STAR]. Therefore, upgrading your HVAC system can result in significant energy and cost savings. Choosing an ENERGY STAR-rated HVAC system over a standard model can enhance your home's energy efficiency by 9 percent [source: ENERGY STAR]. However, even the most efficient HVAC system won’t perform optimally unless it is installed correctly. This is where ENERGY STAR’s Quality Installation (QI) guidelines come in. These guidelines ensure your HVAC system can reduce energy costs by up to 30 percent compared to standard installations by addressing factors such as choosing the right unit size for your home [source: ENERGY STAR]. Additionally, consider dividing your heating and cooling system into multiple zones throughout your home. While this requires purchasing multiple units, it can make sense in larger homes as it allows for precise temperature control in each zone, rather than relying on a single thermostat.

3: Landscaping

Proper landscaping can enhance your home's energy efficiency by offering shade in the summer and insulation in the winter. The EPA recommends planting trees that lose their leaves on the western and southern sides of your house to take advantage of these benefits. During warmer months, the trees block infrared radiation, keeping your home cool. In winter, the leafless trees allow more sunlight to warm your house. Native trees are particularly beneficial as they are better suited to the local climate. Additionally, landscaping with native plants reduces maintenance and water usage, which can save you up to $700 annually on lawn care costs [source: EPA].

2: Tankless Water Heater

We've all experienced the wait for hot water on a cold morning, wasting both time and water. With a traditional water heater, you're paying for the energy used to store and reheat water constantly. A tankless water heater eliminates this issue by heating water only when needed, saving energy and potentially cutting your energy bills by 50 percent [source: Consumer Reports]. The absence of a tank also frees up valuable storage space. However, tankless water heaters can be expensive and have limited hot-water flow, which may not be sufficient for large homes with multiple showers or during colder months when the water entering the unit is colder.

1: Proper Insulation

One of the most crucial upgrades for a green home is installing proper insulation. If you delay insulation until later, the cost can increase, so it's best to include it during the initial construction phase. As we've pointed out before, nearly half of a home's energy consumption goes towards heating and cooling [source: Archer]. Adequate insulation will keep the energy used to heat or cool your home from escaping through windows or the roof. While it's impossible to fully prevent heat from entering during warmer months or escaping in colder months, well-insulated walls and attics can significantly slow this process.

With several types of insulation available, such as fiberglass, foam, and cellulose, the key to effectiveness is choosing the right installer. The best contractors will use infrared cameras after installation to ensure there are no gaps or leaks where heat can escape [source: Sachs]. To further boost insulation, consider upgrading the weather stripping and sealant around your doors and windows.