Find out how to improve the energy efficiency of your home
The word energy efficiency is the order of the day and, in fact, in the midst of the environmental and energy crisis, having a property with good energy efficiency makes all the difference.
In Portugal, houses tend to be not very energy efficient. In fact, according to a study conducted by the Sustainable Construction Portal (PCS), 88% of the Portuguese consider their house thermally uncomfortable.
This, besides compromising the thermal comfort of the property's inhabitants, forces a greater use of energy and, therefore, a greater emission of greenhouse gases.
Besides this, this is an aspect that weighs heavily on the wallets of Portuguese families, who are forced to spend more money each month on heating or cooling.
The European Commission has also been putting pressure on the European Union member states, defining new minimum standards for energy performance, with the goal of making most properties more efficient by 2030. Portugal is no exception to this guideline.
For all this, it is increasingly urgent to improve the energy efficiency of Portuguese real estate. In this article, we will explore in detail what energy efficiency consists of and what are the small actions you can implement in the short term to have a more environmentally friendly home (and your family budget).
First of all, what do we mean by energy efficiency?
Energy efficiency is, simply put, the reduced and optimized use of energy through a set of practices, mechanisms or technologies developed for this purpose. A more efficient house also requires the use of renewable energy, both for heating water and for air conditioning the entire space. The main goal, besides reducing energy consumption, is to reduce greenhouse gases and minimize the carbon footprint.
There are different types of efficient houses
An efficient home can be categorized according to the solutions used in its construction. There are 3 main types of efficient homes:
Energy-generating houses
These are types of houses that are very energy efficient because they produce more electricity than they consume. Usually this is done through solar panels that convert sunlight into electricity. In case there is a surplus of energy produced, it is even possible to sell it.
Passive
Passive houses are a type of house with good energy efficiency, thanks to the use of space itself and the use of certain insulation materials. These houses are designed and built depending on solar orientation, natural air circulation, or the location where they are located.
Self-sufficient
Finally, there are the self-sufficient houses, which are properties capable of generating and storing their own energy. These types of houses are at the maximum level of energy efficiency, but need very advanced technology and a set of rechargeable batteries to store unused energy.
The main features of energy-efficient homes
Energy efficient homes also have a number of common features. They generally have a bioclimatic design or architecture - that is, they are perfectly adapted to the climate of the place where they are built (tolerating, for example, heavy snow, rain or strong winds, extreme sun and heat, etc.).
Also their space is used intelligently and all crucial elements are strategically positioned. We are talking about, for example, windows. The materials of these types of houses are largely sustainable, and they often have home automation systems installed that make intelligent and automatic regulation of energy consumption.
In addition, energy-efficient houses use aerothermal systems to keep the temperature of the house constant (instead of conventional boilers) and seek to have as much energy autonomy as possible, using solar panels or small wind generators.
Practical tips to make your house more efficient
Naturally, when building a new house from scratch, the scope for studying and building a more efficient house is greater. However, it is important to remember that even people living in used properties have the possibility to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Here are some easy-to-implement tips:
Do an energy audit
The first thing you should do is to understand exactly what the points of improvement are, in order to draw up a plan of action. Ask for an energy efficiency certificate for your property, to understand what class of energy efficiency it belongs to. ADENE has a list of Qualified Experts on its website.
Install double-glazed windows
Double-glazed windows have the great advantage of capturing and retaining the sun's heat, warming the interior of your home naturally. During peak sunlight hours, remove any obstacles to light (such as curtains or shelves) so that as much sunlight as possible can enter.
Improve your home's insulation
Have your property inspected and ensure that it is well insulated. If necessary, hire a qualified professional or have it technically inspected so that you can identify potential cracks and air leakage or entry points.
Take advantage of your surroundings
Study your surroundings well and identify their strengths. Using sunlight in winter or shade in summer, for example, can reduce the energy consumption allocated to air conditioning.
Install energy-saving lighting
Something as simple as replacing all the traditional light bulbs with LED bulbs in your property can mean surprising savings at the end of the month.
Give preference to responsible appliances
Have you ever thought about how much energy is allocated to your household appliances? They represent a significant slice of your home's energy consumption. So whenever possible, opt for low-consumption appliances. The most efficient ones are identified with the letter A (in European Union countries) and can consume up to 55% less energy compared to the average of the others.
Don't forget the basics
Don't undervalue small actions and remember to put the basics into practice: turn off the lights when no one is in the room, save the water when taking a shower, when washing clothes and dishes, and when brushing your teeth. Every gesture, no matter how small, will make a difference.
The main benefits of a more efficient home
Having an energy-efficient home has numerous advantages. In addition to saving more energy, a more efficient home will also provide greater thermal comfort for its inhabitants throughout the year, maintaining a constant and pleasant temperature. This is particularly important in summer and winter, seasons during which it is necessary to spend more energy on air conditioning.
This will translate into a significant reduction in the hybrid and carbon footprints.
Energy-efficient homes also protect their inhabitants from the noise pollution of large urban centers.
How can energy efficiency add value to your property?
A more efficient house will have a higher energy efficiency class. Since the energy certificate is a mandatory element for selling a house, it is guaranteed that this will be an aspect that buyers will take into consideration.
Everyone who wants to buy a house is more likely to consider a property with good energy efficiency, which allows them to reduce monthly costs. Even if the purchase price is slightly higher, it will pay off in the long run.
Therefore, don't forget that improving the energy efficiency of your property is very important to get a better selling price.
