If you’re an environmentally conscious person, a custom high-performance home is a great way to shrink your carbon footprint and save money on your monthly bills at the same time. Even adding just a few of these five eco-friendly features can help reduce your energy consumption and lessen your environmental impact.
1. Solar Panels
Talk to your home builder about installing solar panels on your roof. Solar panels provide a sustainable and renewable energy source for your entire home. Solar panels also give you a greater degree of energy independence and allow you to power your house without worrying about the environmental impact.
2. Integrated Smart Home Technology
You can further boost your home’s energy efficiency by integrating smart home technology, including:
- Smart thermostats
- Smart water leak detectors
- Smart outlet plugs
- Smart light bulbs
- Smart appliances
- Smart sprinkler system
Each of these devices connects to your smartphone to help monitor and control your home’s energy consumption. For example, smart thermostats allow you to set your home’s temperature from anywhere so you’re not wasting energy on heating and cooling an empty house.
3. Rainwater Recycling System
Adding a rainwater recycling system to your custom home is a great way to conserve water, lower your bills, and decrease the strain on local freshwater resources.
A rainwater recycling system collects water that runs off your roof and gutters, filters it, and stores it for later use. Although this water is not potable, it is good for:
- Watering house plants
- Yard irrigation
- Washing your car
Although droughts are not too much of a problem in central Florida, a rainwater recycling system can lessen the impact on your home when they do occur.
Getting Started with Custom Home Builders in Florida
If you prioritize sustainability, it’s essential to make that clear upfront when talking to Lake County home builders. That way, you and your home builder can prioritize sustainability and energy efficiency at every step of the home-building process.
To simplify the selection process, it’s a good idea to look for quality home builders in the area — such as American Family Homes — that have a reputation for building high-performance custom homes.
