Skip to main content

What is an energy efficient home?

An energy efficient home is a property built - or upgraded - with the intention of not only cutting one’s energy costs but reducing one’s carbon footprint too.

Thanks to the more stringent building regulations homes built today are subject to, you can expect to save significantly more on your energy bills when you purchase a newly developed property.  

Everything from the type of light bulbs used to the boiler system implemented are, today, designed to do more with less.

What does a more energy efficient home design look like?

The modern, more energy efficient home builders are more particular with how they layout your home. They consider how to reduce heat loss while maintaining air flow, how to future proof your home without overlooking current technology, and how to structure your home to make the most of every radiator and outlet. 

At Bloor Homes, we are especially meticulous with how we design your home – we focus on building you a home that’s not only good for your wallet but good for the environment too.  

What is an EPC Rating?

EPC stands for ‘energy performance certificate’. It’s a stamp given to a home after it’s been evaluated for energy efficiency, and it’s intended as a tool for the future homeowner to be able to estimate their bills. EPC ratings range from G, the least efficient, to A, the most efficient. 

The average EPC rating in the UK is band D - right in the middle of the chart. For a new build, the average EPC rating is around the B mark. 

Indeed, according to the Office for National Statistics, the age of a property directly affects the likelihood of having a good EPC rating, with homes built since 2012 being nearly 200x more likely to fall into a high band than older houses. 

Not only does that save you money on your energy bills, but it’ll also make it easier to sell your home if you decide to sell, with your house’s lower running costs making it a more attractive proposition for potential buyers. 

What are the benefits of energy saving homes?

Whether you’re looking to save money on ever-increasing energy bills or are trying to live a more sustainable lifestyle, there are several benefits of owning a home with a high EPC rating. These include: 

Lower Energy Bills

Energy efficient homes use less energy from the grid. That means that your bills for heating and electricity will be less costly than they would be in a home with a low EPC rating.

Maintaining Ideal Temperatures

With a lower rate of heat loss, you’ll also benefit from maintaining temperatures over a longer period of time, preventing uncomfortable fluctuations. This means that your home will be more likely to retain its warmth during the winter and remain cool during the summer.

Healthier Air

Damp, mould, and other issues that stem from stagnant air are less likely to affect you in an energy efficient home, as the quality of the air flow tends to be a bigger priority for energy efficient home builders. 

Eco-Friendly Living

Having an eco-friendly home can really make a big different when it comes to reducing your individual carbon footprint. Having things like solar panels and heat recycling systems prevent you from needing to generate additional energy from other sources. The more energy you can reuse and repurpose, the better it is for you and the planet.  

Why are energy efficient home builders needed now, more than ever before?

According to the International Energy Agency, over 60% of global electricity generation is produced by fossil fuels. In tandem, the United Nations claims that fossil fuels produce 90% of our carbon dioxide emissions worldwide.

While steps are being taken to cut our use of fossil fuels in half, the best way to reduce our environmental impact in the meantime is to use less energy - which is exactly what modern energy efficient homes are designed to do. 

Self-Sustaining

Many of the more energy efficient new builds are designed with photovoltaic solar panels fitted to the roof, or ‘PVs’ for short, in-line with Part L of the UK’s building regulations – a set of regulations set by the UK government to curb the carbon emissions emitted by new builds and recently renovated buildings.  

These panels convert sunlight into renewable energy, powering your home with UV rays. If your solar panels produce more energy than you use, you can even sell the excess to a supplier and power other homes with it too!

Energy Recycling

A Waste Water Heat Recovery System (WWHRS) captures heat energy that would normally go down the drain during showers. By using the residual heat from the waste water, the system preheats the incoming mains cold water feed. This heat exchange reduces the energy demand from the water heater meaning that every shower taken using a WWHRS uses less hot water, has lower CO² emissions and reduces energy costs.

Longevity

A brand-new home will be equipped with materials and appliances at the very beginning of their shelf life. You won’t have to replace them for many years yet, which means that they won’t be entering the waste cycle any time soon. 

We have several energy efficient homes for sale in the UK, each of which could save you money.

According to the latest 'Watt a Save' report published by the House Builder Federation, a new Bloor home could save you up to £979 a year on your energy bills. That’s over £80 a month! Find out more about the benefits a new Bloor home could have for both you and the environment here.