Now, What to Put in the Home?

After you have a quality building envelope you can switch your focus to energy efficient systems inside your home, which will now give you your biggest bang for your buck so to speak. Two options instead of forced air regarding how your home is heated is a geothermal heat pump system or radiant heat, also known as hydronic heat.


Geothermal heat pumps use the earth's natural energy to heat or cool a home. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), these systems are the most energy efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective space conditioning systems available. Geothermal heat pumps work through a system of underground pipes called a loop. Pumps transfer heat from the warmer earth to the home in the winter and take the heat from home in the summer and discharge it into the cooler ground. Therefore, these systems don't create heat; they move it from one area to another. Once the heat transfers from the pipes it passes through a heat exchanger where the warmth is concentrated and then distributed through the home via a duct system, or even a radiant floor heating system. There are various methods to consider when wanting to install a geothermal heat pump and once again it is going to depend on what option best suits your needs. I would consult with an experienced builder.


Another way to consider heating your home is through radiant floor heating. Most homes use a forced air system with a furnace and metal ducts. Forced air systems can be noisy, spread dust, pollen and germs, and are inefficient in the fact that the heat quickly rises to the ceiling. Radiant floor heating uses plastic tubes which are built into the floor. The tubes fill with hot water to heat the floor, anything sitting on it which warms the house in a quiet, clean, comfortable manner. Energy costs can also be reduced because the thermostat can be set up to 4 degrees lower than a standard forced air system. Radiant floor systems actually become more cost effective the larger the home, and are most efficient in cold climates where heating the home is the larger expense over cooling.

As you start to consider different eco-friendly options for your home keep in mind most of these systems will cost you more upfront, but will pay for themselves multiple times over in the long run. You want to invest in systems that will pay for themselves in a maximum of five to ten years.