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What if we told you remodeling your home could provide energy savings, water savings, improved indoor air quality and better durability? Is that something you’d be interested in? Here’s a closer look of each of those benefits and the materials and practices typically used to achieve them.

Energy Savings

Energy efficiency is the cornerstone of every well-built home. Besides saving money through lower utility bills, an energy-efficient home may save costs during remodeling by using fewer materials. In addition, an energy-efficient home is a more comfortable home. Energy-efficient remodeling practices include:

• Construction of a tight building shell. Sealing to reduce air leakage, designing and locating ductwork to minimize energy loss and choosing low-e windows will all help to decrease a home’s heating and cooling requirements.

• Installation of a properly sized HVAC system. A downsized HVAC system can be used when the home is sealed well. Smaller HVAC systems can actually provide greater comfort and lower the homeowner’s energy costs. Smaller equipment also can be less costly upfront, which may save the homeowner money during construction.

• Advanced (optimum-value engineering) framing techniques. Framing the home with 2-by-6 studs spaced at 24 inches allows the use of more insulation than conventional 2-by-4 studs spaced at 16 inches allow. This saves heating and cooling energy, improves comfort and may allow the downsizing of heating and cooling equipment. What’s more, the 2-by-6 framing technique reduces wood use and labor costs, which may save the homeowner money during construction.

Water Savings

Smart remodeling strategies that reduce the amount of water it takes to run a home can be especially important in dry states such as California, Arizona and Nevada, which have water-use restrictions. Water-saving practices for both indoors and outdoors include:

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