Energy Saving Housing Trends

Charlotte Tankless Water Heater Installed Outside

Do you ever wonder what homes will look like in 2015? If you’re in the building industry, you know that home trends are changing significantly to reflect two factors: the housing market and an increasing societal awareness of the need to save energy. People are trying to save money, which means they are also looking to save energy, something that is good for our world and our pocketbooks.

How Will The Need to Save Energy Drive Building Decisions?

Smaller Homes - Because Americans are looking to both save their budgets and live in harmony with the environment, home sizes are anticipated to shrink. Stephen Meiman (who is the Director of Economic Services for the National Association of Home Builders), says that builders believe home sizes will shrink on average to 2,150 square feet. Right now the average home size is 2,400 square feet, which is smaller yet than the 2007 average of 2,521 square feet.

Why are Americans trending towards smaller homes? To save money on the price of the home, certainly, but also to save money on heating and cooling their homes. The result? Builders are designing compact homes with much higher energy efficiency features.

What will these new homes look like? You can expect to see smaller rooms overall and floor plans that are missing formal dining rooms, living rooms and extra bedrooms. You’ll see more kitchen/dining/living room combinations instead.

More Energy-Efficient Appliances - One of the bigger money-saving (and energy-saving) moves builders are making is to install more energy efficient appliances in new construction homes. Likewise, homeowners who are staying in their existing homes are trading in their energy-gobbling old appliances for the sleek new energy-efficient models.

Your Existing Home and Energy Saving Options

If you’re looking to save on energy costs, you may want to consider the following options:
• An energy-efficient water heater
• Geothermal heating and cooling system
• Solar panels
• High quality insulation
• Drapes and window coverings

How Will Energy Saving Appliances Save You Money?

If you install a natural gas tankless water heater, you can look forward to the following savings:
• A $150 rebate from Piedmont Gas
• A tax credit from the government of up to 10% of the cost of the new water heater
• Energy cost savings of up to 50% per year

If you install an energy-efficient natural gas storage tank water heater, you can look forward to the following savings:
• A $50 rebate from Piedmont Gas
• A tax credit from the government of up to 10% of the cost of the new water heater
• Energy cost savings of up to 20% per year

More Information on Money Saving Rebates and Tax Credits
If you’re interested in pursuing the $150 rebate from Piedmont Gas, you’ll need to fill out the rebate form on their site. To qualify, your new tankless water heater must be:
• Installed by a contractor
• Have an energy-efficiency rating of .82 or higher

If you’re interested in pursuing the $50 rebate from Piedmont Gas, you’ll need to fill out the rebate form on their site. To qualify, your new natural gas energy-efficient storage tank water heater must be:
• Installed by a contractor
• Have an energy-efficiency rating of .62 or higher

If you’re interested in pursuing the tax credits, you must:
• Have the new energy-efficient water heater installed by the end of December 2011 (and apply for the rebate by December 31, 2011)
• The energy-efficient water heater must meet energy star appliance standards
• The water heater must be installed in your primary residence

As housing trends move towards smaller, more energy-efficient homes, we're all going to see significant savings. Fortunately, technology is keeping up with our needs for more efficient appliances. Here at ER Plumbing, we're committed to staying on top of the latest technology and offering you the best deals on the highest quality equipment.

If you're interested in replacing your water heater, check out our water heater and tankless water heater service pages for more details on how we can serve you.

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2 comments on “Energy Saving Housing Trends

  1. plumber sydney on

    I am now not sure where you're getting your information, but great topic. I must spend some time studying much more or figuring out more. Thank you for wonderful info I used to be in search of this information for my mission.

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