Cara Membuat Rumah Anda Menjadi Hemat Energi

							Cara Membuat Rumah Anda Menjadi Hemat Energi
By Lilia Scott, eHow User
Pada saat anda ingin membangun rumah impian anda, tentu saja anda ingin membuatnya sesempurna
mungkin. Membuat rumah anda semaksimal mungkin dapat menghemat energi adalah salah satunya.
Dengan demikian anda dapat menekan biaya dan sekaligus menyelamatkan planet ini. Memang itu
bukan hal yang mudah, tetapi jika anda memulainya dengan langkah-langkah di bawah ini, anda sudah
berada di jalur yang benar.
You're finally going to do it! You're going to build your Dream House. Making it as energy efficient as
possible will save you loads of money down the road... and possibly save the planet at the same time.
It's complicated, but if you start with the steps outlined below, you'll be well on your way.
Instructions
1. Examine the aboriginal architecture in your area. This should instruct you on what's most energy
     and environmentally efficient there. For example, people dug holes in the ground or in cliffs or made
     massive stone buildings in the desert in order to reduce the heating effect of the sun. The local
     "architectural vernacular" can instruct you on what works best in your climate.
2. Consider the sun when orienting your building. Depending on your climate, orient your house with
     consideration of whether you wish to avoid the sun's rays or collect them. For example, south-facing
     glass (in northern climates) will collect the sun's heat even in winter.
3. Build as small a house as your household can comfortably inhabit. Obviously, the smaller the house,
     the less space there is inside it to heat, cool, light and maintain.
4. Limit your "exposed" walls. Buildings like townhouses, duplexes, apartments or just attached
     single family homes eliminate walls facing the outside. Less outside exposure provides more
     protection from losing air and temperature from inside the house.
5. Provide ample and consistent insulation. A well-insulated wall will do no good next to an open
     window. Use foam board insulating sheathing (instead of, or on top of, the structural OSB/plywood)
     as it works for both insulation and moisture/condensation control. There are lots of innovative
     building systems for insulation (e.g. SIPS structural foam panels, insulated concrete forms (ICFs),
     externally insulated buildings, straw bale construction). All are good ideas to consider.
6. Create intentional ventilation. Keep the house airtight and provide circulation through a controlled
     system.
7. Select good windows. Fewer and smaller windows can provide less opportunity to counteract the
     positive impacts of your excellent insulation. Good windows are low emissivity coated, double or
     triple glazed, or with argon fill gas.
8. Choose energy-efficient mechanical equipment (water heater, air conditioner when necessary,
     furnace). These are generally labeled as such at the store. Specifically, shoot for a tankless
     instantaneous hot water heater (EF=~0.85), a 90 percent condensing furnace, and a 12 to 13 SEER
     air conditioner. In hot climates, get a 14 or higher SEER air conditioner instead.
9. Select an efficient refrigerator. After heating, cooling and water heating, address the electric loads
     inside the house. The refrigerator is probably most important since it's always on.
10. Light consciously. Carefully placed windows (and furniture) can reduce your need for electric lighting
     during the day. For example, make sure the living room and kitchen have windows that aren't
     obstructed inside or out.

Tips & Warnings
      Before adding technologies such as home solar energy panels, home windmills, fuel cells or gas
       turbine cogeneration, make sure you've maximized the unit's energy efficiency (as described
      above). These technologies are very expensive, so the less energy you use, the less money you'll
      need to spend on these technologies to generate your own power.
     Structural (enclosure) improvements will generally have a greater benefit than good appliances.
Dikutip dari http://www.ehow.com/how_2016290_energy-efficient-house.html