You may have thought that energy conservation provides little benefit on an individual level. This belief has been so prevalent that even home builders have resisted the trend of going green. Still, some builders have embraced green building, bringing savings to homeowners and the environment by building sustainable homes.

With so many homeowners building green technology into their home remodeling projects, smart builders know that it makes sense to plan those technologies into new home construction, offering new homeowners savings from the start.

The cost of heating and cooling, as well as other energy resources, is on the rise. New home construction is all about leveraging regional differences to promote green living. For instance, where new homes are built is one way to implement green technology. Site orientation – the direction a home faces, its proximity to natural resources – makes a difference in how that home uses available energy resources.

But, new home improvements don’t end there. From planning through construction, new homes are energy efficient and sustainably built.

Building Materials

More and more homebuilders are looking at lumber resources as the finite components that they are. Rampant deforestation has placed a premium on lumber for home building. However, sustainable forests (those that are managed in a way that promotes new growth as resources are harvested) offer homebuilders ways to ensure that lumber will continue to be cheap and available to everyone.

Insulation

Regardless of where you live, insulation is an issue. From the hottest climates to the coldest environments, the goal of insulation is to keep heating and cooling efforts indoors where they belong. Using non-toxic, specially designed insulation not only does the job, it does the job in a way that promotes a cleaner environment.

Solar Panels

Many newer homes come complete with some level of solar panel installation. From one or two panels to a whole-house installation, new home builders are thinking ahead to offer homeowners ways to reduce their energy costs out of the gate. The benefits of solar panels include lower heating and cooling costs, lower water heating costs, and lower electricity bills.

All that’s Old is New Again

New home construction is also embracing reclaimed building materials, with the most popular resource being reclaimed lumber. From wood beams to gorgeous wood flooring, reclaimed materials reduce building costs, lessen the burden on landfills, and promote recycling efforts.

Save Now and Save Later

Even with all of the new construction options available, not every new homeowner can afford to take advantage of them. Some environmentally friendly technology offers immediate savings, and others won’t show a profit until later down the road. Builders and homebuyers have to weigh the benefits of sustainable technology with the immediate cost of such technology.

Still, lower utility bills are great, and easing the burden of modern living on the environment are enticing more and more builders and buyers. Rising energy costs are pricing more and more sustainable technologies into reach. And, governments are rewarding builders and buyers alike with financial incentives that make incorporating sustainable technology into new home construction a sustainable reality.

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Laura Ginn knows that there is a lot of money to be made in the field of sustainable energy, but until developments start affecting our domestic fuel prices the best way forward is to continue to compare energy prices using uSwitch.com the number one price comparison site in the UK.