Modern Efficient Homes
Tuesday, October 21st, 2008What would be in store for homes in the future? Modern home design is saying that less is more. We begin to see more solid colors over elaborate patterns. Modern home design also says that we should try to get more for less. This is the principle of efficiency. It goes hand in hand with conservation. We need to be consuming less and less resources while trying to gain the most value out of the products we use. Even floor space or wall space is considered a resource which is why we now see modern storage designs that make use of multifunctional furniture.
Some of us have the luxury of space. We may be living outside the city in a large house. But that does not excuse us from being responsible consumers. A typical home mainly consumes electricity and gas for its numerous functions. There are many ways a home can be designed so that it consumes less of these utilities. But to be able to provide the same functionality, a home still needs to consume energy. All we have to do is get the needed energy from somewhere else. We need free or renewable sources of energy.
A home needs to have light, especially during the night. But if your home still needs electric powered lighting during a bright sunny day, then it is not using the freely available sunlight efficiently. Windows, doors, walls and roofs all need to work together to let sunlight into as much area as possible.
A home has to provide shelter from heat or cold depending on the season. Poor insulation design will not be able to keep the heat out during hot summer months and will not be able to keep the heat in during cold winter. During summer, poor ventilation will prevent the cooling wind to come into the home and push out unwanted hot air. Either of these will put a strain in the heating or cooling system and will result in more power consumption.
Instead of using the sun just for lighting, or the wind just for cooling, these sources of energy can be harnessed directly using solar power cells or wind turbines. These technologies convert solar and wind energy into electricity which can be used for whatever purpose and can be stored in electric batteries to provide power all the time.
Lastly, a modern home also provides hot water. Instead of using electric or gas powered water heaters, there are solar water heaters available for this.

