Three Things Trending in Energy Efficiency

soltech system, energy efficient homes, home energy efficiency orange county

Saving money on your home’s energy bills is a hot topic. From solar panels to smart thermostats, there are a lot of options for saving money. We scoured the web and found a few interesting ideas that you can take and apply to your home. Some of these ideas take old principles, but apply them in new ways, while others are new technologies that could change the way homes are built.

soltech system, energy efficient homes, home energy efficiency orange countyThese three articles demonstrate some of the top trends in energy efficient homes.

GreenPods: Small, Low-Impact, Energy Efficient Homes

GreenPods are relatively small homes, built to be energy efficient and have a limited impact on the environment. Based out of Port Townsend, Washington, GreenPod Development offer homes between 300 and 800 square feet. Additionally, owners can choose what types of materials are used. For example, the roof can be made out of 100% recycled metal, or can be a living green roof.

Read more about Energy Efficient GreenPods.

Solar Heating Just Got Stylish: Innovative Glass Roof Tiles for Energy-Efficient Homes

SolTech System recently released a way to harness solar energy, without having large panels installed on the roof of your home. The technology consists of glass tiles installed as the roof of your home. Under the glass is the absorbing material that then transmits the energy to your home. It can be integrated with your water or power system. In addition to being much more attractive, one of the major advantages of this is that this also allows energy to be captured on days when it is cloudy.

Read more about Stylish Solar Heating.

Energy Efficient Dome Home in China is Made from Reclaimed Wood

This home was built in China as a dome to be energy efficient. The dome shape and the way it was constructed allows it to be heated and cooled with very little energy. It requires the equivalent of boiling a pot of water to heat or cool the home. Part of this efficiency is due to the materials and finishes they used, such as triple-glazed windows imported from Europe.

Read more about this Energy-Efficient Dome Home.