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How to build an energy-efficient house?

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An energy-efficient house allows you to reduce energy consumption, and thus reduce the cost of maintaining the building. Although the construction of an energy-efficient building itself is often a more expensive solution than building a traditional house, it brings many benefits. Are you wondering how to build an energy-efficient house and whether it is possible to make it from wood? Find out what you should know about it.

What does it mean that a house is energy-efficient?

A house described as energy-efficient has a much lower energy demand compared to houses built according to traditional technologies. It is assumed that such facilities usually need no more than 60-70 kWh/(m²/year), which is a very good result. For comparison, traditional brick houses usually need 120 kWh/(m²/year).

How to build an energy-efficient house? First of all, it is necessary to use materials that can reduce energy losses to a minimum. This mainly applies to issues related to heating, which generates the highest energy demand. In addition, the basis is also:

How to build an energy-efficient house? Basic terms and conditions

Are you wondering how to build an energy-efficient house to be sure that the structure will meet all legal requirements? It is necessary to follow a few simple rules, which are crucial in the case of this type of facility. First of all, it should be a compact body with the smallest possible ratio of external partitions to cubic capacity. The roof sheathing itself is also important, which in this case should be single- or double-pitched. An energy-efficient house is also one that focuses on maximizing the benefits of solar energy. Hence the glazing on the south side. They affect very good interior lighting, as well as heating the rooms. It is worth limiting the number of windows on the north side. On the other hand, high-quality window and door joinery will allow you to achieve maximum tightness.

To insulate the building, insulation with a thickness of at least 20 cm should be used in the case of walls. The insulation of the roof is usually about 30-40 cm. Balconies are not a common addition to energy-efficient houses. These are places where thermal bridges are formed, where the concrete slab is connected to the ceiling, and this is where heat losses most often occur.

How to build an energy-efficient house

How to build an energy-efficient house? Material Selection

However, materials are one of the most important issues to pay attention to. How to build an energy-efficient house and what raw materials will work best in this case? It is important to use the highest quality materials with high thermal mass – stone, concrete or brick. This minimizes the energy consumption of the facility. The thermal mass is responsible for storing thermal energy by the raw material. This, in turn, determines the stabilization of the temperature inside the building.

How to build an energy-efficient house from wood?

Wooden houses have their charm, but if you want to make them in energy-saving technology, it is necessary to use additional protection. Its task will be to protect the facility against adverse weather conditions. The biggest problem of wooden houses are the gaps between the beams. With strong gusts of wind, the interior of the house is quickly cooled down. If you want to enjoy an energy-efficient wooden building, it is necessary to make special insulation layers. An insulating stud wall is also the basis. Rock wool is very often used to create it, which is non-flammable and guarantees high energy efficiency. In combination with polypropylene film, it creates an effective protective barrier for an energy-efficient wooden house.