Homes can be energy-efficient in two ways. They can be energy efficient in the way they
are used and the way they are built.

Making a home energy-efficient, by the way it is built, is
the way in which the greatest amount of energy-efficiency gains can be
made. Homes can be made energy-efficient
by making different types of upgrades. The
manner in which the energy-efficiency upgrades are made can make the difference
between attaining some energy-efficiency and gaining immense energy-efficiency.

To make homes more energy-efficient, more insulation can be
installed than typical. Windows of better quality can be installed. Heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning
systems can also be more energy-efficient than one normally sees. Drafts and air leakage can be reduced greatly
from what is seen in typical construction.
Other features in a home that can be upgraded, for the sake of energy-efficiency,
include lighting, kitchen and laundry appliances, fireplaces, roof and siding
color, and attic ventilation.

Incorporating energy-efficiency into various components of
one’s home, discussed in the last paragraph, can result in a home that is a
little bit more efficient or a lot more efficient than a typical home. A furnace can be a little bit more efficient
than typical or a lot more efficient. For example, a furnace found in most
homes is 80% efficient. A high
efficiency furnace could be 90% efficient or it could be 96% efficient. The variations in energy-efficiency in all of
the parts of a home—insulation, windows, air conditioners, etc.—can have a huge
effect on energy usage.

When one decides to make energy-efficient upgrades for their
home, they have to choose the features (insulation, HVAC, etc.) that make sense
for their own situation. The selection
of energy-efficient features depends on financial resources available, the
condition of the home, how energy-efficient one wants to be, and one’s own
energy-efficiency feature preferences.