Module 3: Energy Conservation
- Overview
- Program Planning
- Identifying Options
- Program Implementation
- Resources
Identifying Options
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Building Envelope
Another way to reduce the load on your HVAC system is to reduce the impacts of hot outside temperatures in summer and cold outside temperatures in winter.
Windows
- Use window blinds, shades and curtains to help control heat load. Light colors will reflect light and heat and dark colors will absorb. In the summer, block the sun during the day with light colored window coverings and then open/raise the coverings at night to allow heat to escape. In the winter, open the coverings during the day to let light and heat in and close them at night to retain heat.
- Install window films to the interior of your existing window panes. This will prevent 60-80% of the solar radiation from entering through the windows, helping reduce the heat load. These films also reduce the amount of heat loss through the windows in winter by 20-45%.
- A higher cost option is to replace your windows with double or triple-pane low-E (low emissivity) windows. This will be hard to justify financially in Georgia’s climate, but if you are doing a renovation, that is the time to specify such windows. The incremental cost is justified.
Roof & Walls
- Consider having your roof and exterior walls coated with light colored material (reflective roof coatings, paint, etc.) to reflect the summer heat.
- Make sure you have adequate roof and wall insulation. This is considerably easier if in a house with an attic.
Leaks
- Check your space for air leaks. These leaks are costing you money because you are paying to cool air that is escaping to the outside and then again to cool the new hotter, humid air that has leaked in. (You will also be wasting money in the winter as air you paid to heat escapes and cold air infiltrates.) You can use caulk and weather stripping to help stop the leaks. The spaces around windows and doors are the most susceptible. Also, make sure all doors and windows close properly and completely.