The Whole-House Approach

Theory and practices are changing. In the past, when building a home, insulation was one component of a number of things to consider. For the most part, one could view these components of a home as separate pieces of a whole, the heating and cooling system, windows, insulation, the ventilation system, etc. Each piece is needed in order for the home to run properly, and is considered as the building progresses to that particular stage.

Recently, there has been a shift in the way we view certain stages of home building. Constant evolution brings constant change, and while consumers are evolving towards energy conservation due to rising utility costs and concern for the environment, it is important for us to offer a solution to both challenges.

Goley Insulation has partnered with Energy Star for the Act on Energy program with the goal of helping builders offer home buyers Energy Star New Homes. These homes are built with energy savings in mind from planning to completion. Energy Star New Home Builders view the home as a system in which the windows, insulation, ventilation, and HVAC system work together to create a whole house system that uses energy more efficiently.

By considering the building envelope and focusing on air sealing and properly insulating that envelope to reduce air infiltration, builders can then focus on installing energy efficient windows, a properly sized HVAC system, a fitting ventilation system, and other Energy Star appliances or features. Working together as a system, all these things will create an energy efficient home that uses less energy, costs less to heat and cool, promotes superior indoor air quality, provides better resale value, and gives buyers the piece of mind of an EPA backed home.

For more information on the Energy Star New Home, or for a list of builders who build Energy Star New Homes, please visit: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=new_homes.hm_index