Sustainable, Efficient Lighting for Your Custom Home

There are many reasons to make your home more environmentally friendly. For one, it’s the right thing to do: with climate change looming, being ecologically conscious benefits us all. But it’s also a practical one: efficient homes, such as those meeting Duke Energy’s HERO guidelines, can use up to 20% less energy and be eligible for various discount programs and tax credits.

One of the most important considerations in sustainable home design is lighting. When building a custom home with Absolute Construction, you have a lot of options! Today we will explore the basics to give you an idea of what to consider.

Bulbs

The simplest way to reduce your lighting’s power consumption is to use lower-power bulbs. LEDs (light-emitting diodes) are the answer. Rather than a clunky filament floating in a glass bulb, LEDs are tiny electrical components you normally see on electronics as power or warning symbols. The tech has advanced to the point where they can function as actual lights.

In addition to lower power consumption, LEDs have other advantages. Their small size and flexibility means they’re great for recessed or hidden lighting. They also have the ability to change colors, great for mood lighting in something like a theater room.

Automation

Smart homes are all the rage these days. The systems can be used to control virtually everything in your house, from locks to the HVAC to home theater systems. They can control your lights, too! Some options include:

• Home/Away Options: the home can automatically turn on certain lights when you’re within a certain distance.
• Occupied Rooms: sensors can detect if a room is unoccupied for a certain amount of time and dim or turn off lights.
• Cycling: lights can be scheduled to turn on or off at specific times of day.

Natural Lighting

Natural lighting is not only attractive, but a great way to save energy! Many of our designs use large windows in great rooms or common areas to reduce the lighting required. While these elements sometimes necessitate greater heating and cooling, thicker 2×6 framing and double-paned windows can go a long way towards minimizing this.

Are you shopping for a luxurious custom home? With decades of experience and our use of cutting-edge technology, Absolute Construction gives you both the elegant details you want and the sustainable construction you need for the future.

You can view our previous construction here, or contact us today to get started on a home of your very own!