How can the energy efficiency of a home be calculated?

With the recent increase in electricity prices and greater awareness of our energy consumption, it is essential to know how to calculate the energy efficiency of our home. While fossil fuel energy sources are an increasingly scarce resource, their environmental impact continues to grow. It is therefore necessary to begin applying concepts such as this.

There are many benefits that energy efficiency can provide us, and there is a wide variety of guidelines that will help us reduce energy consumption. We will address all these aspects in this article.

What is energy efficiency?

To know how to calculate the energy efficiency of a home, we must first understand what this entails. We could summarize it as the attempt to reduce energy consumption without sacrificing the daily activities of human beings.

In other words, we are seeking efficient savings of the energy we consume daily. This not only involves everyday tasks or our personal lives. It is a concept that concerns both individuals and large companies to optimize available resources as much as possible.

For this very reason, policy measures have already been proposed and implemented to encourage sustainable practices in pursuit of achieving maximum energy efficiency.

In the EU, for example, a package of measures was created in 2020 with a set of three objectives, two of which focus on increasing the use of renewable energy and improving energy efficiency. On the other hand, Directive 2010/31/EU also requires compliance with a series of measures that ensure the reduction of energy consumption in buildings.

It therefore seems vitally important to know what the energy consumption of our home is in order to seek new alternatives for resource optimization and savings. Below we will see how you can calculate the energy efficiency of your home.

How to calculate the energy efficiency of a home

According to the ‘Methodology for Calculating Energy Efficiency Rating‘ document provided by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism, the calculation of a building’s energy efficiency must be performed under normal conditions of consumption, operation, and occupancy. Within these parameters we include the energy consumed for heating, cooling, ventilation, domestic hot water production, and lighting.

The main energy indicator will be the annual CO₂ emissions in kg per m² of usable building area together with the annual consumption of non-renewable primary energy.

On the other hand, according to the same document, the calculation systems we use must also take into account factors such as the nature of the building, its orientation, the thermal characteristics of the enclosures, the thermal installations of buildings, heating and cooling systems, ventilation, and both natural and artificial lighting.

Energy classification of a building

To facilitate knowing how to calculate the energy efficiency of a building, they are classified within a range of seven letters varying from A to G. Those homes with more efficient energy consumption will have an A rating, while those with less energy efficiency will have the letter G.

A building in energy classification A can consume up to 90% less energy than those in lower classifications. Next, those at level B are at 70% and those at level C at 35%.

With the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% in 2020, a series of measures have been proposed that in fact influence the reduction of energy consumption in buildings.

Thus, by December 31, 2020, all buildings constructed must have nearly zero consumption, as well as those built after 2018 that are publicly owned.

Why commit to energy efficiency

Making more efficient use of energy not only affects our ecological footprint and reduces our impact on the environment. It presents us with countless benefits that also address the current challenges of our society.

Savings on the electricity bill

First, the traditional resources currently used are increasingly limited, which causes their price to be increasingly high, and therefore our electricity bill to be increasingly elevated.

Applying energy efficiency measures will allow us to save on the electricity bill without this having to affect our daily activity or electricity consumption.

Better living conditions

Although it may represent a greater investment to opt for efficient climate control systems, we must remember that we will be gaining economically in the long term, but also in health and quality of life.

Having heating or cooling systems of class A will provide the home with stable temperatures during any season of the year.

Reduce dependence on the foreign market

Another reason why the price of electricity has increased is because energy sources are obtained from the foreign market. By switching to renewable energy, more efficient appliances or climate control systems, we will reduce that dependence.

Contribute to environmental care

An essential aspect of energy efficiency is, of course, being able to contribute to environmental conservation and reduce the carbon emissions we produce. Due to the increasing social awareness on this issue and the imminent climate change, this is an aspect we cannot ignore.

Guidelines to improve the energy efficiency of your home

Now that we know how to calculate the energy efficiency of a home, it is also advisable to know what measures are within our reach to reduce energy consumption. We present a series of tips that can help you.

• Improve the insulation of the home.
• Appliances with high levels of energy efficiency.
• Use more natural lighting as a substitute for artificial lighting.
• Lower the blinds on the hottest summer days.
• Perform periodic heating inspections.
• Seek efficient climate control systems.
• Opt for renewable energy sources such as solar panels or photovoltaic panels.
• Clean the refrigerator coils every year.
• Completely turn off electronic devices when not in use.
• Measure energy consumption month by month and reduce unnecessary expenses.

These are just some ideas that can be easily applied in a home and that will allow you to save on your electricity bill both in the short and long term. At Inditer, we maintain a strong commitment to environmental care and it is present in each of the procedures developed in our company.

We seek to generate environmental awareness both at the individual and industrial levels, which is why we offer our clients efficient solutions that contribute to the preservation of our planet.