Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of environmentally friendly practices, and perhaps even more than that, they’re always looking to save a few dollars wherever they can. When it comes to home construction and building management, new technologies are emerging to answer consumer’s demands for greater energy efficiency that leads to environmentally-friendly cost savings that really make a difference.

#1. Smart Home Technologies

By linking devices and sensors to monitoring software, homeowners and property managers are able to keep a better handle on the energy output of their homes. Such sensors can provide real-time data on temperature, humidity, occupancy and lighting systems, and provide insights into how much money this is costing. When linked to wireless sensors that can automate output, smart appliances can improve energy efficiency remarkably.

#2. Heat Pump Systems

One of the biggest expenses for any homeowner is heating. But new heat pump technology can improve how spaces are kept warm by improving burner efficiency. For example, new low-cost gas heat pumps have been shown to reduce heating costs by up to 45 percent in some homes. Also, geothermal-based heating systems installed by a professional hvac contractor are another popular new technology that’s been shown to provide significant savings on heating costs. Both methods also help to minimize the environmental impact of oil and gas use. You can see the cost of gshp here if you're interested.

#3. Next-generation Windows

Windows are one of the major pain points when it comes to keeping the heat inside during cold weather, and ensuring the cool air is trapped inside during summer. Window efficiency can be improved with dual panes and low-e coatings, and recent developments in insulated windows now use sensors to monitor available sunlight and the time of day, thereby ensuring proper lighting in the room by adjusting the shading automatically.

#4. LED Lighting

LED technology is continuously improving, and most new lights now provide much more brightness for considerably less energy output than traditional light bulbs. LED efficiency is expected to double in the next few years, and its lifespan will likely improve too, thanks to continued research and development.

#5. Cool Roofing

Inefficient roofing is a big problem in warmer climates where homeowners rely on air conditioning to keep the temperature comfortable. Leaky roofs cause air conditioning units to work much harder than is really necessary to keep a space cool. As such, new cool roofing systems use lighter colors and special materials to reflect light and heat off of themselves, helping to reduce air conditioning costs.