Green homes are growing increasingly popular, and by installing an electric tankless water heater, you can help improve your home's efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint.
With environmental concerns growing across the country, more and more people are looking reduce their impact on the climate. One of the most popular places to do this has been in the home. You may have recently considered turning to energy-efficient appliances or home solar panels to help reduce demand for fossil fuels like coal or oil.
Green homes have become rather common as this sentiment has spread throughout the country. Many homebuyers and property developers are looking to improve the energy performance of their homes, and reduce waste in the process. This has led to the development of numerous energy efficient technologies, one of which has been the electric tankless water heater. But going green doesn't mean just minimizing your impact on the environment, it means saving money as well. By reducing the amount of energy you use month to month, you can limit your utility costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
U.S. Green Building Council's reaches milestone
One of the best ways to make sure that your home is undeniably sustainable is attaining certification from a recognized organization. The USGBC's LEED program has come to be one of the most widely respected in the entire world when it comes to the development of green properties. Recently, the program's residential division surpassed the 150,000 unit milestone. The achievement is particularly significant because the residential program is only about 3 years old.
This figure continues to increase at a steady rate, especially as more Americans looks to cut back on their energy bills. According to the USGBC, a LEED-certified home can cut energy and water use by 20 to 30 percent compared homes that are built to the most basic codes.
"Our homes are more than just spaces that provide shelter," said the USGBC President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi. "Homes touch practically every aspect of our lives and are a critical element of our overall sense of safety, identity and community. Enhancing our homes' efficiency and resilience offers an extraordinary opportunity to further the revolution in sustainable building and living practices so that it ripples outward to our communities."
Using a tankless water heater
There are a number of reasons why electric tankless water heaters are a good choice for your green home. First and foremost, a number of models are approved by the LEED program, meaning that they can be used to help you attain the coveted green certification. By understanding the advantages of using a residential electric tankless water heater, it is easy to see why.
These heaters have a 99 percent thermal energy efficiency rating, meaning that 99 percent of the energy that goes into the appliance comes out as heat. Even the best tank heaters can only attain a thermal efficiency rating of around 65 percent.
On top of this, many water heaters use natural gas. While this fuel emits less greenhouse gas emissions than coal or oil, it is still not great for the environment. Many green homes are now powered by solar panels or other renewable energy sources, meaning that the electric tankless solution can better integrate into the rest of the home.
Finally, the tankless water heater can be installed at the point of use, which minimizes the amount of water that is wasted in waiting for it to heat up. This means that you can not only save money on energy savings but with water as well.
A home doesn't suddenly become green simply because you installed one piece of equipment or another, but if you can make targeted improvements in a variety of areas – like water and electricity use – you can begin to make meaningful steps toward a more sustainable home.