Thinking of Renovating your Bathroom – Go Green to Save Green

by harrisonburgarchitect | Apr 1, 2013 | architecture, Building Science, Harrisonburg Architect

Here are some simple ways to cut energy and water use in your bathroom remodel. 

1. When replacing water faucets, shower heads, or even toilets look for water efficient options. Be careful, there are still a few solutions on the market that don’t work, but with a little research you can find solutions that cut your annual water bill. Look for options with the EPA WaterSense label.
2. Turn off the lights. Natural light will make you feel better and allows you to cut off the lights. Install a window if the bathroom is located on an outside wall or a solar tube if a window is not possible.
3. Replace your outdated water heater by a Heat Pump Water Heater or an on-demand unit. These units are very efficient and will reduce the amount of energy used to heat your water. Even more efficient – install a solar thermal heating system utilizing an on-demand unit for supplemental heat in times of high demand.
4. Replace your incandescent and Compact flourescent lights with LED’s. These lights use a fraction of the energy of traditional lights or even CFL’s and last longer. 
5. Skip gadgets like heated floors and heated towel racks – a properly insulated home with a well designed heating and cooling system will be comfortable year round.