5 Transformational Heating Innovations to Consider For New Builds
May 23, 2023Building an energy-efficient home is one of the major considerations that go into new-build projects these days. People want to reduce their energy bills and be kinder to the environment. With the advances in technology, systems, and materials, there are many options available. Here are a few transformational heating innovations to consider for new builds:
How To Choose the Best Heating System For Your Home
Choosing the best new heating technologies for your home requires you to consider a number of factors including:
- Where you live
- What size budget you have available
- The type of fuel you intend to use to power your home
- The size of your new-build property
- What kind of insulation, windows, and doors you will fit
Top 5 Heating Innovations for New Builds
Here are some transformational heating innovations to consider for new builds:
1. Smart Electic Panels
Smart Electric Panels allow you to control every circuit in your home from your mobile phone. You can monitor, control, automate, and decarbonize every aspect of your home’s energy usage. As the world transitions from carbon fuels to renewable energy sources smart electric panels can be a genuine game changer.
Pros of Smart Electric Panels
Here are some benefits of smart electric panels:
- Total monitoring of your solar performance
- Longer-lasting, full home battery backup
- Automated alerts if anything isn’t working as it should
- Real-time data insights and analytics
Cons of Smart Electric Panels
As with anything, there are some drawbacks to smart electric panels as well. Although you could say there aren’t many, that it will transform how you use energy, and won’t drain finite natural resources, it’s still an evolving technology.
- Requires special wiring installation
- Upfront investment with ROI over time
- Circuit limits could be too low for some residences
2. Solar Heating Systems
Solar panels are a heating technology that has come to the fore in recent times because of improved technology and a significant reduction in cost.
They are one of the most eco-friendly methods of producing energy and if you install solar panels in your new home you have a very good chance of being able to sell the excess energy they produce back to the grid. Here are some solar heating pros and cons to consider:
Pros of Solar Panels
- Eco-friendly and capable of getting your home to net zero
- Can provide a notable ROI
- Reduces energy bills
- Can increase the value of your property
- May entitle you to government rebates or other financial incentives
Cons of Solar Panels
As with anything, there are some drawbacks to solar panels as well:
- High up-front costs
- Weather dependent
- Panels require regular cleaning to maintain optimal performance
- Can diminish the look of a property
3. Geothermal Heat Pumps
Geothermal Heat Pumps have actually been around since the 1940s but they are becoming increasingly popular in the USA.
Geothermal heating works by having an underground loop of pipes that absorb heat directly from the earth and feed it back into the property. Because shallow ground temperatures are pretty much the same throughout the US they are suitable for virtually all regions.
Pros of Geothermal Heating
- Highly efficient
- Very environmentally friendly
- Can be used to cool as well as heat
- Provide free hot water
Cons of Geothermal Heating
- Initial installation can be expensive
- Repairs can be costly and intrusive
4. Radiant Floor Heating Systems
Radiant heating systems first came out over 50 years ago but it is only with significant advances in technological capabilities that they have become viable as a complete heating system for people’s homes. They can be particularly useful in A-frame home design and other home designs featuring high ceilings.
Underfloor Radiant Heating Systems work by heating the objects in the room, rather than heating the air like a normal radiator. This brings a number of distinct advantages over traditional heating systems.
Pros of Radiant Heating Systems
- They are approximately 30%-60% more energy efficient than traditional heating systems
- They heat rooms faster and retain heat for longer
- They don’t take up any space
- They make rooms more aesthetically appealing
- They are designed for compatibility with green energy sources
- They require little to no maintenance as they suffer from no worn parts or mechanical failings
- They can last anywhere from 30-50 years
- They will ultimately pay for themselves and provide a return on investment
Cons of Radiant Heating Systems
- They require a significant initial investment compared to traditional boilers
- They can be limited to certain spaces
5. Dual Fuel Heat Pumps
Dual fuel (or hybrid) heat pumps combine an electric heat pump with a gas (or oil) furnace and, like geothermal heat pumps, can provide both heating and cooling for your home.
They use electricity as the main source of heat until temperatures drop to a certain point, at which time they switch to gas to maintain the required room temperatures.
Pros of Dual Fuel Heat Pumps
- Can be more efficient than geothermal heat pumps
- Can be used to cool as well as heat
- Are versatile and good at responding to quick changes in weather conditions
Cons of Dual Fuel Heat Pumps
- Can be expensive to install
- Can require significant maintenance
- Still requires fossil fuels
Heating Innovations Help Create Energy-Efficient New Builds
These are just a few transformational heating innovations to consider for new builds. Choosing the right heating system upgrades for a new construction custom home isn’t an easy task, but it will be well worth it in the end.
Building an energy-efficient home is not only desirable, but may also even become mandatory in the future as energy-efficient upgrades continue to become available. In the meantime, there are cost savings on your energy bill and maybe even some tax credits as well.
Picking the right heating and cooling systems, and combining them with the right technology, will not only allow your new build property to reach net zero emissions, but it will also deliver significant savings on your energy expenditure.