These days, more and more luxury homeowners are seeking to add energy-efficient features to their homes that will shrink their environmental impact and increase their home’s ability to accrue and retain value for years into the future. In this brief article, we’ll review five features of luxury homes that combine opulence with energy efficiency into the perfect concept of modern luxury. For new home builders in Tampa, FL, that regularly embrace forward-thinking construction techniques, materials, and designs to make luxury living energy-efficient and technologically convenient, choose Alvarez Homes. This premier custom home builder believes in creating prestigious, smart living homes without compromising superior quality and comfort.

Related: Healthy, Energy Efficient and Technologically Advanced Luxury Living

1. High-Performance Windows

Did you know that traditional windows account for nearly 50 percent of all heat lost from the home? For luxury homeowners looking to reduce outside noise, drafts, and heating and cooling costs, energy-efficient, high-performing windows are a must. Here are just a few factors to keep in mind when selecting windows for your home:

• Glass: Dual-pane and triple-pane glass are able to improve insulating properties, reduce thermal transfer, and maximize your energy efficiency.
• Window Installation: Proper installation on its own is capable of improving air infiltration and costly water damage to your home.
• Window Placement: By selecting specific low-emissivity glass coatings for different areas of your home, you can reflect heat, retain cooling, and block harmful UV rays.
• Window Frame: Wooden, multichambered vinyl, and proprietary fiberglass frames all provide excellent insulation and low conductivity. 

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2. Solar Panels

When the climate conditions and physical placement are just right, solar panels are incredibly popular among luxury homeowners as a lightweight, cost-effective method of boosting the “passive” energy of their homes. These panels are photovoltaic, meaning that they convert solar radiation directly into electrical power using semiconductors. By installing solar panels or implementing a passive solar design into your luxury home, you can increase your property value and protect yourself against increasing energy prices, in addition to reducing your impact on the environment. Should you wish to seamlessly integrate solar power in your new luxury home, it’s best to work with the best home builders in Tampa who can incorporate solar panels into the design of your home.

3. Smart Home Technology

The average household could slice nearly a third of its current energy bill just by switching to smart appliances, equipment, and lighting. These are connected products that are linked to the internet and allow the home environment to be filled with intelligence, sensing, and communication abilities. This includes everything from security cameras and thermostats to window blinds and speakers. 

The beauty of the way in which smart homes save energy lies in its elegance and simplicity. For example, smart homes are capable of keeping track of which rooms you are occupying and making sure the temperature in these rooms is sufficiently warm or cold. This means no more needless bills spent on heating or cooling while you’re out. A vast majority of these products are also capable of suggesting energy-saving actions based on your current usage patterns like turning off the lights after a certain period of time.

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4. Skylight

Adding a skylight to luxury homes in Tampa is a great way to help improve energy efficiency and ventilation, in addition to improving the appearance and quality of light in your home. These windows installed in the roof or ceiling of your home come in a variety of shapes and sizes to choose from, including tubular, oval, rectangular, circular, triangular, and diamond. Some of the most common installation styles include deck mounted and curb mounted in which the skylight is either mounted on a wooden frame built around the opening of your roof or nailed directly to your roof deck. 

However, in order to reap the full extent of these benefits, you’ll need to ensure appropriate window selection and installation. If you choose the wrong type of window or the window is not installed properly, you could easily be facing poor energy efficiency or air leakage down the line. To make sure you are choosing and installing the correct type of skylight for your luxury home, don’t hesitate to reach out the Tampa home builders at Alvarez Homes.

5. LED Lighting

Last but not least, LED lighting is a given for energy-efficient luxury homeowners. Compared to traditional incandescents, energy-efficient lightbulbs like halogen incandescents and compact fluorescent lamps use 25-80 percent less energy and last 3-25 times longer. In addition to making a difference, the extensive range of colors and light levels available in energy-efficient bulbs also provide a level of style. Whether you’re looking to add an atmospheric glow to the interior of your home or instantly change the intensity or color of your lights via your smartphone, LED lighting is a worthwhile option to look into. 

For an experienced team of new home builders in Tampa, FL,  that prioritizes energy-efficient and cost-effective living environments, choose Alvarez Homes. Each of our homes is designed from the ground up to be smarter, stronger, eco-friendly, and capable of enhancing the quality of your life.

To schedule a consultation with Alvarez Homes, Tampa home builders, call us today at (813) 969-3033 or fill out our contact request form.