Energy efficient building with Fletcher Insulation

Renovating or building a new home provides the perfect opportunity to make your home as comfortable as possible... plus you can save money and the environment! How? By making your home energy efficient.

In fact, from this year every new home throughout Australia needs to comply with the new regulations to improve energy efficiency, as called-up in the Building Code of Australia (BCA). These initiatives have been introduced to improve the energy efficiency of new homes and extensions, and to help curb the growth of greenhouse gas emissions - to protect our environment and safeguard Australia's future.

In every aspect, an Energy Smart Home looks just like any other. However, it utilises a combination of building orientation, insulation, efficient heating, cooling, hot water, lighting and appliances to reduce household energy consumption by up to 40%.

One of the easiest ways to make your home more energy efficient, whether it's new or existing, is through the use of insulation, as it provides a barrier to the flow of heat into and out of your home. A well insulated home is up to 10 degrees warmer in winter and up to 7 degrees cooler in summer and can save as much as $500 per year in reduced energy costs.

When choosing insulation, the most important factor to consider is its R-value. The R-value is a measure of the material's resistance to heat flow, and therefore its performance. The higher the R-value, the greater the resistance to heat transfer, and the greater the energy savings - or in our words The fatter the batt the better!

Australian Standards recommend different insulation levels for different locations, based on climatic differences as well as energy and insulation costs. For information on recommended insulation levels for your particular area, check out the Fat Batt Estimator to the right.

Benefits of living in an energy efficient home;

• Saves money on energy costs - up to $500 per year.
• Stays naturally warm in winter and cool in summer.
• Appliances work more efficiently.
• Improved re-sale of your home.
• Pays for itself in 3-4 years.
• Reduces the impact on the environment.
• Reduces the use of non-renewable resources.