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How to Improve Home Renovations with the Help of an Engineering Expert

Written by Posted On Sunday, 14 April 2019 17:14
How to Improve Home Renovations with the Help of an Engineering Expert

Home renovations often focus on appearance, but they are also excellent chances to improve aspects like water conservation and energy efficiency. With a home assessment, a professional engineer can identify the most promising upgrades to save water and energy. Engineers can also assist you with permitting requirements, equipment selection and contractor supervision.

When a home renovation includes measures that save water and energy, the ownership cost of the property is reduced. In addition, the savings achieved can help offset the renovation expenses, reducing the net cost of the project. Even better results can be achieved if mechanical, electrical and plumbing upgrades are combined with home automation.

Finding the Most Promising Home Upgrades

When planning a home renovation, several upgrades that improve appearance and efficiency are evident. For instance, old lighting fixtures can be upgraded to LED, and the new windows can be purchased with low-e triple-pane glass. However, a home renovation is also a chance to improve less visible aspects like insulation and airtightness.

Even when a home upgrade seems simple and straightforward, there may be important technical aspects to consider. For example, before purchasing LED lighting products, you should ensure that the color temperature and beam shape are adequate for each application. In the case of windows, placement and orientation are very important; they should minimize glare and direct solar heating.

Homes with high-performance thermal envelopes have reduced heating and cooling needs. This way, the new space heating and air conditioning equipment can be selected with a smaller capacity. This reduces the upfront cost, as well as operating expenses.

Recommendations for HVAC Equipment Upgrades

HVAC systems are characterized by their variety, and the options available can be overwhelming. However, an engineering expert can help you find the best HVAC configuration for the needs of your property. A general recommendation is purchasing equipment with high nameplate efficiency, since this yields permanent energy savings.

  • Furnaces and boilers use a metric called the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, or AFUE. For a given heating load, a higher AFUE lowers the fuel consumption, and this also reduces the corresponding emissions.
  • Air conditioning efficiency is indicated by the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or SEER. The metric also applies for air-source heat pumps running in cooling mode.
  • The Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) applies for air-source heat pumps in heating mode.

While the AFUE is a percentage value, the SEER and the HSPF are ratios that indicate the cooling or heating output (BTU) for each watt-hour of electricity consumed. As a reference, the best HVAC equipment available will typically have an AFUE above 95%, a SEER above 25, or an HSPF above 10.

Adding Water Conservation Measures in Home Renovations

Water conservation not only reduces the corresponding bill. Consider that the workload is reduced for water heating systems as well, and booster pumps when applicable. In other words, water efficiency can save both electricity and gas.

If your home renovation project includes a plumbing fixture upgrade, look for replacements with the WaterSense label from the US Environmental Protection Agency. These fixtures offer water savings of 20% or more, with the certification of a federal organization - plumbing fixture providers cannot label products on their own.

There are many water heating options, but the lowest energy cost is normally achieved with heat pump water heaters or tankless gas heaters. Electric resistance heaters are not normally recommended due to their prohibitive operating cost, and conventional gas heaters with storage tanks have significant standby losses when filled with hot water. When water conservation is combined with heating efficiency, the savings can add up a few hundred dollars per year.

Author Bio

Michael Tobias PE is a visionary in the construction industry. His passion resonates as the

Founding Principal of New York Engineers, an Inc 5000 fastest growing company. New York

Engineers is the most innovative construction engineering firm focusing on Mechanical,

Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) engineering designs in Chicago and New York. Michael has overseen the design of over 1000 construction projects in all market sectors, including LEED certified and Passive House certified projects. He leads a global team of 50 top performers.

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