The 2 methods to achieve a more sustainable house

Requirements for building a sustainable house

• Draw up a budget in accordance with the type of house.
• Take into account the orientation of the house according to the solar cycle in order to make the most of its energy and light.
• Energy efficiency and the use of renewable sources is essential.
• The construction materials must be ecological and local.
• They have to be economically profitable.

In today’s post we will focus on energy efficiency and the use of renewable energies in housing. We propose two alternatives to obtain electricity in a more sustainable way: photovoltaic panels and aerothermal energy. However, if you want to know more about sustainable houses, don’t miss this post. 

Photovoltaic panels and aerothermal energy

These are two concepts that, independently, refer to two types of electricity supply obtained from renewable sources and also in an autonomous way.

Everything you need to know about photovoltaic panels:

Solar panels are devices made up of photovoltaic cells with the main function of transforming solar energy into electrical energy. The way they work is very simple: photovoltaic cells capture photons from the sun and, thanks to the semiconductor material they are made of, silicon, they transform the photons into electrons.

The current generated by the plates is direct current, so it has to be converted into alternating current via a solar inverter. 

What factors influence the design of a photovoltaic installation?

• Orientation and inclination of the solar panels: they have to be well directed towards the south and with an angle of inclination that optimises their photovoltaic production (35-40º depending on the site).
• Geographical location of the city: the amount of sunshine hours your province receives will influence the energy production of the solar installation.
• Roof surface: it is important to have enough space to carry out the installation. Each solar panel measures approximately 2 m2.

How many solar panels are needed for a house?

The number of panels you need to install depends on your annual consumption. For a house that consumes between 5,000 and 8,000 kWh per year, between 6 and 8 solar panels will be necessary. 

 

What do you know about aerothermal energy? 

What we can say to begin with is that aerothermal energy is a system that extracts the energy contained in the air to produce hot water, heating and cooling in homes. The principle of aerothermal energy is based on the exchange of heat from an aerothermal pump that uses the energy from the air to supply it to the interior of the home, thus consuming little electricity.

Advantages of aerothermal energy:

• Savings in the medium/long term
• Greater safety because it does not use fuels
• High level of efficiency
• Allows heating and cooling with a single unit
• No maintenance required

What are the applications of aerothermal energy?

• Aerothermal with underfloor heating: during the winter the water can reach 50º/55º and can heat the floor. During the summer the water temperature can drop sufficiently to absorb the heat from the house.
• Aerothermal with radiators: a system that transfers hot water to the radiators in the house.

Is it advisable to combine aerothermal energy with photovoltaic installations?

These two resources, together, are a great example of autonomy in energy generation. On the one hand, aerothermal energy covers the thermal needs of a given space, and on the other hand, photovoltaic energy takes on the electrical costs required by the aerothermal pump. Nowadays, there is a trend that argues that aerothermal and photovoltaic are the perfect combination.

In Espígul real estate we design your house following the indicated criteria that allow a maximum energy efficiency to make a rational use of energy, without forgetting the comfort in the interior spaces. If you have any questions you can contact us at hola@espigul.com or call us on 972 220 110 and we will explain more about efficient and sustainable construction.