Everywhere in San Diego families are remodeling their homes to increase their energy efficiency in order to lower costs and help the environment. Families are focusing on kitchen remodels for these upgrades more than anywhere else simply because kitchens use more energy than any other part of the home on average. With refrigerators and freezers running 24/7 and appliances being used throughout the day for cooking and cleaning, a San Diego kitchen remodel provides the greatest opportunity for families to reduce their energy consumption. Many older refrigerators and ovens have inferior insulation that allow a lot of produced energy to be lost throughout the day. An upgrade of appliances during a kitchen remodel can make a huge improvement.
Making a home more green through the kitchen is not just about installing upgraded appliances, however, its about using green materials and construction techniques to have as minimal an impact as possible on the environment. This includes using natural light whenever possible to save energy and create a more naturally lit environment. This can be accomplished with solar tubes, skylights and by orientating the kitchen in way that it can capture sunlight from the windows. You can also use minimally invasive solar panels that capture electricity throughout the day and reduce your reliance on the electrical grid. Some homes manage to produce enough solar electricity that they end up being net producers of electricity rather than net users. Green remodeling techniques also involve proper recycling and use of appropriate materials. For more information on Marrokal’s standards in green home remodeling, visit our green remodeling practices page.