If you plan to design and build a new home or do an extensive remodel on an existing house, optimizing home Energy Efficiency requires a whole-house systems approach to ensure that you and your team of building professionals consider all the variables, details, and interactions that affect energy use in your home. In addition to how you use energy, the conditions of where your home is situated, and the local climate, these include:

• Appliances and home electronics
• Insulation and air sealing
• Lighting and daylighting
• Space heating and cooling
• Water heating
• Windows, doors, and skylights

–Energy.gov