Insulation Improvements Mean Real Annual Savings

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a household's annual bill for energy clocks in at $2,200. More than half of this amount is dedicated to the cost of keeping homes warm in the winter months and cooling them in the summer months, with obvious variations for climate and local conditions.

Of this $2,200 number, about 20 percent can be saved annually by ensuring that homes are sealed off against drafts and leaks, and by ensuring that HVAC systems are operating at peak efficiency. 

This week, at the International Builder's Show in Orlando, Bayer MaterialScience unveiled a program designed to help architects and homebuilders ensure that their houses are as airtight and as energy-efficient as possible. Insulation is a key part of this initiative, with homes designed to maximize the effectiveness of Bayer's open-cell and closed-cell spray foam insulation technologies. 

"We met with builders across the country to understand what homeowners want in a 'green' home," said Renee Zierden, General Manager, Bayer MaterialScience LLC Spray Insulation and Roofing Materials. "Not only did we hear firsthand the challenges builders face when trying to market sustainability to homebuyers, but we also saw an opportunity to provide education on the complete science that goes into home design."

The International Builder's Show definitely has a heavy focus on sustainability, as greener homes appears to be one of the developing trends of the real estate market in 2011. In a time when