At Segal & Morel, we’ve been building luxurious, energy-efficient homes since 1960, including the homes we’ve built at Riverview Estates West and Riverview Estates Fairway Collection in Easton, Pennsylvania. We work closely with representatives of EPA Energy Star® new homes program so they can help us determine the appropriate mix of upgrades that’s right for your new home. Energy Star® homes are constructed with high-efficiency systems and a variety of luxury home upgrades not found in all standard new homes.
Luxury Home Upgrades
When choosing luxury home upgrades, we always want to include options that improve the energy efficiency of the property. This not only saves you money on your utility bills, but it’s also environmentally responsible. We incorporate green home building practices into each project to take environmental and resource protection into account at every step of the building process and minimize our environmental impact. Since 2001, all our Riverview Estates
single family homes have been Energy Star® certified, and since 2010, they’ve all been certified green. Some of the luxury home upgrades that benefit you and the environment include:
High-Efficiency Heating and Cooling Systems
HVAC equipment can account for over 50% of the total energy use in a home. Installing a high-efficiency system consumes less energy than standard systems and can significantly reduce your utility costs. We install Energy Star® rated two-zone, gas-fired forced warm air heat and central air conditioning with a 14.5 SEER rating. We also install an Energy Star® rated day/night setback thermostat to efficiently regulate interior temperatures.
High-Efficiency Water Heating Systems
Much like your HVAC equipment, a high-efficiency water heating system performs better and uses less energy than a standard system. To help save you money, we use 98% high-efficiency tankless water heaters. A tankless water heater produces hot water on demand instead of wasting energy, keeping water hot 24/7 when you aren’t even using it. Tankless systems expend much less energy and last longer than conventional hot water heaters.
Higher Insulation Levels
Besides building a home to ensure it’s airtight, super-insulating the home is probably the second most cost-effective strategy to employ. When upgraded and installed properly, higher levels of insulation help prevent excessive heat and cold from entering your home. This helps even out temperatures throughout your home, especially between one room and another, and reduces the workload on your HVAC system. We use R-50 attic insulation and R-24.5 exterior wall insulation when including the insulated sheathing which helps to eliminate thermal bridging to improve energy efficiency.
High-Performance Low-E Windows
Even when a home is well-insulated, windows suck out a lot of energy. Advanced windows prevent heat from escaping your home when temperatures drop outside in the winter months and keep heat from creeping in when outdoor temperatures soar in the summer. Luxury home upgrades on windows are usually the third most cost-effective way to increase a home’s efficiency. We use argon gas-filled double pane insulated windows that come with screens and grilles to pump up performance and looks.
Reduced Air Infiltration
The single most cost-effective measure builders can take to improve the energy efficiency of a home is ensuring the home is airtight. Even with tightly sealed windows and doors, there are numerous points of entry for hot or cold outdoor air to leak indoors. Once outdoor air temperatures invade your interiors, it’s difficult to maintain comfort and energy efficiency. We utilize house wrap or exterior weather barriers, sealant, foam, and tape to reduce air infiltration by sealing off gaps and cracks in the framing or holes from installing electrical wiring, plumbing pipes, or mechanical equipment.
Tightly Sealed Ductwork
Just like we want to ensure the home is as airtight as possible, we also want to ensure ductwork is tightly sealed to prevent air leakage. In a typical home, ducts leak 20% to 30% of the air forced through them, which makes your heating and cooling system work harder to do its job. Our duct systems are insulated, sealed, and verified by a field test to substantially eliminate leaks and improve your heating and air conditioning systems’ efficiency.
Put Your Trust In Us
Download our Homebuyer Checklist to see if your potential home measures up to a Segal & Morel home. You can trust our expertise, dedicated customer service, and green initiatives to ensure your luxury home upgrades make your home as energy-efficient as possible. Contact us at 610-923-8422 for more information on all the steps we take to ensure your dream home is everything you hoped it would be.