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Energy Efficiency Can Be Raised in a Barn

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Planning to build a new barn or outbuilding on your property? You can make it more energy efficient by following these tips.

Location matters. If possible, carefully assess the area where you plan to build. Consider drainage, wind direction and sun exposure. An advantageous site can mean dry floors and access to good natural light and cross ventilation by opening windows.

Start with a sustainable design plan. Such plans use environmentally preferable products, protect and conserve water, enhance indoor environmental quality, and optimize operational and maintenance practices, according to the U.S. General Services Administration.

If you hire a contractor to help build your structure, consider companies that specialize in green buildings and energy-efficient practices.

Choose efficient building methods. Pole barns, for example, offer reliable shelter without costly excavation, concrete foundations or general site disruption.
  • If you’re upgrading instead of building from the ground up, follow these tips to make energy efficiency improvements to an existing structure:
  • Replace indoor lighting with energy-efficient LED bulbs.
  • Ensure that your existing structure has adequate insulation.
  • Choose outdoor lighting designed to be energy efficient, and install motion detectors to reduce energy consumption when not in use.
  • Plant trees around your metal shed or barn. Trees act as a windbreak in colder climates and create a natural cooling effect in warmer climates that can reduce temperatures 3–6 degrees in a metal building.
  • Consider adding a ceiling fan to circulate air. Inside a metal building, there’s typically a 2-degree temperature increase for every 1-foot increase in ceiling height. A ceiling fan can help keep warm air close to the ground in the winter and circulate fresher, cooler air in the summer. Not only will this help with energy costs, it also will help keep the air in the building from becoming hot and stagnant, and that can keep harmful bacteria and insects at bay.

Posted: 6/13/2023 10:57:37 PM
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