Electric > Tucson Electric Power > BuildingS

Building Structure

The typical American home unintentionally lets in outside air, seeping in as much as 70 percent of the volume of air in the house through the foundation, walls and ceiling. All this unwanted air has to be heated or cooled and dehumidified. Combined with leaky ductwork on the heating and cooling system, this can translate into losses of up to one-third of the total energy your system is producing before it ever gets to a home's living space.

• Call a trained professional to test and repair the duct leakage in your home.
• If rooms get hot or cold when you close a door, you need to add a return-air path that allows air to flow out of the room and back to the main body of the home when the door is closed.
• The addition of fresh-air ventilation is key to creating a house that has fewer odors, lower humidity levels and better overall indoor air quality.

Insulating Your Home

Proper insulation is one of the most effective means of reducing the demand on your heating and cooling system—the biggest portion of your energy use—to keep you comfortable.

• Adding insulation to exterior walls and roofs, and to key areas like attics and floors above cold space, can cut your energy bills dramatically.
• The R-value is the standardized measure to rate the relative effectiveness of insulation materials. In Tucson, an R-value of R-30 for attic insulation and R-19 for walls are considered cost-effective.
• To maximize performance, make sure insulation is in continuous contact with either the drywall or the outer surface of the building, completely covering the area.
• Eliminating gaps, voids and any compression or air circulation through the insulation will ensure you achieve the best value for your investment.

New Construction and Home Remodeling Ideas

If you are planning to remodel your home or add a room, investing in energy-efficient materials and building techniques will bring savings to your electric bills for many years to come.

• Install double-pane or low-e windows with a sun-control coating.
• Consider sun exposure when selecting the locations of windows and skylights.
• Install skylights to reduce electricity use during daytime hours.
• Choose light colors for walls, ceilings, floors and furniture when redecorating, which will naturally brighten a room.
• Check with your builder or contractor about light-colored roofing materials that can prolong the life of a roof and will reduce a home's cooling costs.

TEP Guarantee Home Program

So much more than energy efficiency
The finest southern Arizona new-home builders incorporate TEP's strict construction guidelines for building the most energy efficient, comfortable and durable homes on the market. While many builders claim energy efficiency, only TEP backs it up with a written Guarantee for three full years.

• As an added benefit, TEP Guarantee homeowners also get the lowest residential electric rate for all the electricity they use for the life of their home.
• Developed by TEP with the assistance of national experts, these homes are uniquely designed as a complete system, where every component works in harmony to cut a home's heating and cooling costs by as much as 50 percent.
• In addition, special features improve indoor air quality and also allow for air balancing to assure that rooms maintain consistently comfortable temperatures.
• TEP inspects homes multiple times during the construction process to ensure rigid equipment and construction requirements are met.

If you currently are considering new construction, TEP experts can meet with your builder to explain the construction and performance standards. To find out more, call 884-3616.