Building your dream home is one of the biggest investments you will make- one that will stay with your family for a long time. Understanding the long-term cost of new home construction helps you make smarter choices from day one. While every home comes with recurring running costs, making smart construction choices at the beginning of the project can pay dividends for decades.

At Prithu Homes, a trusted home construction company in Delhi, we offer a thoughtful selection of materials and construction technologies that make your home more cost-effective in the long run.

Here are 7 key features that help you save money over time.

1. Fly ash bricks: 

Fly ash bricks have better thermal insulation than traditional red bricks. This means that Fly ash bricks help maintain cooler interiors in summer and warmer interiors in winter. Since indoor temperatures are optimised, the load on the house's air conditioning is reduced, which reduces your electricity consumption and, in turn, saves you money. 

2. Heat reflective roof tiles

In the Indian climate, maximum heat gain happens through the roof, resulting in hotter top floors. Heat reflective tiles on the terrace reflect solar radiation, making the top-floor rooms cooler, even in peak summer months. The reduced temperature in the rooms makes them comfortable without relying on heavy air conditioning. Since the air conditioning load is decreased, it results in lower electricity bills. 

3. Heat-Cure coating on windows and the Terrace

At Prithu Homes, we offer products that enhance the quality of your home. One such feature is Heat-Cure coating. In a South or West-facing house, there is significant heat gain through the windows, which results in higher indoor temperatures and hence higher AC load. Heat-cure coating is a nanotechnology-based coating done over windows, which helps lower the indoor temperature and, in turn, reduces the electricity cost.

Another similar product is a Heat-Cure coating applied on the terrace. If you have not used heat reflective tiles on the roof, then this surface treatment is a suitable alternative that reduces the heat gain through the roof.

4. Automation 

Sometimes, even small steps in cost-effectiveness lead to major savings. At Prithu Homes, we take measures that optimise the running costs of your home. One such example is Motion Sensor lights in the stairwell. In a house, usually the stairwell area is less frequently used. However, for safety reasons, users prefer to keep the lights on in the stairwell. By using a motion sensor, the lights remain off when not in use and automatically turn on when motion is detected. With this feature, the safety of the house is maintained while avoiding electricity wastage. You can install motion sensors in other low-use areas of your home to avoid wasting electricity.

One more such electricity and water saving feature is Automation for Water tank pumps. With automation, the water pumps are automatically turned off when the water tanks are filled. This results in no wastage of water and electricity, reducing the overall water and electricity costs over the lifetime of the building.

5. LED lights

Using LED lights for home is known for its energy efficiency. These lights consume up to 50% less energy than CFL lights. LED lights are also long-lasting, which means fewer replacements and hence lower maintenance costs. LED lights provide a bright, uniform light; therefore, fewer lights are required to illuminate a room. Overall, LED lights significantly reduce the electricity and maintenance costs. 

6. Low-flow plumbing fixtures

One of the single most water-consuming activities in a residence is toilet flushing. A traditional flushing tank releases 6-13 litres of water in a single flush. The concealed cistern that we install in our toilets comes with Dual Flush technology, which releases approximately 3-6 litres of water, resulting in less water consumption. In the long run, even a smaller percentage of reduction in the water bill will result in significant savings over time.

Additionally, some of the plumbing fixtures-like wash basin faucets, bath spouts, and kitchen faucets, come with Low Flow technology, which can further reduce your water costs.

7. Solar panels on the roof

One of the most popular energy-saving systems is installing Solar panels on the roof. Solar panels generate free electricity from sunlight. A 1KW solar panel generates 1200-1400 units of electricity in a year. Through net metering, these units can be fed back to the grid, earning credits that significantly reduce your energy bills. 

The government also offers subsidies on Solar Panels, leading to a quicker return on investment. 

Over the lifetime of a house, the cost of running it is often much higher than the initial cost of construction. While these features may not lead to major cost reductions immediately, they can save you a significant amount of money in the long run. At Prithu Homes, a trusted home builders with end-to-end construction services believe that small design choices today lead to lasting savings tomorrow. 

Neeharika Singh, Design Head At Prithu Homes

Neeharika Singh is the Design Head at Prithu Homes with 15+ years of experience in luxury homes and hospitality design. She has worked on many premium projects and leads the creative direction. This blog is written based on her own professional understanding and knowledge.