How can homeowners assess their building's energy efficiency?

Conducting a home energy audit is a comprehensive approach to assessing a building's energy efficiency. During an energy audit, trained professionals evaluate various aspects of the home, including insulation levels, heating and cooling systems, window and door performance, and overall air leakage within the building envelope. Auditors use diagnostic tools such as blower door tests and thermal imaging cameras to identify areas where energy loss occurs and suggest improvements.

While changing light bulbs, repainting walls, and planting trees can contribute to energy efficiency in some ways, they are not thorough assessments of a building's overall energy performance. Changing light bulbs can improve efficiency in lighting but does not provide a holistic view of the home’s energy use. Repainting walls may enhance aesthetics but has minimal effect on energy consumption. Planting trees can help with shading and reducing cooling costs, but again, this action alone does not evaluate or improve the building's energy efficiency in a comprehensive manner. Thus, a home energy audit provides the most accurate assessment and actionable recommendations for improving energy efficiency.