Where Should You Start When Renovating for an Energy-Efficient Home?

If you’re thinking about renovating your home to make it more energy efficient, one of the most common questions homeowners ask is:

Should I install solar panels first, or make my home more energy efficient first?

It’s a great question—and the answer may not be what most people expect.

Start With Energy Efficiency First

From a cost perspective, it almost always makes more sense to improve your home’s energy efficiency before installing solar panels.

Why?

Because the more efficient your home becomes, the less energy it needs to run. That means when you eventually install solar panels, you’ll need a smaller system to cover your energy use. A smaller solar system means:

• Lower upfront installation costs

• Less roof space required

• A quicker return on investment

In other words, improving efficiency first allows you to right-size your solar system instead of overspending on panels you may not actually need.

The Biggest Energy User in Your Home

Most people don’t realise that around 80% of household energy use goes toward heating and cooling.

If your home struggles to stay warm in winter or cool in summer, it’s likely because the building itself isn’t performing well thermally. As a result, the air conditioner or heater works harder and runs longer—driving up your energy bills.

This is where renovating with energy performance in mind can make a huge difference.

By improving things like:

• insulation

• air sealing

• window performance

• shading

• building orientation

  
  

You can significantly reduce the amount of heating and cooling your home requires.

The goal is simple: create a home that stays comfortable naturally, without relying heavily on mechanical systems.

Why an Architect Should Be Your First Step

When people begin planning an energy-efficient renovation, they often go straight to a builder. While builders are essential to the construction process, they typically aren’t equipped to analyse a home’s thermal performance in detail.

A builder might suggest improvements such as:

• adding more roof insulation

• installing double-glazed windows

• sealing gaps

These upgrades can certainly help—but without proper analysis, they’re often recommended in isolation and may not deliver the best value for your money.

An architect who specialises in energy-efficient design can take a more strategic approach. They can:

• calculate your home’s current energy performance

• analyse where heat is lost or gained

• model different renovation options

• predict how each change will improve thermal comfort

This type of thermal modelling helps identify the upgrades that will deliver the biggest comfort improvement for your budget.

Instead of guessing, you’re making decisions based on measurable performance.

Designing for Thermal Comfort

Thermal comfort means your home maintains a comfortable indoor temperature through good design rather than constant heating or cooling.

This might involve strategies such as:

• improving insulation levels in walls and roofs

• upgrading window performance

• managing solar heat gain through shading

• improving natural ventilation

• sealing air leaks

When these elements work together, the result is a home that feels comfortable year-round while using far less energy.

Solar Panels Come After

Once your renovation improves the building’s thermal performance, your home will consume much less energy overall.

At this point, installing solar panels becomes far more effective.

Because your energy demand is lower, you can install a smaller solar system that still covers a large portion of your energy needs.

The result is the best of both worlds:

• a thermally comfortable home

• lower energy bills

• and a more affordable solar installation

  
  

A Smarter Path to an Energy-Efficient Home

If you’re planning a renovation with sustainability in mind, the most effective order is:

1. Assess your home’s current energy performance

2. Improve the building envelope and thermal comfort

3. Reduce your overall energy demand

4. Then install solar panels sized to match your new energy needs

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By starting with the building itself, you create a low-energy home that is comfortable to live in and cheaper to run.

That’s the real goal of energy-efficient renovation—not just generating power, but needing less of it in the first place.