We have a Gardenia, concrete block, very similar to sunflower/begonia. Most bang for the buck, careful control of the thermostat. We have 3 stretches, one to the house, the others to the garage and lanai. I did and a fan to force hot air out of the attic, a 120v AC powered unit thermostatically controlled. House is 8 years old, and I see no need to add insulation, etc. The electric bill ranges from $90 to $140, so IMHO any additional insulation, etc., will take a long time to pay off, especially if you will have mortgage. Be careful of the window tint as this typically cancels the 10 year warranty on the windows. I would order windows with a factory tint if necessary.
Hope this helps. Send a PM if you would like to discuss further over the phone.
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Pennsylvania, for 60+ years, most recently, Allentown, now TV. 
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