12 Nov 08 Saving Energy Equals Saving Money

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Saving energy equals saving money and there are hundreds of ways to do your part. I will give you just a few ways that I have found to be easy, inexpensive and in return will save you money. By changing the light bulbs in your house to compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) you can save about $45 in electricity cost per light bulb annually. The average home has roughly 15 active light bulbs and if homeowners were to change every light in their house to CFL bulbs, they would save about $675 in electricity costs during the life of these light bulbs. Shading can save up to 40% of cooling costs. Planting trees in strategic areas of your yard will not only increase the value of your home but will also save about $100 - $250 a year in energy costs.

Thinking of buying a new washing machine? If you replace a washing machine that is older than 1994, you will save up to $110 a year on your utility bill. When you buy an appliance, Energy Star approved, that item can save you up to 50% than on non-Energy Star approved appliances. Newer washers will not only save energy but will also conserve water as well. Other ways to conserve water is by changing your shower head. For an investment of $10 or less you can save $50 to $75 per year on water bills and $20 to $50 more per year on energy bills (depending on your current shower head and utility rates). Every new shower head should pay for itself within the first year.

New homes have been being built green to reduce their carbon footprint for some time now, but if you need help maximizing your energy efficiency you can call your local energy provider and they will often send an expert out to help you coordinate your energy saving efforts, usually for free. These experts will perform various tests such as a thermo graphic scan to find out if there are any air leaks into your home, a combustion safety test to determine how safely your heating system is working, a blower door test to find out how airtight your home is and so on. Pin pointing exactly where you are producing the most heat, leads your AC unit to run longer. They will also go through your past utility bills to check your energy consumption levels.

Here are some green homes for sale

Tags: annual electric bill, build green, california green homes, carbon footprint, cfl light bulbs, energy efficiency, energy efficient appliances, energy reduction, energy star, Real Estate, thermo graphic scan, water conservation

25 Sep 08 Garden Roof ®

Why not transform your roof into an eco-friendly, pedestrian accessible, landscaped environment? With a Garden Roof ®, those who own multi-story housing or office buildings can do just that. The McGraw-Hill Company recently published an article that highlights the benefits and features of having a Garden Roof ®.

Energy efficiency. The Garden Roof’s vegetation and soil acts as an insulator to protect against heat and cold from penetrating through the roof, while preventing energy lost from air-conditioning and heating the building. In addition, the vegetation will increase the solar reflectivity of the roof, reducing the amount of heat stored and released back into the atmosphere.

Water conservation. The Garden Roof assembly can hold between 50 and 90% of rainwater that falls on it. This decreases the stress on storm sewers, city drainage systems and treatment plants.

Perhaps the most appealing feature of the Garden Roof is its inviting therapeutic environment. The walkways and plant-life create a peaceful atmosphere for residents / office workers to take a break and to unwind.

Tags: building insulation, eco-friendly building, energy efficiency, garden roof, green building, heat reduction, landscaped roof, mcgraw-hill construction, multi-story housing, multi-story office building, stored rainwater, water conservation

29 Jul 08 Santa Fe, New Mexico Builders Going Green!

Last week several home builders, construction firms, and architects attended the Santa Fe Home Builders Association to learn about building more energy-efficient homes. With the demand for “green” homes steadily increasing, it is no surprise that this was the topic of discussion as Kim Shanahan, the association’s president, and other Santa Fe home builders addressed the conference attendees.

The overall consensus is that energy efficiency can be improved upon, while reducing green-house gases, without jeopardizing the quality or affordability of homes. In fact, members discussed proposed changes to Santa Fe’s building code, that would require new homes to meet green building standards.

One proposed change would require new homes to meet a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score of 70 points, at most. The standard new home, built to code, has a HERS rating of 100. A HERS of 70 signifies a new home is 30 percent more energy efficient than today’s standard home.

Santa Fe builder – Bob Kreger, stated that a house with a HERS of 60 or lower qualifies for significant tax credits.

Dalinda Bangert, a HERS rater, explained to the audience that the difference between a HERS of 100 and a HERS of 70 could result in up to $900 a year less in utility fees for the average homeowner.

Tags: bob kreger, dalinda bangert, energy efficiency, Go Green, green homes, green-house gases, hers, Home Builders, home energy rating system, kim shanahan, new mexico, new mexico home builders, santa fe home builders, santa fe home builders association