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Maybe you’ve heard about the many benefits of the federal light bulb efficiency standards that went into effect almost two months ago, on January 1st: how the legislation—passed by an large, bipartisan majority in 2007 and signed into law by President George W. Bush—will save the average American household at least $85 a year—kind of a stimulus package in your light socket. Or, how, nationwide, it will eliminate the ... [continue reading]
On February 8, 2012, the Department of Energy (DOE) released the $68 million appropriated for the 2012 program year starting July 1, 2012. Twenty-five of the 58 states/territories received $0. Congress made deep cuts to the low-income energy efficiency program and, in doing so, allowed DOE to use their discretion in allocating the $68 million this program year. Traditionally, a funding formula is used to allocate the funds across the states. DOE chose a formula that took into consideration carry-over funding from previous ... [continue reading]
Building America Retrofit Alliance (BARA) offers an easy-to-follow video perspective on home performance and why it matters. It's fun, simple, and will hopefully be the beginning of a wider dialogue about home performance. What do you think? [continue reading]
My electricity bill looks like it was designed to confuse customers. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in feeling this way. Fees with seven decimal places, a "multiplier," distribution, transmission, generation charges, a single "kwh" usage amount. My home address is listed in four seperate places. There are TEN different phone numbers listed (yes, 10). The only aspect of my electricity usage that is clear is the amount I owe ... [continue reading]
For a long time, "clean" and "green" marked the forward trend in the energy industry. Then came the quest for "smart" energy. And now "innovation" is the buzzword. [continue reading]
On Friday, The New York Times published an article titled "In Fuel Oil Country, Cold That Cuts to the Heart." The article, about the Hartford's, an elderly couple in Maine who can't afford to pay for the oil needed to heat their (rather leaky) home, is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. [continue reading]
It was during a Double Jeopardy round a couple of weeks ago that I actually realized how much I’ve learned in my Assistant Editor role here at Home Energy. As one (actual) contestant asked for the $1,600 clue under the Architecture category, I waited at home, on my couch, to shout the answer. [continue reading]
A recent report produced by the Preservation Green Lab of the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides the most comprehensive analysis to date of the potential environmental benefit of building reuse. This study, The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse, concludes that, "when comparing buildings of equivalent size and function, building reuse almost always offers environmental savings over demolition and new construction." [continue reading]
As mandated under the Clean Air Act, a suite of upcoming air regulations will soon impose limits on the emissions of multiple air pollutants. A new report done by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) reveals how energy efficiency can be used by states, policymakers, and utilities developing compliance strategies to meet the goals of federal air regulations. The report, “Energy Efficiency: The Slip Switch to a New Track Toward Compliance with ... [continue reading]
A recent report by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) suggests the possibility. Re-invented with today’s smart energy technologies, energy efficiency could displace 40 to 60 percent of our total energy needs by the year 2050, according to The Long-Term Energy Efficiency Potential: What the Evidence Suggests. [continue reading]
