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More than half of the states in the nation have created programs to increase the energy efficiency of homes through a comprehensive approach that looks at all opportunities to save energy, from insulation to upgrading heating and cooling systems. When taxpayer and ratepayer dollars are used, it is essential that these programs are reviewed with a cost-effectiveness test that provides policymakers with adequate knowledge about the programs’ effectiveness. Unfortunately, in many states, the testing ... [continue reading]
On a recent vacation to Southern Florida I spent time in a sun-baked lanai fixing my father’s cable television. As I melted, I couldn’t help but wonder how hard the air conditioner had to run to keep the indoor temperatures tolerable. It was so warm inside it led me to do some research on methods to increase his home’s energy efficiency without spending too much money. What I found ... [continue reading]
As hard as it seems to believe, Thanksgiving is in less than a week! And while there is likely no meal that can top the spread of a Thanksgiving feast, there is also likely no other smorgasbord that consumes quite the amount of energy that a Thanksgiving dinner does. And, unfortunately, when you multiply that across the households of the U.S., even though it’s just one meal on one day, the energy ... [continue reading]
If you buy electronics from Best Buy, you can rely on their Geek Squad to come to your home and help you should those electronics have a problem. But now, the Geek Squad is going one step further and offering home energy audits to its customers. [continue reading]
The California-based nonprofit, Build It Green recently announced a huge milestone: 10,000 single- and multi-family homes will receive the organization's GreenPoint Rated label by the end of 2011. [continue reading]
Let’s be real — as a species we are obsessed with technology. Everybody reading this post can name at least a dozen people who would be at a loss without their iPhone, Blackberry, PC, Mac, Twitter or Facebook account. [continue reading]
Residential outdoor water use in the United States accounts for more than 7 billion gallons of water each day, mainly for landscape irrigation. Experts estimate that as much as 50% of this water is wasted due to overwatering caused by inefficiencies in irrigation methods and systems. Existing irrigation control technologies can significantly reduce overwatering by applying water only when plants need it. [continue reading]
My sister recently participated in the Maryland Home Performance with Energy Star program, sponsored by the Maryland Energy Office and five local utilities. Here's what she had to say about her experience: (Yeah Maryland!) [continue reading]
When Home Energy Pros turned 1, it was galloping. [continue reading]
Current standards for U.S. offices require approximately 8 liters per second (L/s) of outdoor air ventilation per person. Providing twice as much ventilation would reduce sick building syndrome symptoms (SBS) and absences, improve work performance, and provide billions of dollars in annual economic benefits in the U.S., according to a recent study from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. [continue reading]
