Green Roofs are Energy Efficient and Environmentally Clean

Long-Term Cost Savings Green Roofs: Energy Efficient and Environmentally Clean A green roof is one that can sustain living vegetation, yet still protect a building from the elements. The initial costs of installing a green roof are higher than more traditional roofing methods. However, the long-term benefits of a green roof produce savings and have the added benefit of protecting the environment....

Time of Use Electricity Rates

There are a growing number of U.S. electric utilities that offer time-of-use rates where the rates for using electric energy will vary by the time of day, the day of the week and/or by the season. Varying frameworks and criteria based on regional and utility-specific considerations are used to design these programs to encourage more desirable usage patterns and especially to reduce electricity...

Geothermal Heat Pumps Have Lower Lifecycle Costs

Geothermal Heat Pump Qualified geothermal heat pumps have traditionally used 30 percent less energy than standard heat pumps, but with the recently developed ENERGYSTAR specification that went into effect in December 2009 the efficiency should improve to 45 percent. Though more expensive to purchase than standard options, the difference will most assuredly by paid back over time through reduced...

Engaging Customers in Energy Efficiency

Improved Energy Efficiency Requires Changes in Customer Behavior Energy Efficiency: LED Light “Training” residential customers to change their behavior with respect to electricity consumption remains a major challenge to the electric industry in its efforts to achieve goals related to improving energy efficiency and reducing peak load demand. Technology advancements are just beginning to...

Smart Grid or Smart Meters?

Is Installing Smart Meters Smart? Smart Meter There is tremendous momentum driving the installation of Smart Meters across the U.S. as well as other international markets (e.g. Victoria in Australia, New Zealand and China). State laws (e.g. Pennsylvania Act 129 signed in October 2008) have been enacted to compel electric utilities to develop smart meter based solutions to support energy...

Smart Grid and AMI – Leading to Smart Appliances

As advanced metering installations are developing throughout the U.S., industry attention is now shifting to understanding and encouraging the actions and technologies necessary for customers to capture the promised benefits of Smart Grid and AMI. This customer focus will logically include the system’s ability to communicate with numerous household appliances. Like many of the challenges...