Home Appliances – Energy Consumption vs. Conservation

Refrigerator/Freezer According to the EIA, U.S. residential, commercial and industrial customers consume 25 percent of the electricity generated worldwide, with more than 30 percent of that consumption, or 1.14 trillion kWh, used in homes. This seemingly high level of energy consumption in the residential sector can be attributed to the energy required to operate home appliances. Even though the...

Lowering Heating Bills – A Simple Proposition

With the continued increase in costs to heat homes in the winter and mounting financial pressure to make ends meet, homeowners are challenged to afford the comfort of an optimally heated home. This article identifies a number of simple and relatively inexpensive actions that can result in lower heating bills. Ceiling Fans Ceiling Fan Be sure to establish the fan’s direction in the clockwise...

Energy Star – Promoting Energy Conservation

Energy Star Label The Energy Star program, currently covering over 50 product categories, was started by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1992. As currently positioned in the market, the Energy Star label highlights those products that are more energy efficient than other products in the same category. Most commonly found on appliances, the label can now be found on roofing materials...

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

In 1998 the U.S. Green Building Council developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program which has evolved into the authority for establishing green building requirements for new construction and older homes, and for certifying new homes. In so doing, LEED drives the regulations to ensure that new construction is healthy and durable for both the occupants and...

Solar Powered Refrigerators

Solar power, often referred to as photovoltaics, is gaining traction as part of the overall energy efficiency solution. Applications range from powering our homes to charging cell phones and radios; and recent technological developments suggest that widespread production of solar powered automobiles will soon be a reality. Along these same lines, tremendous strides have been taken in applying...

Energy Efficiency and Environmental Stewardship – Getting Started

The myth that living “green” is expensive is certainly substantiated by the seemingly higher costs for health foods, LED light bulbs, and solar panels. However, there are myriad ways to save money and improve the environmental impact of our day-to-day lives. Home Applications to Save the Environment Homeowners can decrease the carbon footprint and lower their energy bill by simply using...

Green Homes – Environmentally Friendly / Energy Efficient

Figure 1-Improved Insulation The concept of an environmentally friendly home, oftentimes referred to as a “green” home, has gained momentum since the turn of the 21st century. Though attention to “green” technologies tends to gravitate towards the more attractive solutions such as harnessing wind power or installing solar panels on our roofs, the actions related to making our homes...

Demand Response-Opportunity and Value

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 specified that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) determine the potential for demand response defined as: The ability for customers to change their electrical usage based on changes to price of electricity or in response to incentive payment programs, designed to encourage use of electricity during periods of lower demand. The desired...

ABCs of Energy Efficiency

Simple Measures to Improve Energy Efficiency There are two actions that, with relatively low levels of investment and virtually no intrusion into one’s habits and lifestyle, can have a dramatic impact on the energy efficiency of a home: Air sealing, often referred to as “plugging”, improves the overall energy efficiency of a home and represents one of the more important actions in...

Reducing Home Energy Consumption

By simply cleaning and performing minor maintenance tasks homeowners can significantly improve energy efficiency and realize savings on their energy bills. For example: Cleaning refrigerator coils and removing sediment around the water heater tank will ensure these major appliances operate at maximum efficiency, and Proper insulation in the attic will prevent ice dams from forming on the roof...