SAVE MONEY SAVE ENERGY

Home Energy Saving Tips
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Here are some tips to help you save energy, save money and do your part for the environment.


Try these easy, low-cost or no-cost energy saving tips.

See how easy it is to save energy and money. Watch these energy saving tips featuring Shell Busey.



Furnace
Keep your furnace clean, lubricated and properly adjusted with annual maintenance. If your furnace is working at peak efficiency it will use less energy and cost less to operate.
Clean or replace the filter every 1-2 months - a dirty filter reduces the airflow and forces the furnace to run longer to heat your home.
Consider purchasing a new ENERGY STAR® qualified furnace with a variable speed motor. An average home can save up to $543 in natural gas and electrical costs annually when upgrading from a standard 60% efficiency natural gas furnace to a 95% efficiency furnace with a high efficiency variable speed motor.

Click here to see a video on how to change your furnace filter

Thermostat
Lower your thermostat by 4 - 5 degrees Celsius (7 - 9 degrees Fahrenheit) while you're sleeping at night and when no one is at home.
Install a programmable thermostat. You can save 2% on your heating bill for every 1 degree C you turn down your thermostat. With a programmable thermostat to consistently lower your heat when you don’t need it, you could save up to $65 a year!

Laundry
Switch to cold when doing your laundry. 85 – 90% of the energy used to wash your clothes is used to heat the water. By turning the dial to cold on your washing machine, you help the environment, save energy, and save money.
Wash full loads.
Choose a front loading washing machine. Not only does a front loading washing machine save water, it saves energy as well. It uses about 40% less water and about 50% less energy.

Weather-stripping
Weather-stripping provides a barrier between the fixed and movable sections of doors and windows. Apply weather-stripping to operable windows, exterior doors, garage doors, and doors that lead to the attic.
Click here to see a video on how to apply weather-stripping to exterior doors

Windows, doorframes, sills and joints
Apply a sealant or caulk around windows, doorframes, sills and joints. On a windy day feel for leaks or use a couple of incense sticks to help identify leaks around windows, electrical outlets, vents and exterior doors. As well look for spider webs - if there is a web there is a draft.
Use plastic window covers to help prevent heat loss.
Keep return air grills and heating vents clear of furniture, rugs and drapes, so there is no interference with the flow of heat through your home.
Click here to see a video on how to apply caulking to windows and doors
Click here to see a video on how to apply shrink film to windows

Basement
If you have an unfinished basement or crawlspace, check for leaks by looking for spider webs. If there is a web, there is a draft. A large amount of heat is also lost from an un-insulated basement.
Add insulation to basement walls.

Drapes & Blinds
On sunny days, open south facing drapes and let the sun in, a natural source of heat. If you have large windows that don't receive direct sun, keep the drapes closed.
Close your drapes and blinds during the night.

Pipes, ducts, fans and vents
Plug gaps around pipes, ducts, fans and vents that go through walls, ceilings and floors from heated to unheated spaces.


Showerheads and faucets
Install low-flow showerheads and faucets.
Click here to see a video on how to install a low-flow showerhead
Click here to see a video on how to install a Water Wizard ™

Dishwasher
Always wash a full load in your dishwasher and air-dry your dishes on the “energy saver” setting.

Garage
Turn on the heat just prior to use, save by not heating it continuously.

Wood Fireplace
Close the damper to prevent warm air from escaping through the chimney, and ensure the damper fits properly.

Other
Use the Equalized Payment Plan so you can average your bills and avoid peak winter bills.

ENERGY EFFICENT HOUSE

CONSERVE HOUSE ENERGY
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With energy costs rising significantly, interest in energy efficient house plans has risen, too. But what exactly comprises an energy efficient home design?

The most important factor in an energy efficient house plan is the "building envelope." This consists of a home's foundation, walls, roof, windows, and doors. The building envelope not only protects you and your family, but it also helps regulate the indoor environment, and controls the flow of energy between the home's interior and exterior. So your choice of walls, roof, windows, and doors is critical to having an energy efficient home.

Much of an energy efficient home design depends on your goals and your budget. Some people want an ultra-energy efficient home that collects solar energy, uses geothermal heating and cooling, and other technologies--all of which add (sometimes significant) cost to building a home. Those technologies are great, and if you have the budget, we encourage you to learn more about them and invest in them. Our site contains lots of good information about these technologies.

Other people are willing to sacrifice a "normal" looking home and build a dome or other house design that takes advantage of every bit of solar and interior energy.

However, you needn't break the bank OR have an odd-looking home in order to have an energy efficient home. Following are simple, low cost things to look for in energy efficient house plans:

Wall construction and materials
Added insulation
Energy efficient windows
EnergyStar-certified heating and cooling equipment

When choosing your appliances and lighting and plumbing fixtures, definitely look at the many options now available for energy efficient versions, too. Consider an on-demand water heater to greatly reduce the energy costs versus a typical hot water heater.

Don't Overspend on a House Plan



Learn more here.


Another Low-Cost, Low-Hassle Strategy: Passive Solar
Designers (like us!) can customize the location of windows and walls to maximize solar gain in the winter. Then, for maximum cooling in the summer, energy efficient house plans can incorporate awnings, porches, and trees to shade windows and roofs.
In addition, an energy efficient home designer can incorporate thoughtful window placement to provide more natural light during the day to reduce the need for electric lighting.

For people in warm climates, energy efficient house plans can adjust the amount of overhang on your roof and soffit. This simple design technique can greatly minimize the daytime heating by the sun, yet not obstruct the pleasant light that the sun provides during the day.

BASIC IDEAS OF GREEN BUILDING

The Basics Of Green Building
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Despite more awareness about green building, there is still a lot of confusion about exactly what green building is. For most experts, there are five main characteristics that define it:


Having an environmentally friendly site selection or "footprint." Some of the factors involved are orientation of the house to maximize natural sunlight for heat and light, as well as shade for cooling. As a result, the home's furnace and air conditioning don't have to work as hard to maintain a comfortable house. Another goal is making a minimal impact on the area in which the house is built. Forget clear-cutting the entire lot; take down only the trees and bushes that would interfere with construction. The remaining trees can help cool the house in the summer and act as a windbreak in the winter. And locating the home near shopping and other services will keep the amount of driving down — a win for the entire environment.

Using energy efficient designs and materials while building a "tighter" home to prevent HVAC loss. The use of sunlight and shade for heating and cooling is as old as mankind, but there are designs and materials specifically designed to keep the house nearly air-tight. With less outside air infiltrating the home, the indoor climate is much easier to control. LED lights use a fraction of regular incandescent bulbs, while Energy Star appliances are certified to meet strict guidelines about how much electricity they require to operate.
Because higher insulation standards and Energy-Star-compliant appliances have evolved over the last few decades, energy efficiency is often the first place builders start when going green. "Energy efficiency is certainly some of the low hanging fruit," says Brian Gitt, executive director of Build It Green, a non-profit, third-party green building education and certification group in Berkeley, Calif.


Reducing a home's water consumption through low-flow fixtures. It's true that the earliest low-flow plumbing fixtures caused problems for some homeowners, but today's versions are as good — if not better — than the old water hogs. One technology is the incorporation of air into the process; the result is a low-flow shower that feels just as strong as the one using much more water.

Promoting a healthy indoor air environment. Yes, air-tight houses are critical to energy efficiency, but an unwelcome result is indoor air quality that is five times more polluted than the air outdoors. Green builders often use some kind of fresh-air ventilation to exhaust the stale indoor air to the outside, bring in fresh air and conserve energy.

Emphasizing material conservation and waste reduction while using sustainable products in design and construction. Engineers in the building-materials business have designed all kinds of products to save lumber by using optimal value engineered (OVE) joists and beams that require minimal trimming and boring for mechanical runs. Green builders can go as far as recycling job-site waste and using it for mulch in the newly planted yard.

GREEN BUILDING MATERIALS

Green Building Materials INTRODUCTION
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What is a green building product or material?
Green building material/product selection criteria
Three basic steps of product selection
Review of construction projects using sustainable materials
Product Directories
Introduction
The concept of sustainable building incorporates and integrates a variety of strategies during the design, construction and operation of building projects. The use of green building materials and products represents one important strategy in the design of a building.

Green building materials offer specific benefits to the building owner and building occupants:

Reduced maintenance/replacement costs over the life of the building.
Energy conservation.
Improved occupant health and productivity.
Lower costs associated with changing space configurations.
Greater design flexibility.
Building and construction activities worldwide consume 3 billion tons of raw materials each year or 40 percent of total global use (Roodman and Lenssen, 1995). Using green building materials and products promotes conservation of dwindling nonrenewable resources internationally. In addition, integrating green building materials into building projects can help reduce the environmental impacts associated with the extraction, transport, processing, fabrication, installation, reuse, recycling, and disposal of these building industry source materials.

What is a green building product or material?
Green building materials are composed of renewable, rather than nonrenewable resources. Green materials are environmentally responsible because impacts are considered over the life of the product (Spiegel and Meadows, 1999). Depending upon project-specific goals, an assessment of green materials may involve an evaluation of one or more of the criteria listed below.

Green building material/product selection criteria
This information was based on Lynn Froeschle's article, "Environmental Assessment and Specification of Green Building Materials" (Adobe PDF, 1.4 MB), in the October 1999 issue of The Construction Specifier, a publication for members of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI). Selection criteria similar to what is presented below was also used for the East End Project as identified in the Review of Construction Projects Using Sustainable Materials.

Overall material/product selection criteria:

Resource efficiency
Indoor air quality
Energy efficiency
Water conservation
Affordability
Resource Efficiency can be accomplished by utilizing materials that meet the following criteria:

Recycled Content: Products with identifiable recycled content, including postindustrial content with a preference for postconsumer content.
Natural, plentiful or renewable: Materials harvested from sustainably managed sources and preferably have an independent certification (e.g., certified wood) and are certified by an independent third party.
Resource efficient manufacturing process: Products manufactured with resource-efficient processes including reducing energy consumption, minimizing waste (recycled, recyclable and or source reduced product packaging), and reducing greenhouse gases.
Locally available: Building materials, components, and systems found locally or regionally saving energy and resources in transportation to the project site.
Salvaged, refurbished, or remanufactured: Includes saving a material from disposal and renovating, repairing, restoring, or generally improving the appearance, performance, quality, functionality, or value of a product.
Reusable or recyclable: Select materials that can be easily dismantled and reused or recycled at the end of their useful life.
Recycled or recyclable product packaging: Products enclosed in recycled content or recyclable packaging.
Durable: Materials that are longer lasting or are comparable to conventional products with long life expectancies.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is enhanced by utilizing materials that meet the following criteria:

Low or non-toxic: Materials that emit few or no carcinogens, reproductive toxicants, or irritants as demonstrated by the manufacturer through appropriate testing.
Minimal chemical emissions: Products that have minimal emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Products that also maximize resource and energy efficiency while reducing chemical emissions.
Low-VOC assembly: Materials installed with minimal VOC-producing compounds, or no-VOC mechanical attachment methods and minimal hazards.
Moisture resistant: Products and systems that resist moisture or inhibit the growth of biological contaminants in buildings.
Healthfully maintained: Materials, components, and systems that require only simple, non-toxic, or low-VOC methods of cleaning.
Systems or equipment: Products that promote healthy IAQ by identifying indoor air pollutants or enhancing the air quality.
Energy Efficiency can be maximized by utilizing materials and systems that meet the following criteria:

Materials, components, and systems that help reduce energy consumption in buildings and facilities. (See Green Building Basics for more information.)
Water Conservation can be obtained by utilizing materials and systems that meet the following criteria:

Products and systems that help reduce water consumption in buildings and conserve water in landscaped areas. (See Green Building Basics for more information.)
Affordability can be considered when building product life-cycle costs are comparable to conventional materials or as a whole, are within a project-defined percentage of the overall budget. (See Environmental and Economic Assessment Tools for links to resources.)

Three basic steps of product selection
Product selection can begin after the establishment of project-specific environmental goals. The environmental assessment process for building products involves three basic steps. (Froeschle, 1999)

Research
Evaluation
Selection

HOW TO TURN OLD BUILDINGS INTO GREEN

GREEN & SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS
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Green building had has just hit the world. Majority of new buildings are being conceived with green concepts now. It is very simple and easy to plan a green building when you are conceiving it but immense potential exists waiting to be tapped in case of old buildings. It is very clear that you can not bring about comprehensive changes in to the existing buildings but you can certainly tweak around a little wee bit to get appreciable savings. Let me first explain as what makes a building green. Is living green just a fad or it is some thing more than that.

A green building is expected to


Use maximum natural resources like air, sun, natural light, waste heat, atmospheric heat.
Minimize on the wastage like water, effluents, heat, solids from the building.
Use gadgets which economize on energy efficiency.

Whole world has awoken to the concept of green buildings. But, in case of existing buildings, very little is being done. Some of the existing buildings have been so designed that they practically guzzle up lots of fuel and electricity with scant attention being paid to avoid any wastage. But its common senses that every building on this planet can contribute its bit towards conservation of depleting natural resources. The list below is an indicative one and is not exhaustive.

Existing buildings which are being considered for conversion to green can be divided in to two groups, one with minor changes and the other with major changes.

Minor changes:


Saving water: Call your plumber or check for yourself all the taps and pipes for leakages. A single leaking tap can per day waste enough water which can meet the complete daily requirement of at least two - three persons.
Check all your flushing cisterns. Be sure that no leakages are taking place. Replace valves if need be.
Carryout water audit of your building. In case you are not sure please call experts who will be able to provide you with deeper insights.
Separate out the waste water from toilets and the other from bathrooms and kitchen. While waste water from toilets can be used only after treatment but the discharge from bathrooms, Reverse Osmosis plant and kitchen can be used for gardening, car washing etc after little bit of filtration.
Saving power: Install capacitors to improve power factor. If you are not sure then seek advice from experts. Replace all incandescent lamps with energy efficient Compact Florescent Lamps.
If found appropriate, go for task based lighting instead of general lighting to conserve power.
Lighting for common areas and compounds should be timer controlled.
Intelligently program your lifts to optimize and conserve electricity.
Install proximity switches for board and conference rooms. These switches sense the human presence and if area is not inhabited for considerable period of time, the power simply goes off.

Major changes


Major changes may relate to placing solar thermal and solar photovoltaic systems. Solar thermal for heating purposes and photovoltaic systems for trapping solar energy in to storage batteries. Solar panels which generate electricity comes in various ratings of 6, 10, 12, 37, 70,100,160 and even higher watts. These can be combined in parallel to have much larger banks which can provide many kilowatts of electricity. The power so generated can be fed in to the grids or can be stored in battery for future use.
Solar collectors which form part of solar thermal systems can be used in preheating and heating of the water. These come in various sizes based on capacity of water they are expected to handle.
Building integrated photovoltaic systems can be installed on many of the existing buildings. However a detailed study of the building is necessary to ascertain whether the installed solar panels will get proper orientation so that they always face towards the sun.

There are many suggestions which can come out after one goes for energy, safety and water audit etc.

GREEN SUSTAINABLE BUILDING

What is a green or sustainable building?
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A green or sustainable building is a building that can maintain or improve:

the quality of life and harmonize within the local climate, tradition, culture,
the environment in the region,
conserve energy, resources and recycling materials,
reduce the amount hazardous substances to which human and other organisms are (or may be) exposed and
the local and global ecosystem throughout the entire building life-cycle

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Definitions of Green building on the Web:
A sustainable building, or green building is an outcome of a design philosophy which focuses on increasing the efficiency of resource use — energy, water, and materials — while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building's lifecycle, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal.[1] Though green building is interpreted in many different ways, a common view is that they should be designed and operated to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by (a) Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources, (b) Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity, and (c) Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_building

A building designed to be ecologically correct by using resources efficiently, using internal recycling, renewable energy sources, recyclable or biodegradable construction materials, and blending in with the local environment, particularly in out-of-town locations. The aims are to reduce to a minimum the environmental impact, and to take human health factors into consideration.
Source: en.wiktionary.org/wiki/green_building

A comprehensive process of design and construction that employs techniques to minimize adverse environmental impacts and reduce the energy consumption of a building, while contributing to the health and productivity of its occupants.
Source: www.smith.edu/physplant/greenteam/glossary.php

A movement in architectural and building circles aimed at creating structures that are occupant and environmentally friendly. Criteria such as sustainability, energy efficiency and healthfulness are considered.
Source: www.windowanddoor.com/article/resource/industry-glossary

Green or sustainable building is the practice of creating healthier and more resource-efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance, and demolition.
Source: www.newpaltz.edu/green/definitions.html
A

property designated as holding particular status as “environmentally friendly”. The term “sustainable” is often applied interchangeably with the green building designation. Sustainable design refers to such characteristics as a lowering of demands on the environment as a result of certain building characteristics: Low energy usage; reduced water usage; carbon neutral (i.e. no carbon dioxide emissions result from property operations – either directly, or indirectly).

No generally accepted standard has yet been established defining what specifically is required to attain green building status. Several factors are defined under the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership In Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program which awards ratings (silver, gold, and platinum) under its format, but no clear definition of “Green” has been established to inform which characteristics must be included in a property to qualify for the definition. Instead there is a relatively substantial list of possible elements which can contribute to a development receiving “Green” designation:

Conversion of a prior Brownfields site.
Building site positioning to take advantage of energy efficiencies.
Materials selection – Sensitivity to indoor air quality conditions; avoidance of use of volatile, organic compounds.
Use of renewable energy sources – Solar electric; wind generated electric; geothermal, or solar thermal, heating.
Carbon neutral – the property’s operations will not result in carbon dioxide emissions released into the atmosphere, either incurred directly by the building, or indirectly by suppliers of energy to the building.
Energy efficiency – Materials providing isolative qualities in roofing, walls, windows, or energy absorption in extreme climates; reflective coatings in warm climates.
Sharing of parking structures with other uses (i.e. as in a mixed-use development).
Low energy usage – High SEER rated air conditioning; energy efficient lighting, and appliances.
Building Design – Making use of daylight to illuminate interiors; use of natural ventilation.
Water Use Reduction – Rainwater retention systems; drought-tolerant plantings; low water usage showerheads and toilets.
Public Transportation Proximity – Public transit-served locations allowing residents to travel by public transportation to and from their occupation or entertainment venues without need for automobile travel.
While it is expected that a generally accepted Green definition will evolve, currently green-building status is more frequently conferred by municipalities under locally defined guidelines.

ENERGY FOR GREEN ENVIRONMENT

Convert Your Home To Green Energy

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With all the advances in green energy technology, it is easier than ever to start converting your home into a green energy home. A green energy home utilizes renewable resources to provide electricity, hot water, heat and peace of mind.
There are several ways to implement your green energy home plan. The first is solar energy. In a green energy home you can install solar hot water panels which heat and store water for use and you can install solar panels, which use photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity. These systems can be pricing if purchasing them and having them installed by a professional, but there are many great resources available to build your own solar panels and solar hot water systems that can reduce the cost greatly.

If you are just building your home, a great way to make it a green energy home is to implement passive solar design during construction. This means taking advantage of south facing sides of the house for heating and cooling. By installing lots of highly efficient windows and heat retaining bricks and stone on your south facing areas, you are taking advantage of passive solar techniques to develop your green energy home.

Another addition to the green energy home would be a windmill. Windmills are used to generate electricity from the renewable resource wind. Windmills can be installed on rooftops or in yards and offer pollution free electric. Windmills can be purchased from retailers or there are a wide variety of affordable kits available for the motivated do-it-yourselfers to handle the implementation of their own green energy home plans.

If you have a stream on your property, you may also add to the efficiency of your green energy home with hydroelectric power. This is also a great pollution free option that is easy to maintain and works as long as there is water available.

The ultimate green energy home would combine all of these resources. By using wind, water and solar to generate electricity you are looking not only at huge savings and possible profits from your electricity usage, but you would truly be green as each of these options contributes little to global warming. To further combine passive solar design and solar hot water systems, you are reducing your energy needs exponentially and truly living the dream of going green.

A green energy home doesn't require more maintenance than traditional homes. Solar technologies require little to no maintenance and wind and water turbines require only regular oiling for peak performance. There is no better time to create your green energy home and start living your dreams in green.