California's Buildings Waste Huge Amounts of Energy, Study Says
Commercial buildings are responsible for 37 percent of California’s energy needs, according to a new report by Next 10.
Database Compiles Green Computing Incentives from Utilities
Software company Computer Lab Solutions has developed a database of incentives that utilities offer for green computing programs.
Kohl’s, Office Depot Add More Energy Efficient Stores
Continuing on their path to save energy and cut costs at their retail stores, Kohl’s Department Stores and Office Depot have recently added to their portfolio of energy-efficient stores.
California Attorney General Sues Fannie and Freddie
Take that, mortgage giants! California Attorney General (and gubernatorial candidate) Jerry Brown has filed a lawsuit against Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for blocking clean power financing programs known as Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE).
First Public EV Charging Station Opens in NYC
Coulomb Technologies installed its first charging station in New York that the public can use to recharge electric vehicles.
Photo by Alfonso Jimenez
With 4th of July celebrations upon us-as well as the summer heat-no one wants their energy bills to rise with the temperature. Now is the time to think about how to manage your home energy use effectively, practically, AND economically. So, to coincide with our nation celebrating its independence, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ENERGY STAR® program is bringing you cooling tips for every budget.
Cooling Tips for Every Budget
Staying cool this summer doesn't have to mean cranking up the AC and spending a lot of money. A typical household spends almost 20 percent of its utility bill on cooling. EPA's ENERGY STAR program has some low-to-no cost energy-saving tips to beat the heat and save money, too.
No-Cost
- Program your thermostat to work around your family's summer schedule-set it a few degrees higher when no one is home, so your cooling system isn't cooling an empty house. With proper use, programmable thermostats can save you about $180 every year in energy costs.
- Check your HVAC system's air filter every month. If the filter looks dirty, change it, but change the filter at least every 3 months. A dirty filter will slow air flow and make the system work harder to keep you cool-wasting energy.
- Run your ceiling fan to create a cool breeze. If you raise your thermostat by only two degrees and use your ceiling fan, you can lower cooling costs by up to 14 percent. Remember that ceiling fans cool you, not the room, so when you leave the room make sure to turn off the fan.
- Close the curtains and shades before you leave your home, to keep the sun's rays from overheating the interior of your home. If you can, move container trees and plants in front of sun-exposed windows to act as shade.
Low-Cost
- Remember to have your HVAC system serviced annually to ensure it's running at optimum efficiency for money and energy savings.
- Swap out incandescent bulbs with more energy-efficient lighting choices-ENERGY STAR qualified lighting not only uses less energy, it also produces about 75 percent less heat than incandescent lighting, so cooling bills will be reduced, too.
- Seal your ducts. As much as 20 percent of the air moving through your home's duct system is lost due to leaks and poor connections. Seal duct work using mastic sealant or metal tape and insulate all the ducts that you can access (such as those in attics, crawlspaces, unfinished basements, and garages).
- Make sure that connections at vents and registers are well-sealed where they meet your floors, walls, and ceilings. These are common locations to find leaks and disconnected ductwork.
Medium-to-Higher Cost
- When buying a room AC unit, look for one that has earned EPA's ENERGY STAR. If every room air conditioner in the U.S. were ENERGY STAR qualified, they would prevent 900 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions annually-equivalent to the emissions from 80,000 cars.
- Add insulation to your attic to keep cool air in-if every American household did so, we'd collectively save more than $1.8 billion in yearly energy costs.
- Hire a contractor to seal and insulate the interior ductwork in your home (the ducts you can't reach yourself). For help on choosing the right contractor, go to www.energystar.gov/homeimprovement.
- If your central AC unit is more than 12 years old, replacing it with a model that has earned EPA's ENERGY STAR could cut your cooling costs by 30 percent.
For more information about keeping cool and comfortable while saving money this season, visit www.energystar.gov.
Here are some of the top energy management headlines from the last 72 hours.
Using the Sun to Cool Office Buildings
Under the blazing sun in Dubai, the newly expanded offices of one business are keeping cool with an environmentally friendly technology powered by ... the heat of the sun.
Wells Fargo Office Tower Saves 5 Million kWh Annually
Wells Fargo's new office tower has earned the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Platinum certification. The financial services company says it is the first and tallest office tower to receive the highest level of certification.
EPA Swings Open Doors of ENERGY STAR for Data Centers
The most energy efficient data centers can finally join electronics, home appliances, and buildings in seeking the government's ENERGY STAR label.
DOE Halts Sales of Inefficient Heat Pumps and Air Conditioners
DOE has ordered Aspen Manufacturing, Summit Manufacturing; and Advanced Distributor Products to halt the distribution of 61 models of heat pumps and one air conditioner model that do not comply with federal energy conservation standards.
Energy Storage and the Demise of Gasoline
Whether we like it or not, the most efficient energy storage technology available today is petroleum. New energy storage technologies may change this.
Photo by S J Pinkney
There are hundreds (if not thousands) of websites devoted to energy efficiency and sustainability. But who has time to read them all? You don't. We like to focus on what really matters. So twice each week, Prenova brings you five energy management stories we think you'll find interesting.
New Study Explores Value of 'Recycling' Old Buildings
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Cascadia Green Building Council, and the Green Building Services sustainable development consultancy have launched a study project to quantify the economic and environmental value of reusing existing buildings.
The Oil Industry's Plan to Survive the Gulf of Mexico Spill
You name the oil company, they're leaving the Gulf.
Energy Efficiency Investment Remains Strong Despite Downturn
Investment in energy efficiency remained high last year despite the economic downturn, according to a survey conducted by Johnson Controls. Meanwhile, the Financial Times reports that financial institutions in particular are beginning to see the value of investments in energy efficiency.
ENERGY STAR Announces New Measures to Enforce Energy Efficiency Compliance
The famous blue and white logo of the ENERGY STAR program, jointly run by the U.S. Department of Energy and Environment Protection Agency, has lost some of its luster thanks to a few high-profile manufacturers who failed to comply with the program's energy efficiency guidelines.
How Should Regulators Encourage Energy Efficiency?
Finding the right regulatory framework to reward investor-owned utilities for energy efficiency has been a holy grail in the electricity business. Would any successful organization be excited about selling less of its product?
Photo by chrissatchwell