Category Archives: Conservation & Efficiency

Cambridge Energy Alliance on NOW

Posted on by
Reply

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhYwgx449Nk

This PBS NOW show from last year is still an interesting watch for those interested in the Cambridge Energy Alliance’s model for immediate, real-world energy savings with proven, here-and-now tools and technologies. The folks at Warm Home Cool Planet always enjoy cutaway clips of our fair city: the show contains the following unattributed fun factoids and figures:

  • Cambridge is one of the greenest city in the country
    (according to POPSCI.COM we’re actually number 6, after Boston at 5.)
  • 80% of Cambridge’s carbon footprint comes from buildings
  • 25% of Cantabridgians walk to work
  • Cambridge is replacing its streetlights with LED-based models

Energy Efficient also means Energy Safe

Posted on by
Reply

Have you noticed it’s been a little chilly recently? Here in Cambridge, the famous Charles River has frozen solid. At Warm Home Cool Planet headquarters, we seem to have spent the last two months with either an ice chipper or a snow shovel in our hands. Of course, there is also the monthly ‘surprise’ of our heating bill.

It’s big.

Anyone who hasn’t pulled in a Wall Street bonus this month might be tempted to try some ‘alternative’ heating methods in their home–leaving the oven door open or small space heater with the door closed–to save a few bucks. This clip from a TV station in Wisconsin (we hear it’s cold there too) reminds us why that could end up costing you so much more.

We also recommend this article from the Department of Energy on guidelines for safe use of portable space heaters.

A friendly reminder from Forbes Magazine

Posted on by
Reply

You know when they are publishing energy saving tips for the financial bigwigs who read Forbes, things are getting serious. we encourage you to read the whole list, but number 3 struck us as particularly noteworthy:

3. Switch off phantom power. Plug any electronic equipment and appliances with clocks or timers into power strips you can conveniently turn off. As much as 75 percent of electricity used by home electronics is consumed when devices are (supposedly) turned off. Look for the Energy Star logo and choose the most efficient model you can when buying new appliances.

Energy Rebates by the Square Foot

Posted on by
Reply

The details of an interesting program to encourage energy efficiency in Utah just crossed our desk here at Warm Home Cool Planet.

The Energy Services Efficiency Program… eases the financial burden of making large changes that lower the energy load on the power grid, such as better insulation, more efficient air conditioning systems and improved swimming pool pumps.The rebates could pay more than $500 for improved attic insulation, $350 for a new air conditioning unit and up to $125 for a better swimming pool pump.

Warm Home Cool Planet supports this idea because it achieves two things. It ties the reduction of energy use in each house to specific improvements, and it helps the homeowner make the capital investment in what are becoming tough times for all. Looking at the photo below, it seem like the folks in Utah are getting with the program too:

bilde-3

Larry Morrison, also with Morrison Insulation, said when he learned about such rebates last year, he started alerting all of his customers to the possible benefits. He said it costs about 50 cents per square foot for a typical installation, while rebate programs would reimburse for 35 cents per square foot – as both the St. George and Questar programs do.

31 Billion Down Payment On New Energy Future Passes Senate

Posted on by
Reply

PVA Array

As part of the Obama administration’s Economic Recovery Plan, the Senate Finance Committee today passed 31 billion in tax breaks and other incentives to boost alternative  supplies and promote energy savings. Warm Home Cool Planet feels this is a step in the right direction.

When compared to the estimated 97 to 215 billion spent per year in military expenses needed to secure oil and natural gas reserves around the globe, though, that 31 billion seems more modest. Some of the things the money will go toward include:

  • Doubling the number of plug-in electric vehicles eligible for a purchaser’s tax credit to 500,000.
  • Increase the tax credit for service stations that install pumps that dispense alternative energy fuels.
  • Give homeowners a tax credit equal to 30 percent (capped at $1,500) of the amount they paid for energy savings improvements.
  • Authorize $1.6 billion in new clean renewable energy bonds to finance facilities that generate electricity from wind, biomass, geothermal, small irrigation, hydropower, landfill gas, ocean currents and trash burning.
  • Allow states to issue $2.4 billion in conservation tax credit bonds to finance loans and grants to individual homeowners to retrofit existing housing.
  • Provide individuals with a 30 percent uncapped tax credit for buying solar water heating property, small wind energy property and geothermal heat pumps.

The Democratic-controlled Congress hopes to work out differences between the Senate and House economic stimulus bills and have a final package on Obama’s desk for his signature into law by February 16.

Is your home R-Rated?

Posted on by
Reply

The accepted wisdom is at least 50% of the energy used in our homes is for heating and cooling. That is particularly true for residents in the North-East Corridor and the Midwest, who routinely shiver through winter and swelter throughout the summer months.

The Department of Energy says every house has an R-value, which is your home’s built-in effectiveness at retaining the heat generated within your home. They have even provided a calculator that recommends various  insulation improvements to reduce the effect of climatic changes outside your four walls.

Warm Home Cool Planet input their data and found the results…  a little confusing. Try it yourself though.

To find out more about R-values, you’ll find this explanation enlightening. Particularly the part  explaining why simply putting more insulation in your walls won’t cut your energy bills by 50%.

For those Warm Home Cool Planet readers who passed high-school physics, this Wikipedia stub on thermal resistance makes useful reading before starting an energy-efficient renovation.

The First Mention Ever

Posted on by
Reply

Sent to us by a reader:

‘I just checked, and Barack Obama’s inaugural address was the first one to mention the role renewable energy will play in our future economic prosperity.”

Since Warm Home Cool Planet is a little too busy keeping our audience updated on all things energy efficient , we’re going to take your word for it, rather than read all other 55 inaugural addresses. There are some good ones though.

For those of you watching at home, you’ll find President Obama’s shout out to the alternative energy industry on the You Tube Clip posted below at 9:25.

Click here for the full text of President Obama’s inaugural address. If you haven’t already, we would definitely recommend taking 10 minutes out of your day.

Sony’s Bravia TVs Watch You to Save Power

Posted on by
Reply

Sony has a new line of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) TVs that use less power when they are switched on. And switch themselves off when they sense no-one is watching.

The Bravia V5 line sets, which will go on sale in most major markets worldwide, are equipped with a small sensor underneath the display that keeps watch of the room to ensure someone is there. If all the viewers leave the room it cuts power to the LCD (liquid crystal display), only to switch it back on when someone returns.

All Sony Bravia V5 models exceed the new EnergyStar 3.0 specification.