We have seen the ENERGY STAR logo on many appliances that we buy, and many of us know what it is. Nonetheless, for those who are not familiar with this logo, ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that intends to help us all in protecting the environment through energy-efficient products and practices, and while doing so, we may be able to save energy and money as well. Those appliances which bear the logo have passed the approval of these two agencies, based on some guiding principles they have formulated for this purpose.
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Making every day Earth Day is not a job for one person or one government agency alone. It’s a collective effort of all individuals, private and public sectors alike, from world leaders to the individuals who use energy. “America needs cleaner air, more diverse energy supplies to meet demand, address climate, and reduce dependence on foreign sources.” [DOE]
One of the collective ways to make every day Earth day is having zero-energy homes—homes with their own supply of renewable energy, as well as energy-efficient. This is how the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) foresees a scenario where a home produces its own electricity by utilizing renewable energy from nature or from the sun. At present, the DOE, in partnership with homebuilders across the country, is doing studies on zero-energy homes. Combining advanced building techniques with renewable energy sources such as solar and natural gas, zero-energy homes can minimize the home energy needs from outside sources.
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McKinsey & Co., one of the most influential management consulting firms in the world, recently stated that households and businesses could cut their energy bills by up to 28% and industries up to 20%. It announced that the U.S. could save $1.2 trillion over the following decade if energy efficiency systems are implemented.
Investment in energy efficiency is the primary stepping-stone toward the platform that will ultimately dictate the measures to cut gas emissions by half from now until the year 2050. It has been evident that productive financial investments in more energy-efficient technologies can provide huge savings for U.S. households and businesses, as well as reduce green house gas emissions.
According to the U.S. Green Building Council, all buildings in the U.S. produce half of its total greenhouse gas emissions.
Meanwhile, ACEEE – the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (a non-profit body) reported that the U.S., together with the other members of the G8 group of industrial democracies made a commitment this month that they would cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by the year 2050, urging all nations to work with them toward this goal.
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It seems that every government is giving incentives to help promote awareness in an effort to stop global warming. In the US and UK, “green mortgages” would be available from the government to support homeowners in upgrading their homes to eco-friendly structures by using solar panels, wind turbines, double glazing and other energy-saving methods, including home automation.
The green mortgages would encourage the use of eco-friendly building materials and the integration of energy-saving and generation into the home. Most energy-efficient mortgage (EEM) programs let you qualify for bigger loans than you would otherwise by folding in the additional cost of making improvements for energy efficiency or of purchasing an already energy-efficient home. Another version of the green mortgage provides discounts on loan fees or interest rates for homes that are certified as energy-efficient. [BankRate]
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Usually our buildings’ roofs are dark colored and manufactured from materials such as metal, such as aluminium, wood or ceramic. However, recent discoveries indicate that the color of your roof plays more into your energy spending than you may think.
Studies show that white roofs reduce air-conditioning costs by 20 percent or more in hot, sunny weather. Lower energy consumption also means fewer of the carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming. What’s more, a white roof can cost as little as 15 percent more than its dark counterpart, depending on the materials used, while slashing electricity bills. [NY Times]
Continue reading 'Getting a new roof? Make it white!'»
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