Sometimes it takes a little extra effort to make a difference on your electricity bill. And, cooling costs can comprise a sizable chunk of your electricity bill. But, making everyone in your house sweat uncomfortably for your peace of mind is a little bit extreme too! By following these simple tips and paying a little more attention to your family’s habits around the house you are sure to find ways to comfortably compensate for these rising summer expenses!
Make sure your home is well sealed. Make sure to keep the fireplace damper closed, install a timer (available at Home Depot or Lowes) on your bathroom exhaust fans and check to see if your ductwork is well sealed.
Keep your home cool simply and naturally by use energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs and grilling food outside. Plant full trees or attach awnings on the east and west sides of your home to shade the windows and reduce the temperature inside by as much as 20 degrees.
Install Energy Star–certified ceiling fans and use them when a room is being occupied. This can allow you to keep your home as much as four degrees cooler in the summer without even noticing.
Program your digital thermostats. This is a very simple, but often overlooked energy-saver. Make sure to set the temp between 78 and 80 when you will not be home and then allow the temperature to gradually be reduced in the few hours prior to your return.
Did you know that most power companies will send someone to your home free of charge to evaluate the basic efficiency of your home and offer tips to improve the areas that need a little help? Just call your provider and explain that you have concerns as to the air tightness of your home and ask if they provide the valuable free service.
With potential savings of up to $500 a year, you’ll have a little extra in your wallet to splurge on something really fun for the whole family!
Green FACT: According to the EPA, “if 1 in 10 households bought Energy Star–rated heating and cooling equipment, the change in greenhouse-gas emissions would be equivalent to taking 1.5 million cars off the road.”
As we head into summer and our lawns become more labor intensive, take a few tips from golf course turf experts on how to water your yard like a pro.
Water your yard deep, but infrequently."The No. 1 thing I see homeowners do is overwater, which builds up excess thatch (an unsightly thick mat of tangled roots between the grass blades and soil)," says turf pro Brooks. “Daily watering encourages shallow roots and wastes water. Instead, water deeply, watching closely to see when more is needed.” A few signs it's time to water include:
1.The soil resists when you try to push a stake into the ground
2.Your grass begins to show a hint of bluish tint
3.Your footprints in the grass don’t spring back and disappear, but instead remain compressed
According to the USDE, the typical U.S. family spends about $1,900 a year on home utility bills? Unfortunately, a large portion of that energy is wasted. And each year, electricity generated by fossil fuels for a single home puts more carbon dioxide into the air than two average cars. The good news is that there are many changes, both large and small, that you can make to save energy and money at home.
In an excerpt from a recent Consumer Energy Savings Guide, it is suggested that “the key to achieving savings in your home is a whole-house energy efficiency plan. To take a whole-house approach, view your home as an energy system with interdependent parts. For example, your heating system is not just a furnace—it's a heat-delivery system that starts at the furnace and delivers heat throughout your home using a network of ducts. Even a top-of-the-line, energy-efficient furnace will waste a lot of fuel if the ducts, walls, attic, windows, and doors are not properly sealed and insulated. Taking a whole-house approach to saving energy ensures that dollars you invest to save energy are spent wisely.” Begin by choosing a conservatively minded builder, in an eco-conscious development, such as those designed by Mischer, known for their meticulous planning and communities designed to emphasize nature preserves and greenbelts.
As an act within METRO Houston's going-green initiative and bus replacement program, twenty new 45-foot hybrid buses arrived in February and are currently undergoing routine quality testing prior to deployment into METRO's routes.
METRO's bus replacement program is designed to feed in 100 new buses each year to the fleet.
METRO currently has over 262 hybrid vehicles, both local and commuter, and these most recent additions are 55-seat coach vehicles designed to run on clean diesel and use an electronic motor to optimize performance.
METRO is an innovative regional transportation organization created by Houston's voters in the 1970s. The organization continues to battle congestion and waste by continually adapting the the demands of Houston's busy economic and social sectors. To learn more about METRO and its various services as well as its going-green initiative visit RideMETRO.org.
Houston's energy usage just got better, as Reliant Energy just received a $20 million fund from federal stimulus money to upgrade its electricity grid.
This stimulus is a response to the $3.4 billion American Reinvestment and Recovery Act grant intended to modernize the U.S. energy grid.
The investment boost means Houston will see the development of smart energy products and services so customers can manage their electricity usage, manage electricity efficiency and lower energy costs. Reliant Energy, a Houston electric company, is working in collaboration with Tendril Networks, Inc. to make this all happen.
Houston residents can look forward to lower electricity bills and a more energy-efficient, eco-friendly Texas in the future!
Houston Community College (HCC) just received a $3.5 Million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, Education and Energy. This grant is intended to boost the renowned school's energy programs.
HCC plans to use the grant funds to create a network of industry, state, and educational partners who will explore solar installation training programs throughout Houston. This network will investigate its effectiveness and availability of these solar energy solutions.
This is an immense occasion for HCC, as out of the nine regions throughout the U.S. that received grants from the federal government, HCC received the largest portion. The school was also the only institute in Texas to receive a grant. Subsidized programs such as this may indicate a greener, cleaner Houston in the future.
CenterPoint Energy Inc., is working with Houston to install new smart meters within the city at the request of funding. Under a $200 million grant applied for by CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric LLC to the US Department of Energy, the “Houston’s Smart Grid: Transforming the Future of Electric Distribution & Energy Consumption” Project would see this goal realized.
Why the upgrade? The new meters send usage information to both CenterPoint Energy and consumers. This means citizens can check their electric usage online updated at 15 minute intervals. Those without internet or a PC can check their usage via an in home monitor. The new system even notifies CenterPoint about power outages automatically.
If funding is approved, CenterPoint would use $150 million towards installing these smart meters, and use the remainder to install a new intelligence grid, which includes self healing technology, advanced metering systems, and other tech that improves performance and reliability.
The plan is set to span 5 years, which began in March 2009. Currently there are already 45,000 meters installed and they plan on having 145,000 by the end of the year with the aid of funding. Within time, more Houston residents will be “smart” with their energy.
A northwest Harris County hotel goes above and beyond when it comes to being environmentally friendly. That is what makes the Element Houston Vintage Park unlike any other hotel in Texas.
"It is really how a building is measured; its environmental impact, its sustainability," describes Kristen Vasquez.
The luxurious interior of the building hides an incredible green movement. From top to bottom, start to finish, the Starwood property is the only LEED-certified hotel in Texas. That honor by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design carries a high standard.
From the caulk that contains no silicone to the materials, such as low VOC paint, to the earth-friendly cleaning products, the Element stands at the top level of green properties.
The 123-room extended stay hotel does not look like a traditional hotel and Vasquez takes that as a compliment.
