Remodeling Tips
for the Green Home
by Gardner/Fox
for the Green Home
by Gardner/Fox
Lighting & Energy
Lighting is responsible for about 11 percent of a home's energy bills. By turning off lights you don't need, you'll begin saving right away, while extending the lifetime of the bulbs.
CFLs CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) are well known for offering substantial energy savings because they require 75% less energy than standard incandescents. Plus they last much longer, about 10,000 hours. These days, you can get CFLs in many different shapes and sizes.
LEDs LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) use only 3-7 watts of energy, compared to 20-35 watts per CFL. LED technology has greatly improved over the years. An LED bulb requires almost no power to operate and generates almost no heat. This not only leads to less power usage, but also less air conditioning. LEDs are extremely efficient and long lasting, up to 100,000 hours. Now hitting the consumer market, most of these lamps feature the bulb built right into the fixture.
Solar Tubes Solar tubes capture sunlight from the rooftop and direct it down a reflective tube into your home. From the ceiling, a diffuser spreads the light throughout the room. Solar tubes provide almost as much light as a skylight many times its size. Installation is fast, clean and easy. The tubing fits between rafters and does not require structural reframing, tunneling, drywalling or painting. A professional can install the product in less than two hours.
GreenSwitch Appliances, chargers, TV’s, coffee makers, radios, and computers suck electricity without being on and in use. GreenSwitch offers custom control of electricity usage, allowing homeowners to customize each outlet. For instance the TV can be off but the digital recorder on. GreenSwitch can be easily installed with your current outlets. GreenSwitch can be retrofitted into existing electrical systems and, in the average household, can be installed in about an hour. The system's wireless technology does not interfere with other wireless devices and provides easy access to turn on or off connected outlets.
Energy Star It’s easy to use less energy and water just by upgrading to Energy Star appliances. Energy Star offers third-party certification to ensure that appliances incorporate advanced technologies that use 10 to 50 percent less energy than standard models. If every refrigerator, dishwasher and clothes washer purchased in America this year were ENERGY STAR qualified, we would save $650 million in annual energy costs while preventing 4.5 billion pounds of greenhouse gases, equivalent to the emissions of 350,000 cars.
Lighting is responsible for about 11 percent of a home's energy bills. By turning off lights you don't need, you'll begin saving right away, while extending the lifetime of the bulbs.
CFLs CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) are well known for offering substantial energy savings because they require 75% less energy than standard incandescents. Plus they last much longer, about 10,000 hours. These days, you can get CFLs in many different shapes and sizes.
LEDs LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) use only 3-7 watts of energy, compared to 20-35 watts per CFL. LED technology has greatly improved over the years. An LED bulb requires almost no power to operate and generates almost no heat. This not only leads to less power usage, but also less air conditioning. LEDs are extremely efficient and long lasting, up to 100,000 hours. Now hitting the consumer market, most of these lamps feature the bulb built right into the fixture.
Solar Tubes Solar tubes capture sunlight from the rooftop and direct it down a reflective tube into your home. From the ceiling, a diffuser spreads the light throughout the room. Solar tubes provide almost as much light as a skylight many times its size. Installation is fast, clean and easy. The tubing fits between rafters and does not require structural reframing, tunneling, drywalling or painting. A professional can install the product in less than two hours.
GreenSwitch Appliances, chargers, TV’s, coffee makers, radios, and computers suck electricity without being on and in use. GreenSwitch offers custom control of electricity usage, allowing homeowners to customize each outlet. For instance the TV can be off but the digital recorder on. GreenSwitch can be easily installed with your current outlets. GreenSwitch can be retrofitted into existing electrical systems and, in the average household, can be installed in about an hour. The system's wireless technology does not interfere with other wireless devices and provides easy access to turn on or off connected outlets.
Energy Star It’s easy to use less energy and water just by upgrading to Energy Star appliances. Energy Star offers third-party certification to ensure that appliances incorporate advanced technologies that use 10 to 50 percent less energy than standard models. If every refrigerator, dishwasher and clothes washer purchased in America this year were ENERGY STAR qualified, we would save $650 million in annual energy costs while preventing 4.5 billion pounds of greenhouse gases, equivalent to the emissions of 350,000 cars.
