opportunities – to learn and to save
hi friends.
we’re taking a break from posting to energyathome. thank you very much for following us and doing your part to keep your home energy efficient and sustainable. please continue to do so…
while we are away, http://energy.gov/energysaver/energy-saver is a good website for home energy efficiency tips and tricks. check it out…
again, thank you for doing your part and don’t stop.
until next time.
jasper gondhi and chris crock
hi everyone! i came across this article about green toilet paper and i thought you might find it useful.
please follow the link below to learn how to shop for your kind of green toilet paper…
Green Toilet Paper Shopping Guide
also, have you heard about the toilet paper hanging protocol? if not, it goes something like this -
OVER IS RIGHT, UNDER IS WRONG (why? - click on the link below and have a look)
i’m sure you have your thoughts on this. so, please share.
have a good week! over and out!
sources: web links, toiletpaperworld
MSU cares and so should you!
I had the opportunity to attend a workshop on energy efficiency for student renters supported by Michigan State University’s office of campus sustainability and Michigan Energy Options. The workshop was a great chance to learn about energy saving options for student renters and what to look for in apartments when shopping for the upcoming year. Michigan Energy Options of East Lansing provided the information below.
What to look for when apartment shopping
It is likely that the furnace, hot water heater, air conditioner, dryer, and fridge are the most energy intensive elements in your home. If you want to save big on your energy bill make sure they are recently updated, properly maintained, and Energy Star rated (see previous post) when shopping for an apartment.
You can ask the landlord specific questions about the furnace: How often are the filters changed? If the apartment has forced-air heating, how old is the ductwork, as the intense heat can wear out duct work within one year?
Dirty filter Clean filter
Also, ask about the hot water heater: How often is it cleaned? Sediment, gunk, and dust can settle to the bottom of a hot water heater restricting the flow rate of hot water being delivered. What temperature is the water kept at (120°F is Jacuzzi temperature and should be plenty hot for showers on a cold day)?
Example of an unmaintained hot water heater
Compare the capacity of the air conditioner unit with the capacity needed using the chart below to make sure the unit is properly sized.
|
Area to be cooled (sq. ft.) |
Capacity needed (BTUs per hr) |
| 100 up to 150 | 5,000 |
| 150 up to 250 | 6,000 |
| 250 up to 300 | 7,000 |
| 300 up to 350 | 8,000 |
| 350 up to 400 | 9,000 |
| 400 up to 450 | 10,000 |
| 450 up to 550 | 12,000 |
| 550 up to 700 | 14,000 |
| 700 up to 1,000 | 18,000 |
| 1,000 up to 1,200 | 21,000 |
| 1,200 up to 1,400 | 23,000 |
| 1,400 up to 1,500 | 24,000 |
| 1,500 up to 2,000 | 30,000 |
| 2,000 up to 2,500 | 34,000 |
While looking at apartments, check baseboards, windows, and doorframes for improperly sealed areas or cracks that could lead to heat escape in the winter. If the apartment/house has a fireplace that is not used, check that the damper is completely sealed; else, the negative pressure in the chimney will cause a significant draft, resulting in loss of your heat. If its winter-time and snowing, look at the roof for melting snow spots or ice-sickles as this is a tell-tale-sign of bad insulation in the attic and significant heat escape.
Other beneficial apartment amenities and characteristics that can help to reduce energy savings are:
How to maintain a more efficient home as a renter
The easiest, most cost-effective practices for maintaining an energy efficient home as a renter are to: 1) seal any cracks or leaky window/door frames with caulk or plastic, 2) reduce phantom loads (see previous post), 3) make sure all vents, baseboard registers, or radiators are unobstructed, and 4) minimize water usage (hot water is not free and usually consumes 14-25% of a home’s total energy!).
Other useful tips:
Michigan Energy Options is an excellent source for information on home energy efficiency options. Currently, there are demonstration centers in Marquette and East Lansing that allow the public to visit and obtain hands on education about how to make your home more energy efficient. You can get more information at http://www.michiganenergyoptions.com.
Hi… Let me start by thanking all of you for showing your support by reading energyathome and implementing some of these energy efficiency measures. Few weeks back, I had written a post about reviewing what we’ve done to conserve energy over the summer. Based on the response I’ve received, I am glad to say that we have taken steps in the right direction towards energy efficiency and sustainability. Here’s some of the energy efficiency measures you’ve taken over the summer…
1. ”natural ventilation and cooling – opened windows at night, shut the house down tight during the day, and use blinds to reduce solar heat.”
2. “reduce electric waste - pool electrical devices to power chords/strips and disconnect it from outlet when not in use.”
3. “…replaced inefficient lamps with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).” and
4. “…consciously minimizing air-conditioning use during the day.”
So, what are your energy efficiency plans for the fall and winter? Ok, I understand this is not the first thing on your mind when you’re planning for the fall or winter, but I’ve jotted done some tips here to get you started. These tips will save you energy and help your budget as the weather cools down.
— for every degree you lower your thermostat you save about 2 percent off your heating bill.
— you can cut annual heating bills by as much as 10 percent a year by turning your thermostat
back 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours a day (when you are at work).
— weatherize your home by caulking and weather-stripping all doors and windows.
— use the locks on your windows to make them tighter and draft resistant.
— insulate or increase the amount of insulation in your attic, basement and outside walls.
— cover up through-the-wall air conditioners to prevent cold air from leaking into your home.
— to cover drafty windows, use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic film
to the inside of your window frames during the cold winter months…
make sure the plastic is sealed tightly to the frame to help reduce infiltration (air leak).
So… have at it!
and for those of you missing the michigan fall colors…
GET STARTED WITH YOUR FALL ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES!
…and please comment with questions and suggestions.
sources: nstar-residential, minerva,energy.gov,treadstone mortgage etc.
As a Mechanical Engineer with Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr, & Huber Inc., I get a close-up at some cool energy-efficient technology. Earlier this summer, we hosted the GE Lighting Revolution Tour. This tradeshow on wheels was designed to give designers, distributors, architects, contractors, facility maintenance and utility executives a first-hand experience of GE’s latest innovations in lighting technology.
Enjoy! (heads-up: turn your volume down…)
follow the link below to learn about 10 green tips that will cost you under $10 each.
Preservation Leadership Forum – Green Tips: Ten Under $10.
Source: The National Trust for Historic Preservation
“The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded nonprofit organization, works to save America’s historic places. We are the cause that inspires Americans to save the places where history happened. The cause that connects us to our diverse pasts, weaving a multi-cultural nation together. The cause that transforms communities from places where we live into places that we love. As the leading voice for preservation, we are the cause for people saving places.”
this article was sent to us by one of our writers/contributors – brandyn deckinga.
thanks brandyn!
If you've searched for and found this blog, there is a good chance that you are interested in making your residence more sustainable as soon as possible. Here are 5 simple and relatively cheap ways that you can reduce energy waste and increase efficiency in your home right now.
1. Replace the weather stripping around all exterior doors. According to the…
