Save green by being green

Sun., Sept. 17, 2006

Joel White Spokane Home Builders Association

Last year, American consumers saved an overwhelming $12 billion on utility bills. The reason for their savings? Simply thinking “green.”

With cooling temperatures in the near future, heating costs will be rising. Energy Star® and other similar programs offer incentive rebates to consumers who use energy-efficient appliances in their homes. Rebates not only save homeowners “green” on their utility bills, but the use of energy-efficient appliances lead to a cleaner, greener environment.

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), many utility companies offer incentives to their customers for buying Energy Star-qualified appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators, and dishwashers. These incentives often come in the form of a rebate on your utility bill after showing proof of purchase.

Energy Star, the government-backed symbol that identifies energy-efficient household appliances and materials, is making its way into the housing market at full speed. More than 2,500 of the nation’s builders craft Energy Star-qualified homes, and that number continues to grow. Energy Star homes are 30 percent more energy-efficient than a typical house, with qualifying home components including high-performance windows and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.

•High-performance windows keep your home comfortable no matter what the outdoor climate is like. If it’s time to replace your windows, look for the new Low-E, or low emittance, designs that reduce heat transfer. A sun-resistant coating, insulated layer filled with gas and improved climate-specific window frames allow high-performance windows to deliver more benefits than standard windows.

Typically comprising 10-25 percent of the exterior wall area of new homes, research shows that heat gain and loss through windows accounts for up to 50 percent of a home’s heating and cooling needs.

•High-performance windows reduce utility bills by keeping heat loss to a minimum, reduce fading of curtains, furniture, and flooring by blocking harmful UV rays, and can even make your house quieter by insulating your home from outside noise.

•Improved heating and cooling systems are also essential to an Energy Star home.

•Programmable thermostats that can regulate the temperatures depending on the time of day and the occupancy status of the home are great for saving energy. The thermostat can be programmed to your schedule, so that you use less energy when you are sleeping or away from the home.

•Energy-efficient appliances such as clothes and dish washers use between 10 and 50 percent less energy than their standard counterparts, and can be a great investment that leads to lower electricity and water bills.

•If your home is not currently certified, there are many options to make your home as energy-efficient as possible. One simple measure is replacing standard light bulbs with Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) that give off less heat, last longer and are more efficient.

For a more comprehensive approach, visit the Energy Star Web site, www.energystar.gov/homesealing, for information on improving the overall insulation of your home. For DIYers, a free guide is available to walk you step by step though the process.

While many of these steps may seem insignificant, $12 billion in energy savings is no small figure. Plus, you can feel good about doing your part to conserve energy and save the environment.

For more information on Energy Star, visit www.energystar.gov. You also can contact the Spokane Home Builders Association at www.shba.com or visit NAHB at www.nahb.org/forconsumers. To sign up for NAHB’s free consumer e-newsletter, visit www.nahb.org/housekeys.

Fall Festival of Homes

We also invite you to attend the upcoming Fall Festival of Homes scheduled for the weekends of Oct. 20-22 & Oct. 27-29. More than 35 beautiful new homes built by a number of our region’s renowned new home builders will be open for touring 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day, with free admission to the public.

Watch The Spokesman-Review and this column for more details on the event. Our thanks to Tomlinson Black, Direct Buy and Golf Savings Bank, proud sponsors of the 2006 SHBA Fall Festival of Homes.

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