Habitat for Humanity builds energy-efficient home in upstate New York

Families in Sullivan County, New York, who are unable to obtain conventional mortgages are eligible to apply for a brand new energy-efficient home built by the area’s Habitat for Humanity chapter. According to local news source the Times Herald-Record, the house is currently being designed by award-winning architects Buck Moorhead and Michael Chojnicki and will be one of the few passive residences in the Hudson Valley region. 

Peggy Richardson, vice chairwoman for Habitat’s board, told the source that the energy savings are expected to exceed construction costs by 10 percent and that the completed home will use 90 percent less energy than other properties in the area. 

The house will incorporate a number of sustainable elements including energy-efficient windows, layers of insulation and a heat-recovery ventilator which will take on the job of heating and cooling. The goal is to keep as much energy as possible inside the home, reports the source.Though underground utilities have already been installed, construction is on hold until the weather is warmer. 

Habitat for Humanity partners with communities to build and renovate decent, affordable housing for families. 

“Whether it’s individuals donating their labor and experience or small businesses, corporations and individual donors providing the money and materials needed to build a Habitat home, our projects work because our friends know that strong communities depend on good neighbors,” states the Sullivan County Habitat for Humanity website.

If you’re interested in making energy-efficient upgrades to your home, you’ll be happy to hear that the state of Maryland’s provides multiple rebate offerings, including those available from Pepco and Potomac Edison, which make the initial implementation more cost-effective.To get started, contact a home inspection contractor to perform an energy audit.

 

As tax season approaches, familiarize yourself with these energy efficiency tax credits

Recently in this blog we wrote about some of the key tax credits that made it into the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 as part of the fiscal cliff deal – specifically those that benefit individuals who have made or plan to make energy-efficient upgrades to their homes. With tax season just around the corner, homeowners are encouraged to speak with their advisers about how they can take advantage of these government benefits. 

The best news of all is that the credits can be applied not only to all projects moving forward through December 31, 2013, but also retroactively to any upgrades that were implemented in 2012. Homeowners cannot exceed the $500 cap for all improvements combined, however in many cases, the full cost of any heating, cooling and water-heating equipment purchases will be covered. An electric heat pump water heater with an energy factor of at least 2.0, for example, may be reimbursed up to $300. A full list of credits can be found here.

Whether or not these tax credits will be renewed once they expire at the end of 2013 is still uncertain, however sources are reporting that the future of this kind of compensation is looking bright so far. 

“Beyond 2013, the outlook is unclear but at a recent Senate Finance Committee hearing on energy efficiency tax incentives, multiple Senators expressed support for continuing some type of incentives,” writes industry news source The Energy Collective. 

With these credits in mind, 2013 might be a great time for individuals to make energy-efficient upgrades to their homes. To get started, contact a home inspection contractor. They can perform an energy audit and help you determine next steps.

 

New web series challenges families to mix energy-efficiency and design

It’s hard to turn on the TV without coming across the numerous reality television shows that seem to be present on each and every network. Fortunately, there are some programs that set out to make a positive change and Re-Energized by Design, a new web series, is one of them.

According to its website, Re-Energized by Design, presented by Puget Sound Energy (PSE), is a challenge that follows six contestants as they compete in five home makeover projects. The catch, however, is that each one must include energy-efficient technologies. For the laundry room, for example, the homeowners will be given a Frigidaire Affinity high-efficiency front-loading washer and dryer, LED bulbs and $500 in spending money. From that point forward, they’ll work with design coaches to re-do the space. Judges will evaluate them based on both energy-efficiency and beautiful design.

On January 24, PSE announced the six families that they have selected to participate in the competition. At the end of the series, the winner will take home $5,000.

“The stakes are high so we know the competition will be intense,” Dennis Rominger, a representative from PSE, said in a news release. “These six contestants are ready to compete head to head. Sweat will be shed, winners will be crowned and most importantly, we will see creative ways to bring great design and energy efficiency together.”

You don’t have to be part of a reality television show or a web series in order to make eco-friendly upgrades to your property. If you’re interested in implementing some of these solutions into your home, contact a home inspection contractor. They’ll perform an energy audit and help you determine how to get started.

Energy-efficient technologies can help boost the value of your home

In a recent article in EcoHome Magazine, Vernon McKown, co-owner and president of sales for Ideal Homes, a real estate company out of Norman, Oklahoma, explains why energy-efficiency can be a major selling point for builders constructing new properties or homeowners trying to sell them.

McKown told the source that in many cases, people are engaging in the wrong conversations, and often buyers don’t even realize the benefits of purchasing a home that contains green technologies. 

“When you talk to a customer about energy efficiency, you have to make it relevant to them,” McKown said. “We talk to them about saving $60 to $80 a month and ask ‘Are you interested in that?’ Most of them are.”

Not only can making energy-efficient upgrades to your home save you money on monthly utility bills and reduce your carbon footprint, but it can also boost the value of your property and make it more enticing to potential buyers when the time comes to sell.

When attempting to sell an energy-efficient home, McKown offers some helpful advice. While it’s certainly worthwhile to highlight these features, you’ll want to prepare a couple-minute overview of them so you don’t wind up taking up 10 minutes of a potential buyer’s time with this specific part of your home. If someone is interested in hearing more details, he or she will ask and you can provide them. Additionally, it is in your best interest to talk specifics when it comes to actual savings. If your utility bills were $75 less per month thanks to the green technologies present in your home, give people that exact figure. 

Maryland residents hoping to convert to a more energy-efficient lifestyle will be happy to hear that there are many rebates and incentives to take advantage of, including those available from Pepco and Potomac Edison. To get started, schedule an energy audit with a home inspection contractor, and they’ll help you determine the most effective ways that you can improve your property.

 

Exposure to radon is more likely during the winter

As we recently reported, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declared January National Radon Action Month, and influential organizations such as The American Lung Association, Centers for Disease Control and National Cancer Institute are all on board with this effort. 

People are more likely to be exposed to this hazardous radioactive gas in the winter time since they are indoors more often. However, that’s not the only reason experts chose to bring awareness to dangers of radon, Amanda Whitman, press aide for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, told local news source The Sentinel. 

“Radon tends to build up in the winter time because homes are more closed up,” Whitman said. “Windows closed [and] doors closed because of weather – those are factors that cause radon to build up even higher.”

According to the EPA, this odorless, colorless gas is responsible for approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year, making it the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Radon can seep into the cracks and holes in a home’s foundation, says The Sentinel, where it can build up to toxic levels. Whitman told the source that certain areas of Pennsylvania are considered high-risk, which means it’s important for homeowners to determine whether they are being exposed to the gas. 

Moving into a new house that hasn’t received a proper home inspection is a dangerous idea, as it can lead to lots of repair costs, and can even seriously compromise your health. If you’re thinking of buying a new house, or if you want to conduct radon testing at your current property, a home inspection contractor can help you determine if you’re safe, and what to do if you aren’t.

 

College students build energy-efficient home on Navajo reservation

It’s not every day that college students get the opportunity to design and build an energy-efficient home, but two young men who enrolled in the engineering program at Southern Utah University (SUU) were fortunate enough to be able to do just that.

John Murray, an associate professor of integrated engineering at SUU​, had been working with an organization called DesignBuildBLUFF (DBB) since 2010. 

“Every year we give architecture students the chance to design and build a sustainable homes on the Navajo reservation,” states the DBB website. “In doing so, we don’t just create a home for a family in need. We create better, more compassionate architects for the betterment of our entire community.”

According to DBB, 40 percent of Native Americans live in overcrowded or dilapidated housing, and this is a serious issue that needs to be addressed.

Murray was contacted by DBB last year to see if he had any students interested in helping to design and build one of those homes. When he informed the individuals in his class, Chris Hoffman and Mark Tervort, two of Murray’s top junior design students, expressed a desire to participate.

Murray, Hoffman and Tervort traveled to Denver to work with architectural graduate students from the University of Colorado on designing a home that would use solar power for cooling and heating. Then they set off for Bluff, Utah, to build it.

Tervort said that the experience helped him complete his graduate requirements and put what he had learned inside the classroom into action.

If you’re interested in making energy-efficient upgrades to your home, you’ll be happy to hear that the state of Maryland’s provides multiple rebate offerings, including those available from Pepco and Potomac Edison, which make the initial implementation more cost-effective.To get started, contact a home inspection contractor to perform an energy audit.

City Manager in Sharon, Pennsylvania, pushes for LED bulbs in downtown area

Recently in this blog, we’ve reported on a variety of nationwide efforts businesses and organizations have been making to upgrade to LED bulbs. From the University of Vermont replacing 1,300 outdoor lamps with this energy-efficient alternative to the Empire State Building in New York City going green with its brand new LED system, there’s a lot to be excited about.

Most recently, officials in Sharon, Pennsylvania, are hoping to make the switch in the city’s made-over downtown area.

The Streetscape Project, reports local news source The Herald, is the result of an $800,000 grant secured in 2004, and the goal of it is to implement new curbing, lights and sidewalks in Sharon. City Manager Scott Andrejchak said that he hopes to obtain $300,000 more from the state so that the project can be completed with LED lights. According to Andrejchak, installing LED bulbs will help the city save money on maintenance and electricity costs. In addition to that, the lights would shine even brighter than the ones they had originally chosen.

Although the option suggested by Andrejchak will cost more money up front, it will last much longer and ultimately be more cost-effective, but the City Manager said it’s important to him that everyone is on board and sees that it is a good decision.

“I think it’s important because the project is so important to the city, to the businesses,” Andrejchak said. “We have a chance to make a good project better.”

Andrejchak will pitch the idea at a public meeting on January 28.

Maryland residents hoping to make these kind of energy-efficient upgrades to their home will be happy to hear that there are rebates and incentives available, including those from Pepco and Potomac Edison. To get started, schedule an energy audit with a home inspection contractor, and they’ll help you determine the most effective ways that you can improve your property.

Iowa Congressman to introduce End Radon in Schools Act

In an effort to address the presence of radon in public schools across the United States, Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley​ plans to introduce the End Radon in Schools Act to the U.S. House. According to Radio Iowa, this legislation would provide federal grants to test for and reduce hazardous levels of radon gas in high-risk areas.

Braley, a Democrat from Waterloo, has said that children and teachers shouldn’t have to be worried about the presence of this dangerous gas in their schools and that it’s up to adult citizens of the United States to pass public policies to protect them.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this odorless, colorless gas is responsible for up to 20,000 deaths in the United States each year and it’s the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.

In fact, reports Radio Iowa, there are a number of school district employees in Iowa – the state with the highest levels of radon in the country – who have undergone or are currently undergoing treatment for this disease.

Thirty-three-year-old Stephanie Langstraad, a principal at ​Prairie City Middle School, is one of them, and told the source about her reaction to being diagnosed with lung cancer.

“How in the world did I get this diagnosis and why? And the first thing that came out of the doctors mouths were possible radon exposure and I thought from the very beginning: ‘What can I do to make a positive impact so that people wouldn’t have to experience what I’m going through now?'”

Exposure to radon can be extremely dangerous. Moving into a new house that hasn’t received a proper home inspection isn’t a good idea, as it can lead to lots of repair costs, and can even seriously compromise your health. If you’re thinking of buying a new house, or if you want to conduct radon testing at your current property, a home inspection contractor can help you determine if you’re safe, and what to do if you aren’t.

Retired high school science teacher puts $350,000 into energy-efficient home

These days, many people are converting to more sustainable lifestyles by making energy-efficient upgrades to their homes. Most of the time, the driving factors behind these choices are cutting costs and reducing one’s carbon footprint. For Olympia, Washington, resident Dennis Kaech, however, there’s more to it than that.

According to local source The News Tribune, the 69-year-old retired high school science teacher wanted to see how many “crazy things” he could put into his house, and has enjoyed coming up with the calculations to determine how much energy he can save by making certain upgrades to his home.

Kaech’s 1,400-square-foot house, which appears modest on the outside, has $350,000 worth of green technology features including windmills, solar panels, passive heat storage and insulation. These are all upgrades that have been made in the past five years, though Kaech has been living in his Olympia home since 1978.

Fortunately, Kaech was able to take advantage of federal incentives that give individuals tax credits for certain energy-efficient projects. He received 30 percent off the installation cost of his solar system, for example, and​for every kilowatt he produces until 2020 the state of Washington pays him 54 cents.

Kaech says he has no regrets about putting so much money into his home, and that he only wishes that he had done it sooner.

Maryland residents hoping to convert to a more energy-efficient lifestyle will be happy to hear that there are many rebates and incentives to take advantage of, including those available from Pepco and Potomac Edison. To get started, schedule an energy audit with a home inspection contractor, and they’ll help you determine the most effective ways that you can improve your property.

How to save energy during the winter

One challenge East Coast residents face each year is keeping energy costs down during the winter. The good news is, those who are looking to adopt a more earth-friendly lifestyle can still do so during these colder months.

A home inspection contractor can come to your house and conduct an energy audit to help you determine realistic steps you can take to making your home more energy-efficient. In the meantime, here are some tips and tricks for maintaining reasonable utility bills until spring rolls around:

Check your equipment – Maintaining the exterior of your heating system means making sure there’s no dirt or snow caked onto it and changing the air filters every three months. This can really help your equipment reach maximum efficiency.

Lower the thermostat – Thismayseem counterintuitive​to those who like to keep their home as warm and cozy as possible. The truth isby lowering the temperature by eight degrees when you leave the house or go to sleep, you can really cut back on energy costs. Instead of keeping the thermostat cranked up at all times, try to keep it that way only when you’re up and about.

Redecorate your rooms – This is a nice way to freshen things up during the winter, but it also can help you conserve energy. Make sure all radiators and baseboard heaters are unobstructed by furniture, otherwise the heat won’t be able to circulate into the house properly, leading you to turn up thermostat.

Seal the leaks – It’s important to do this in every part of the house, but one room that’s easy to overlook is the attic. It’s important to make sure that there aren’t any air leaks in your attic windows. Since heat rises, it can often go straight up there and out the window.