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10 Ways to Cut Utility Bills

comments (1) April 19th, 2010 in Blogs

Martin Holladay, Senior Editor, GreenBuildingAdvisor.com

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The energy-saving measures at the base of the pyramid give you the biggest bang for your buck. Click to enlarge.

Photo: Minnesota Power

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9. Insulate or replace windows
We’ve now reached the top of the pyramid. Further measures will probably reduce your home’s energy consumption, but they are unlikely to be cost-effective. The reason these measures are at the top of the pyramid is that few homeowners want to spend more on retrofit work than they will ever see in savings.
In a heating climate, the installation of low-e storm windows is more cost-effective than installing new replacement windows.
If, for reasons unrelated to saving money, you insist on new windows, be sure to choose windows with low-e glazing. Glazing with a low U-factor is desirable in all climates. In climates with cold winters, south-facing windows should have a high solar heat-gain coefficient (SHGC); in climates where air-conditioning bills are high, windows should have a low SHGC.

10. Invest in wind or photovoltaic systems
At the top of the pyramid is the category of work least likely to provide a payback: the installation of a photovoltaic system or a wind turbine. There are many reasons you may want to have PV panels or a wind turbine, but saving money isn’t one of them.
Remember, it makes no sense to invest in an expensive PV system until after you have invested in all of the other measures listed on the pyramid.

No silver bullet
One of the Minnesota Power representatives who makes regular use of the conservation pyramid is Dean Talbott, a program manager for the utility.
“I handle a lot of customer calls, and lately I’ve seen a growing interest in renewable energy,” Talbott told me. “A lot of callers are looking for the silver bullet. I just got a call this week from a residential customer who’s spending $200 a month on electricity, and he told me he wants to install solar and wind. I told him he’d be better off to start with efficiency upgrades first.”
Last week’s blog: “Air Conditioner Basics.”

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Insulate and Weatherize
by Bruce Harley Expert Advice from Start to Finish $19.95 more info...

posted in: Blogs, energy efficiency, green building, remodeling, insulation, weatherizing

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Green Building Myth #1: It's More Expensive

Comments (1)

armature writes: I was surprised not to see anything about using a programmable thermostat. Because you can get it to start heating your house early enough so it’s already comfortable when you get up, you can afford to set the overnight temperature way back, saving lots of energy. A 7-day programmable thermostat can accommodate odd schedules such as 3-day work weeks and so on; other simpler-to-program ones allow you one schedule for weekdays and another for weekend days. The myth that if you set a thermostat too low you’ll use more energy reheating the house than you’ve saved, is false both in scientific theory and reality.
Posted: 8:37 am on October 17th

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