Eco-Friendly

Energy Efficiency 101 with TerraLogos Energy Group

So, what is the deal with energy efficiency? The concept is easy enough – use less electricity, save on your bills. But how do you know which investments will give you the energy savings, and cost savings, you’re looking for?

Peter Van Buren of TerraLogos Energy Group helped the Clean Currents team answer these questions with ways to prioritize your energy efficiency investments.

  • Sealing ducts, air leaks and insulation gives you the best return on your investment. If you have leaky ducts and air leaks, you’re heating and air conditioning your neighborhood rather than your home. By sealing those holes, your furnace and air conditioner can use less energy to heat and cool your home. You’ll see the most return on your investment by taking this step first.

  • Once your home is leak free, upgrade equipment. By sealing your home first, you can accurately measure how much energy you are using. Now is the time to upgrade to Energy Star and energy efficient equipment. By sealing first, you may find that you use so much less energy, you can downsize your new equipment.
  • Upgrade to renewables. Install solar panels and a solar hot water heater to shift your energy use from electricity to renewables.
  • Consider your home a whole, integrated system. Improving your energy efficiency is a combination of quality of components, how they interact and the people using them. Now that you’ve got the first two down, work on setting good habits around your home. Use CFL bulbs, set your thermostat to 68 in the winter and 72 in the summer, turn off lights and unplug electronics when not in use. These habits can go a long way toward making you and your home more efficient.

Currently, 21% of our national energy use is residential. By making your home more energy efficient you can save money and reduce your environmental impact. Greening your home also increases your property value, reduces maintenance costs and improves your comfort and air quality.

Ready to act? TerraLogos Energy Group can take you through this entire process, from running an energy audit to implementing home improvements with their expert contractors. They even provide you with a long term road map with tips, resources and actions to continue to improve the efficiency of your home.