Posted by Our Green Atlanta on July 27, 2010
Cash for Caulkers is on its way! Earlier this summer the House of Representatives passed the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010. The bill still needs to be approved by the Senate, but supporters predict it will be approved before the end of the summer.
In the meantime, homeowners need to “do their homework.” The bill offers two rebate programs and each one has unique requirements:
The Silver Star program provides a $1,000 rebate for each retrofit described in the bill. The maximum amount paid out will be $3,000 or 50% of the total cost, whichever is lower. For example, if a homeowner spends a total of $4,000 on eligible retrofits, they will get $2,000 or 50% back as a rebate. If they spend $8,000 on eligible retrofits, they would only receive $3,000 in rebates instead of $4,000 (which would be 50% of the cost).
To qualify for the Gold Star program, homeowners must reduce their total home energy consumption by 20%. A $3,000 rebate will be rewarded for this reduction. Homeowners can receive an additional $1,000 for each additional 5% reduction, up to a total rebate of $8,000 or 50% of the total retrofit cost. Rebates may be provided for any of the retrofits listed under the Silver Star program, or for any other energy-saving measure, including: home energy management systems, high-efficiency appliances, highly reflective roofing, awnings, canopies, and similar external fenestration (window) attachments, automatic boiler water temperature controllers, energy-efficient wood products, insulated vinyl siding, and mechanical air circulation and heat exchangers in a passive-solar home.
The Home Star bill also outlines 13 different types of retrofits eligible for funding. Again, each one has unique requirements and rebate amounts. Fortunately there are many online resources that provide details. For example, Estimating Software Advice has created an easy-to-read table that lists the 13 retrofits, along with their eligibility details:
Click here to continue reading their report! And thanks to Houston of Software Advice for sharing this. I’ve been thinking of some energy improvements I’d like to do to my house – maybe I’ll take care of those this fall!
Posted in Energy, Environment, Homes | Tagged: Cash for Caulkers, energy efficient appliances, energy efficient homes, government money, government rebates, Home Star Energy Retrofit Act, Software Advice | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Our Green Atlanta on June 8, 2010
A few weeks ago, Chris Thorman, who blogs about rental property software, shared with me an article about the mix of green housing and the rental market, which I found to be especially intriguing as it is a goal of mine to own several eco-friendly investment properties (maybe by the time I’m 60, but who’s counting?). As hot topics go, sustainable housing has ranked high on the list of select real estate agencies, new housing construction companies, and corporate offices (think Earth Share and LEED certifications), but how many property managers have green rental homes?
Of the over 4,300 people who have earned the Green Designation, approximately 60 of them are property managers. Even though NAR’s Green Designation is only a 18-hour course, it can lay an important foundation in sustainability for property manager.
And how can green property management make a significant impact on our environment? Chris explains:
One of the main reasons why green property management is becoming increasingly important is the fact that buildings account for 50-80% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Many experts are pointing to reducing building greenhouse gas emissions as the most effective and least cost-prohibitive way to fight global warming.
In addition, there are approximately 300,000 property managers in the United States, managing over 90 million tenants. That’s nearly one-third of the U.S. population depending on another person to manage their building’s sustainability.
Instead of just one home owner responsible for greening one home, a property manager has the opportunity to engage many residents in the practices of sustainable living and reduce their carbon footprint through community-wide changes to properties.
Read the full article here: Ask your landlord about their green credentials.
Posted in Energy, Environment, Homes | Tagged: eco-friendly, green building, green investment properties, green property management, green real estate, green rental properties, greenhouse gases, sustainable development | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Our Green Atlanta on June 19, 2009
Metal roofs come in many styles, above being one of the more tradtitional looks. (Photo courtesy of Whirlwind Steel.)
Every roof has a lifespan and (almost) every homeowner or homeowner’s association faces the prospect of replacing their roof at some point. So why not go green? Environmentally-friendly metal roofs now comes in all sorts of styles that emulate a traditional roof and they can reduce summer energy bills by up to 40 percent. A reflective metal roof has a longer lifespan, too, lasting a lifetime versus a traditional roof that lasts an average of 17 years.
The Environmental Protection Agency reports that we spend $40 billion in the U.S. on cooling our buildings, which is staggering. Hopefully people will continue to go the route of metal roofs and green roofs (I would love to have a green roof one day… maybe I’ll flatten my attic and install one upstairs…).
Metal roofs can also emmulate other types of shingled or slate roofs, as seen above. (Photo courtesy of Mel Harris Co, Inc.)
Not faced with the prospect of replacing your roof any time soon? You can also paint it white for the same effect, as recently encouraged by U.S. Secretary of Energy Dr. Chu.
You can read more about metal roofs by clicking for this article!
Posted in Energy, Homes | Tagged: energy efficient homes, environmental products, Environmental Protection Agency, going green Atlanta, green building, green roofs, metal roofs | 1 Comment »
Posted by Our Green Atlanta on May 31, 2009
Have you ever worried about the air quality in your home? high energy bills? drafty windows or doors? Good news is here! In 2001, Local Decatur eco-friendly business Renewal Design-Build established themselves as an expert green renovations company. Now, as people’s interest in energy efficient homes increases, they are adding to their services with their sister company, Renewal Systems Solutions. Below is press release from Renewal Design-Build:
Local Decatur Business Offers Home Performance Assessments
May 22, 2009 –Considering that 45% of Decatur and 61% of Atlanta homes were built before 1960, it’s not surprising that local homeowners are often faced with drafty windows and doors and leaky ducts, often resulting in high energy bills.
Renewal System Solutions – sister company of Decatur’s Renewal Design-Build – offers Home Performance with Energy Star, a comprehensive home assessment that reveals where and why a home is not energy efficient. With diagnostic equipment, Renewal can pinpoint a home’s problems and provide the homeowner with solutions. Home improvement services include: energy efficient renovations, HVAC systems, duct systems, crawl space encapsulation, insulation and air sealing, replacement window and doors, and combustion safety. Improvements to the home result in improved energy efficiency and air quality, and lower utility bills.
“Twenty percent of the energy produced in the United States is consumed by homes,” says Renewal CEO Peter Michelson. “By evaluating and making improvements to our homes, we as homeowners are protecting the environment by conserving energy, and we are saving money by cutting costs on our utility bills. It’s a win-win all around.”
Homeowners will not only save on utility bills, but they can also get cash in their pockets through rebates and tax credits. Georgia Power is now offering its customers Home Performance rebates, and there is a multitude of federal tax credits available to those homeowners making green improvements to their homes in 2009 and 2010. For more information on getting your home tested, visit www.RenewalSystemSolutions.com.
For information on RSS or RDB, call 404.378.6962 or visit www.RenewalDesignBuild.com or www.RenewalSystemSolutions.com. You can also contact: Joe Thomas, home performance consultant, at 404.378.6962 or Joe@RenewalSystemSolutions.com
Posted in Developments, Energy, Homes | Tagged: atlanta green movement, energy efficient homes, green building, green homes in Atlanta, Renewal System Solutions | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Our Green Atlanta on May 25, 2009
World's largest solar tower outside of Sevilla, Spain. (Image courtesy of Abengoa Solar, which I then borrowed from the TreeHugger website.)
Spain has debuted the largest solar tower in the world that now supplies 10,000 homes with renewable energy! The impressive farm of mirrored solar panels, called heliostats, all point at a 532-foot tall tower which collects the solar radiation and creates steam that then runs through a turbine to generate the clean electricity. Each heliostat is 1,291 square feet and there are 1,255 of them. Abengoa Solar, the creators of PS20 and its little sister PS10, estimates that the two solar farms will prevent the ejection of 12,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. Click here to read the article and readers’ comments on land usage and weighing the costs of using land for solar versus corn or coal or nuclear. Some readers did a great job crunching numbers!
Even around Atlanta, the “City of Trees,” I’ve seen more solar panels popping up on people’s houses. If developers continue to insist on clear-cutting for new subdivisions, maybe they’ll at least consider implementing a renewable energy source since these neighborhoods are all bright sunshine with no trees. And how about more green roofs on new construction housing, too??
Thanks to my brother Byron for passing along this article he found on www.TreeHugger.com!
Posted in Energy, Environment | Tagged: Abengoa Solar, clean energy, renewable energy, solar panels, solar power, solar tower Spain | Leave a Comment »
