There are many additional resources if you are planning to build, remodel, or tighten up your home.
Building more energy efficient homes:
Energy efficiency within your home:
- Iowa Energy Center. The downloadable Home Series booklets include: Home Tightening, Insulation, and Ventilation; Home Heating and Cooling; and Water Heating.
- Alliance to Save Energy. Provides tips and information on saving money, while also saving energy.
- Federal Trade Commission Bureau of Consumer Protection, includes information about insulation and home heating and cooling (click on “Home Insulation and Energy Efficiency” and choose “Consumer Education.”).
- Department of Energy, Energy and Renewable Energy. Sections on energy audits, windows and doors, insulation, water heating, appliances, lighting, and more.
- Smart Energy Living from the Colorado Energy Science Center. Includes information, resources and tools to help you understand how to reduce energy use and save money.
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Use Energy Wisely (pdf) downloadable publication with energy savings checklist and worksheets showing appliance energy use.
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Energy Efficient Rehab Advisor. The Department of Energy site uses Energy Star recommendations; you enter your profile and find out which options fit your situation.
Publications that promote energy efficiency:
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Environmental Building News, a monthly newsletter, since 1992, provides practical information about sustainable design in the building environment.
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Smart Homeowner magazine includes special reports, popular articles, a home project center, and links to retail partners and provides innovative solutions for creating efficient, healthy, eco-friendly homes.
Online energy calculators:
- U.S. Department of Energy. Includes calculators for greater energy efficiency in your home, water heater, refrigerator, insulation, heating and cooling, and more.
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Home Energy Checkup from the Alliance to Save Energy allows users to conduct a preliminary checkup of an existing home's energy features.
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Online Calculator at UseElectric.com compares electric heating options to fossil fuels.
Insulation:
- Home Tightening, Ventilation, and Insulation from the Iowa Energy Center. Indepth information on types of insulation, where to insulate, and a map of R-Values needed in Iowa homes. (Note: See pages 15-21 of this pdf for insulation information.)
- Dept. of Energy Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Insulation Fact Sheets include information on choosing, installing, types of insulation, why it's needed, R-value, and more. A calculator allows you to specify insulation needs by your zipcode.
- Insulation Contractors of America, 10 commonly asked questions about insulation
- DOE Home insulation calculator by zip code
Windows:
Lighting:
Tax Credits for installing energy efficient technology: