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Links to energy efficiency

Energy Efficiency

There are many additional resources if you are planning to build, remodel, or tighten up your home.

Building more energy efficient homes:

Building Science Corporation. Promotes the design and construction of buildings that are more durable, healthier, more sustainable and more economical than most buildings built today.
U.S. Green Building Council. Coalition of leaders from the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) U.S. Green Building Council. LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.
Federal Citizen Information Center, link to a section titled, Elements of an Energy Efficient House

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.
Use Energy Wisely (pdf) downloadable publication with energy savings checklist and worksheets showing appliance energy use.
Energy Star: Gaining efficiency
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:

Environmental Building News, a monthly newsletter, since 1992, provides practical information about sustainable design in the building environment.
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.
Home Energy Checkup from the Alliance to Save Energy allows users to conduct a preliminary checkup of an existing home's energy features.
Touchstone Energy Home Energy Saver from Touchstone Energy and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Heating system Cost Calculator from Western Area Power Administration compare operating costs of your old system to a new system.
Walk-though Energy Audit from the Department of Energy has tips for checking your home.
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:

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