Virginia Energy Sense

Can cloud-based data centers reduce enough energy to power every home in Virginia for one year? In a recent case study conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Northwestern University, researchers developed a user-friendly, open access model to determine the impact of cloud software on energy efficiency and emissions nationwide, the CLEER Model.

The CLEER (Cloud Energy and Emissions Research) Model was applied to U.S. businesses, assessing the potential energy and emission savings if all businesses adopted the cloud-based software. The researchers identified email, productivity software and customer relationship management (CRM) as the most commonly used application by businesses; thus having the highest potential to reduce energy consumption and emissions.

According to the model, if businesses nationwide switched their email, productivity software and CRM to cloud-based systems, the nation could experience saving as much as 87 percent. That reduction is equivalent to 23 billion kilowatt-hours, is enough to power every home in Virginia for one year!

The study does acknowledge that the potential saving do not take into account economic, infrastructure, temporal, institutional, or policy barriers that may disrupt real world application and savings. Nevertheless, researchers are hopeful that the open access, fully transparent model encourages businesses and users to carefully consider the net energy implications of cloud-based software services. 

The CLEER Model case study can be found here…

In the market for a new energy efficient home? Check out our newest entry into our Energy Efficient Homes Showcase: a Daffan Homes award-winning home!

Daffan Homes focused on sustainability during every phase of building this single family home in Little Hunting Creek, Alexandria. Their eye for detail produced an impressively efficient home that is 62% more efficient than code (HERS score of 38). EarthCraft Virginia recognized this home as the Best Single Family Project of 2012, as well as a Top Ten Efficient Home of the Year.

The home is 2,640 square feet and includes several energy efficient features:

• Solar hot water heating system
• 2.5 kW photovoltaic array
• Energy Star certified light fixtures and appliances
• High efficiency heat pump (16 SEER) with sealed duct and energy recovery ventilation systems
• Low-e, double-pane, argon-filled windows
• Exterior walls and ceiling that feature sealed framing and sheathing with open cell spray foam insulation
• EPA water sense faucets and toilets

Daffan Homes is a family owned and operated business that utilizes the latest green building techniques to create durable, healthy, comfortable and efficient homes.

Have you made energy efficiency upgrades to your home? Why not submit your info to our home showcase?! http://www.virginiaenergysense.org/showcase/

(This is the third post in a series highlighting the great energy efficiency work Virginia Energy Sense partners are achieving across the state.)

Old Dominion University is working with Dominion Virginia Power to install a photovoltaic solar system on the roof of its Student Recreation Center.  The system will include more than 600 photovoltaic panels producing 132 kilowatts of energy, which is enough to power about 35 homes.

Old Dominion is the first participant in Dominion Power’s Solar Partnership Program.  The solar power generated on ODU’s campus will feed into the power grid where Dominion Virginia Power will assess its benefits for the overall electrical distribution system.  The university and power company agree that this project should encourage the growth of solar energy throughout Virginia.

The solar system will also be a learning tool for the university’s engineering school and the overall student body.  Students can access real-time information about how much power the installation is generating from two kiosks on campus.

Have an energy efficiency story you’d like to share?  We’d love to hear what you’re doing and any ideas on how your company/organization can encourage Virginians to reduce their energy use.  For your chance to be featured, contact the Virginia Energy Sense team at justin@virginiaenergysense.org.

Did you know that 98% of Virginians agree that saving energy is important, but only 27% feel highly knowledge about how they can achieve energy savings?  We’ve compiled this Top 10 list of simple energy-efficiency gadgets to help make saving easier. 

Whether you’re new to becoming more energy efficient, or are an expert always looking for more you can do to save, these low-cost tools can help make saving a breeze.  Each of these devices can be found at your local or online hardware or electronics retailer. Most cost only a few bucks and all can be found for less than $75, so pick up the ones that work for you to start saving today! For more energy-saving tips, visit www.virginiaenergysense.org.

1.  Electricity Usage Monitors

To save energy, first arm yourself with information!  Plug the monitor into the wall and enter the price per kilowatt-hour for your area.  Next, plug any device into the monitor and use it as normal for a few days.  Check back later and the monitor will tell you how much it costs to run the device per month, including how much energy is wasted to vampire load.  After a few weeks, you’ll have a good understanding of your biggest expenses, meaning you know where to target your savings.

2.  Smart Power Strips

On average, 10% of the cost to power our electronics is wasted to vampire load, the energy used when devices aren’t even in use.  Smart power strips have special settings that maintain continual power to critical devices while cutting electricity to others when they are not in use.  Even traditional power strips are handy for powering off several unused devices with one flip of the switch.

3.  Air Filter Whistles

You should regularly replace the air filters on your heating and cooling unit—as frequently as every month during the summer and winter when you use the system the most.  Air filter whistles make it easy to remember.   Simply attach the whistle to your filter and it will automatically “sing” when it’s clogged, reminding you to make the swap.

4.  Electrical Outlet Gaskets

The average household spends nearly half of its electric bill on heating and cooling, but you could be wasting money from gaps, cracks and other air leaks in your home.  A simple way to start reducing some of this air loss is to install foam gaskets behind your light switch and AC outlet faceplates.  The gaskets only cost a few bucks, and you can seal up all your outlets with nothing more than a screwdriver.

5.  Insulated Letterbox Flap

Speaking of gaps in your home, mail slots in doors are notoriously drafty and lead to major heating and cooling loss.  If you don’t want to replace your entire mail slot, find models that now attach to the inside of the door and are invisible from the outside.  They cut down on drafts while still allowing mail to be pushed through.

6.  Wireless Outlet Controls

Do you always forget to turn off the lights?  Maybe you forget to turn off a fan or space heater?  If so, pick up a wireless outlet controller to give yourself a backup.  These devices enable you to control any electronic device remotely on your computer or with an app on your smartphone.  Simply plug the controller tool into the wall, and then plug any appliance or device into the controller to instantly give you the power to save on-the-go.

7.  Device Charging Stations

How many gadgets do you have lying around your home?  Are chargers for your phones, mp3 players, and tablets strewn about your room and staying plugged in to the wall even when not in use?  Why not consolidate them into a single charging station.  Both USB and AC models are available, and stations enable you to charge multiple devices simultaneously, reducing the amount of energy consumed per device.  They also sense when devices are fully charged, automatically shutting off to reduce vampire load.

8.  Radiator Insulation Panels

Also called radiator reflector panels, these thin metal sheets slide between your wall and radiator, and reflect the heat off the wall and back into the room.  By circulating the air and reducing the heat wasted into the wall, your heater doesn’t have to work as hard.  These simple devices can cut up to 30% off your heating bill.

9.  Water Tank Jackets

Heating water takes a lot of energy, so any way you can save in this area is sure to lead to big savings.  Wrap your water tank with a jacket to improve insulation by as much as 75%.  Keeping the water hot lets your water heater take more frequent breaks, saving you money.

10.  Efficient Showerheads

Speaking of hot water, pick up one of these nifty showerheads that reduce the water wasted while you wait for your shower to heat up.  The showerhead has a built-in thermometer and runs normally when you first turn it on and the water is still cold.  Once the water’s hot, the showerhead automatically cuts the flow to a trickle.  The change in sound will signal your shower’s ready and reduce wasted water before you hop in. A simple pull of a lever will return the flow to normal.  Pick up one of these to help you conserve electricity and water.

University students from Virginia are turning heads with their innovative sustainability solutions at the Environmental Protection Agency’s P3 event.  P3, which stands for People, Prosperity, and the Planet, is a competition that provides $15,000 grants to college students to develop a sustainable design idea.  Teams then bring their idea to a competition hosted on the National Mall in Washington, DC for a chance to win an additional $90,000 grant to develop the concept for real world application.

This year’s is the 9th annual expo, and features teams from James Madison, Virginia Tech, and Radford Universities.  James Madison’s team has developed a system to turn agricultural waste and wood-based products into biochar, a charcoal-like substance that is added to the soil to provide nutrients for plants and help prevent runoff.  The biochar produces several benefits for farmers:  it recycles waste materials into a useful substance; adds nutrients to the soil for healthier crops; captures and stores carbon, preventing its release into the atmosphere; and waste heat from the conversion process contributes to solar water heating, reducing the farm’s electricity use.  JMU’s concept is already benefitting four farms in the Shenandoah Valley and helping protect the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Virginia Tech’s team developed a more efficient and sustainable system to wash eggs.  With the rise of pastured egg production, there is a critical need for egg washers on small-scale farm operations.  Virginia Tech’s system features a conveyor belt that moves the eggs through an underwater channel.  The water holds the key breakthrough; the team discovered that by reducing the water pressure, little bubbles form on the egg shells that naturally whisk away dirt and germs.  The eggs come out clean without the need for chemicals, and the automated system is both energy efficient and can clean eggs much more quickly than the systems small farmers currently use.

Finally, Radford University’s team discovered an economical method for purifying water.  By binding sugars to ordinary sand and immersing it in the water, the sugar-sand compound captures heavy metals and other contaminants that would otherwise make water unsafe for drinking.  The sand is then easily filtered back out, leaving clean, safe water.  Radford’s team is looking for ways to make the system easily replicable so that it can be reproduced in low-income areas across the world.

Virginians can be proud of the breakthroughs its university students are making in sustainable and energy saving design.  Keep checking back on our blog and social media channels to learn more about ways Virginians are taking steps to reduce our energy footprint.  You can also visit our Energy Efficient Home Showcase to see what your neighbors are doing to save!

(This is the third post in a series highlighting the great energy efficiency work Virginia Energy Sense Partners are achieving across the state.)

The Virginia Department of Corrections, a Virginia Energy Sense partner, has been hard at work to provide cost-effective services while reducing energy use.  The Department completed construction of the largest solar thermal system in Virginia, a 253-panel roof mounted system that preheats water used in showers, lavatories, and the campus kitchen.  The system was designed to offset 20-30 percent of the propane fuel used to heat water.  Measurements are underway to further improve performance.

The system is located at St. Brides Correctional Center in Chesapeake, VA.

The Department was recognized by the Governor’s award for environmental excellence in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

Have an energy efficiency story you’d like to share?  We’d love to hear what you’re doing and any ideas on how your company/organization can help encourage Virginians to reduce their energy use.  For the chance to be featured, contact justin@virginiaenergysense.org.

American consumers are continuing to trade in their traditional incandescent light bulbs for newer, energy efficient products, according to a new Osram Sylvania report.  The survey found that 29 percent of US households no longer use incandescent bulbs, a 16 percent decrease in incandescent usage from a year earlier.  The trend is likely influenced by federal legislation that has slowly phased out production of incandescent bulbs, but the report also found that 68 percent of households voluntarily switched their bulbs for greater efficiency.

It’s easy to see how the new energy efficient bulbs could have a huge impact on energy savings.  The US government estimates that 12 percent of US electricity is used for lighting, and the average household spends 11 percent of its energy bill on lighting.  And while switching light bulbs is an easy fix, consumers have hesitated because of high up-front costs and the perceived aesthetic drawbacks of energy efficient bulbs.  New energy efficient bulbs, however, are making these problems a thing of the past.

Alternatives to incandescent bulbs currently include compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), which use about 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs, and light emitting diodes (LEDs), which can last up to an astonishing 50,000 hours.  Prices for LEDs in particular are declining steadily with a 24 percent drop over the last two years, and experts predict prices could drop to as low as five dollars for the formerly expensive lights.  Furthermore, advances in both CFLs and LEDs are addressing perceived aesthetic drawbacks.  Newer lights are better at replicating the “warm” white glow many consumers love about incandescent bulbs.  Many are also mercury-free, compatible with dimmer switches, and light up instantly, instead of requiring several seconds to warm up.

New technologies are eliminating the either-or dilemmas of earlier energy efficient bulbs.  Consumers can now achieve energy efficiency savings without sacrificing aesthetics or suffering from high up-front costs.  So what’s holding you back?  If Virginians can collectively make the move away from incandescent bulbs, the state will make enormous progress towards the goal of 10 percent energy reduction.  Take the 10 percent challenge, and make the switch today!

(This is the second post in a series highlighting the great energy efficiency work Virginia Energy Sense partners are achieving across the state.)

Located in southwest Virginia, Ferrum College  is a four-year higher learning institute nestled among mountains, lakes, state parks and numerous small towns with a variety of venues for outdoor exploration.

With such a strong connection to nature, it makes perfect sense that Ferrum College recently became a Virginia Energy Sense partner and signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) pledge to make a difference by reducing energy consumption and waste.

Ferrum College students are doing their part to help Virginia meet its goal to reduce energy use by 10%.  Every fall semester, students, faculty and staff on campus participate in the POWER DOWN ENERGY COMPETITION, a month long contest to implement energy saving practices. Their energy use is monitored by meters that show which buildings are saving the most energy.

Ferrum College is currently welcoming the addition of a biomass boiler to serve as an alternative energy source and teaching lab. The 1.0 megawatt boiler will provide hot water for the campus and generate enough power to compensate for at least a quarter of the electricity demand. The College has also committed to improving its lighting systems. LED lights are installed whenever possible and occupancy lights in bathrooms and hallways cut down on energy waste when lights aren’t in use.

Have an energy efficiency story you’d like to share? We’d love to hear what you’re doing and any ideas on how your company/organization can help encourage Virginians to reduce their energy use. For your chance to be featured, contact the Virginia Energy Sense team at Tabitha@virginiaenergysense.org.

(This is the first post in a series highlighting the great energy efficiency work Virginia Energy Sense partners are achieving across the state.)

Located in Richmond, Virginia, Cornerstone Architects is an architecture and interior design firm committed to building environmentally friendly structures that make a statement and a contribution to the community. Recently signed on as a Virginia Energy Sense partner, Cornerstone Architects just completed the

The firm also owns a historical building in the “Old and Historic District” in

Have an energy efficiency story you’d like to share? We’d love to hear what you’re doing and any ideas on how your company/organization can help encourage Virginians to reduce their energy use. For your chance to be featured, contact the Virginia Energy Sense team at Tabitha@virginiaenergysense.org. 

We’re noticing lots of holiday decorations up already! You can make your home festive for the holidays without ruining your energy efficiency efforts. Read on to learn a few simple ways you can make sure your home is full of holiday cheer with minimal impact on your utility bill this season:

Tip 1: Get Creative

• Skip lights and go for old-fashioned and edible decor. Gingerbread men, candy canes and popcorn strings make great decorations— and require zero energy!

• Make your home sparkle by strategically placing tinsel, glittered stars and other shiny to catch lights already in use. They will give off a twinkle similar to lights and keep your energy use down over the holidays.

Tip 2: If you can’t skip lights, choose LEDs

• Did you know it costs about $10.00 to light a six-foot tree for 12 hours a day for 40 days with incandescent lights? To light that same tree with mini-LEDs for the same amount of time costs about $.82—now that’s what I call savings.

• As you pull decorations out of storage, check your lights. If they’re damaged or you’re using incandescent bulbs, consider swapping them for LED bulbs and mini-lights.

• You can find energy efficient lights in a variety of colors at most local hardware and retail stores. Before you buy, search ENERGY STAR’s Special Offer/Rebate Finder to find deals and other incentives. Enter  your zip code to find rebates near you.  

Tip 3: Set a Timer 

• Automatic timers make it easier for you to schedule your holiday lights to shine… when you want them to! Look for timer models that come with dusk/dawn sensors or shut off after a specific length of time. Newer models also have settings to create a light show and can even be combined with music—a fun addition if you’re hosting a holiday party.

• If you don’t have a timer, consider plugging lights into centrally located power strips to make it easier to turn them off before you go to bed or leave the house.

For more tips on saving energy all year long,  visit our  “At Home” section and check out our Do-It-Yourself Guide full of quick projects you can work on to reduce your utility bills.

It’s no secret that our home lighting choices have become significantly more efficient.  Now, instead of measuring our old, incandescent light bulbs by the amount of energy they use (watts), we’re measuring them by the amount of light they emit (lumens). This new measurement helps ensure you pick bulbs that use the least amount of energy while providing the appropriate brightness you need! Here are some tips to make sure you get the right bulbs for you:

1)      Before your next trip to the hardware store, think about your home. What kind of lighting do you need? Are you looking for energy efficient light bulbs for reading, or a brighter bulb for your desk? Make a list of your lighting needs.

Tip: There are also free mobile apps to help you while at the store, including Light Bulb Finder, the winner of the U.S. EPA’s Apps for the Environment contest. 

2)      Bookmark this graphic from the FTC to help you remember what kind of light bulbs you’re looking for.

3)      Once you get to the store, take a look at each bulb’s packaging label. It will include important information you’ll want to consider, including:

·         Brightness (in lumens)

·         Yearly estimated energy cost

·         Expected bulb life (in years)

·         Light appearance (how warm or cool the light will look)

·         Wattage (the energy used)

For more information on other simple steps you can take to reduce your energy use at home, check out the Virginia Energy Sense Do-It-Yourself Guide, full of low and no cost projects to help you Value Your Power!

Did you know that this Sunday, November 4^th, our clocks “fall behind” for the fall and winter? As you switch your clocks back, take a few extra minutes to make sure your home remains energy efficient all through the cold weather months.

Six Quick Steps to Ready Your Home for Winter:

1. Plug laptop AC adapters, cell phone chargers and other electronic devices into a power strip. These electronics continue to draw electricity, even when they are not in use. Look for green power plugs that allow you to leave some electronics turned on, like your DVR.

2. Clean your refrigerator coils on the back of the fridge where dust builds up. You’ll help one of the biggest energy hogging appliances in your home run more efficiently and longer!  

3. Reset your programmable thermostat to the coolest comfortable temperature to save on heating costs. Decrease the temperature when you go to bed or leave your home for the day. Ready your home for winter; install storm windows and reduce heat loss through the windows by 25-50%

4. Replace five regular light bulbs with ENERGY STAR qualified light bulbs and save an average of 1,880 kWh over the lifetime of the bulbs. That’s enough energy to light your whole house for nearly 11 months.

5. Grab a can of spray foam and seal all the gaps where air can leak in or out of your home, including those around windows, doors, wiring holes, recessed lights, plumbing vents, your attic hatch, and more. Stopping drafts can make you feel more comfortable and reduce energy bills.

6. Switch the direction of your ceiling fans. Most ceiling fans have a switch on the motor which allows you to control the direction of the blade. In the winter, the blades should move clockwise to force the warm air down.

Want to do more?  Check out the Virginia Energy Sense Do-It-Yourself Guide for other improvement ideas and share your tips and project tricks on our Facebook page.

School is about to start up again, and kids are making the most of their fi

You might want to take a look at the activities Virginia Energy Sense has created in collaboration with educators and the VA Department of Education. Our fun energy efficiency activities are geared toward third, fourth and fifth graders and build upon science and math standards. The materials feature such lessons as:

• It All Adds Up: A two-part activity about components of an electricity bill and how to track energy usage.

• Saving At Home: A three-part math lesson about how much electricity common household appliances use.

• Value Your Power Family Scoreboard: Students work with their families to track their energy habits and come up with ideas to save energy.

• Poster: Features energy-saving tips by room and provides space for students’ ideas to reduce energy use.

  

To download a digital copy of the activities, visit our ‘At School’ page.

If these activities leave your kids wanting to learn more, check out these additional educational resources:

• For a more detailed bill explanation and information on reading your electric meter, visit the Understand Your Bill page.
• To learn more about appliance energy waste visit the Smart Appliance Use page.
• For more information on how to help kids save energy, visit our Tumblr blog for additional activities.
• If you want more details on how to save energy in your classroom, visit the ‘At School’ Energy Saving Tips page.

If you want to keep up with the latest resources and news on energy efficiency around Virginia, drop by our Facebook and Twitter pages. 

Looking to make some big energy-efficiency changes in your home? We can help!

Virginia Energy Sense has compiled an easy-to-use list of all federal, state and utility incentives available to Virginians.  These can help you offset purchases and installation costs of energy efficiency upgrades and equipment, and can even help you lower your tax bill.  Now that’s a deal! 
Here’s a brief overview of the incentives available, but be sure to visit our Incentives page to find direct links to more information.

Renewable Energy Rebates

• Renewable Energy Tax Credit – 30%tax credit for renewable energy purchases  

Appliances and Energy Efficiency Equipment

• Charlottesville Gas Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate – $100 rebate for

  

  energy efficient equipment
• City of Danville Utilities Home$ave Rebate Program – $25-$350 rebates for energy efficient products
• Columbia Gas Energy Efficiency Rebate – $50-$300 rebates for energy efficient appliances
• Geothermal Heat Pump Rebate – 20% rebates for geothermal heat pumps
• Load Management Program for Electric Water Heaters and HVAC – Rebates for energy efficient hot water heaters and/or HVAC repairs
• Thermostat Rebate for Charlottesville Gas Customers – $100 rebate for the purchase and/or installation of a programmable thermostat

Audits and Home Efficiency Improvements

• Dominion Virginia Power Free Home Energy Audit for Income-Qualified Customers – A free in-home energy audit for Dominion customers
• Dominion Virginia Power Smart Cooling Rewards for Smart Switch Installation – A $40 rebate for Dominion customers who participating in Smart Switch program
• Home Energy Loss Prevention (HELP) – Free visual energy audit; rebate for

  

  selection of energy efficient equipment and other energy and cost-saving home repair benefits
• NEXT STEP Energy Efficiency Rebates (Hampton Roads Area Residents) – $1500 rebates for non-appliance Energy Star Upgrades; $2,500 for air sealing, duct sealing, & insulation
• Rappahannock Electric Cooperative – Free energy audit
• WarmWise Home Savings Evaluation – Free online energy audit
• Weatherization Assistance Program – Financial assistance for weatherization

Are you trying to figure out if your home is energy efficient? A good first step is our new Home Energy Test. The test allows you to easily evaluate your home’s energy use in just a few minutes. At the end, you’ll receive a report that suggests ways you can save energy.

Here’s how it works:

1) Go to our home page www.virginiaenergysense.organd click on the photo of the house.

2) Fill out your first and last name, city, zip and e-mail, then click “Submit.”  Be sure your e-mail address is correct.  That’s where you’ll get your results!

3) Click next if your e-mail is correct, and then click “Start New Assessment.”

4) Fill out information about your home in each of the five categories:  Your Home, Insulation, Heating & Cooling, Appliances & Electrical and Utilities. It’s okay if you don’t know the answer! Just click on the tips for help. Once you’refinished, click “Get My Results.”

5) That’s it!  You’re finished.  You’ll receive an email with the results within a minute or two.

6) The results will detail some steps you can take to improve the efficiency of your home to save energy and money.

See how easy that is? 

This post is the final in our series featuring information about home energy assessments, and what’s involved in the process.

While a blower door test or infrared camera are two of the more common ways an auditor can help you assess energy waste in your home, an auditor can also use other measurement techniques to provide long-term information about air leakage and energy loss in your home.

How do these technologies work, you ask?

PerFluorocarbon Tracer (PFT) measurement technique

• The PFT technique uses different types of non-toxic gasses to determine a home’s airtightness and to find out if there are any leaks in the structure. The gas dissipates through the house and an average concentration reading determines the building tightness.

• An auditor may want to use this test in conjunction with a blower door test to account for changes in air pressure, weather and wind speed, o

  

  r any family activities that may affect the rates of air leakage over a period of time.

Furnace efficiency meters & Surface thermometers

• A surface thermometer reads the surface temperature of anything it’s pointed at and gives auditors insight into heat retained by various surfaces in your home. This helps the auditor—and you!—understand how to heat and cool your home.

• An auditor may want to use meters and thermometers to determine if your home heating & cooling systems are working properly and are effectively insulated.

After your auditor has completed his/her assessment, you will be presented with a report detailing all the ways your home wastes energy and opportunities for improvement. The report will include recommendations you can choose to implement in your home to reduce your energy use. These opportunities for improvement can range from caulking and sealing to adding insulation or duct sealing, just to name a few. Your auditor can provide suggestions on which projects you should consult a contractor and which recommendations are do-it-yourself.

To learn more about ways you can save energy around your home, visit VirginiaEnergySense.org and check out the ‘At Home’ section for tips and information to get you started reducing your utility bills today.

This post is the third in our series featuring information about home energy assessments, and what’s involved in the process.

As part of a home energy audit, a professional energy auditor may conduct an Infrared Thermography inspection. This test helps the auditor easily find areas where the temperature-controlled air in your home is sneaking its way outside, decreasing the energy efficiency of your home.

So, how does infrared thermography work?

• Infrared Thermography measures thermal energy, or heat, emitted from an object. Everything with a temperature above absolute zero (- 459 F), emits heat.  As the object’s temperature rises, the amount of infrared energy emitted also rises. 

• The equipment can capture precise images of the wavelengths unseen by the human eye. This helps the home energy auditor detect areas with small cracks or holes, or low insulation levels. 

An auditor can choose between several different types of infrared sensing devices, including:

• A spot radiometer, or point radiometer. This is the simplest type of infrared device. The radiometer shows the temperature of a given spot at that moment in time. 

• A thermal line scanner gives a little more detail than a point radiometer. Instead of just showing the temperature of just one point, the line scanner shows radiant temperature variations along a line.

• A thermal imaging camera. This tool is the most accurate, and prod

  

  uces a two-demensional thermal picture of an area showing heat leakage.  This method is likely to be used in your home audit.

Before your Infrared Thermography survey, talk to your energy auditor about the steps you should take to prep your home for the test. The auditor may have you move furniture away from exterior walls and remove drapes from your windows. You should also find out if you will need to make any adjustments to your thermostat.

Check out our listing of incentives or rebates before you begin your professional home energy audit.

This post is the second in our series featuring information about home energy assessments, and what’s involved in the process.

One of the diagnostic tools in a professional auditor’s tool belt is a blower door test. A blower door test tells the auditor generally how airtight your home is, and identifies small holes and cracks in your home. And since these little openings can account for 30-50% of energy waste, it can be helpful to your wallet to seal them!

To help you better understand the process necessary to conduct a blower door

• A blower door is a powerful fan mounted into the frame of an exterior door in your home. The fan pulls all of your air out of the house, lowering the air pressure inside.

• As this drop in air pressure occurs, the higher air pressure outside rushes into the home through any unsealed cracks, holes and openings.

• The auditor then measures the air flowing through the blower door, which determines the severity of your home’s air leaks.  The airflow through the blower door is measured in cubic feet per minute at 50 pascals of pressure (a pascal is a small unit of air pressure). Some auditors also use a smoke puffer to visually detect air leaks.

After the auditor conducts the blower door test, she or he should provide you with a list of problem areas and how to address them. Then, it’s time to get to work sealing those cracks and openings!

Caulking and weather stripping are two cost-effective, do-it-yourself projects that will help you eliminate energy waste and reduce your utility bills with the investment of a few bucks and a little time.

If you want to identify air leaks around your home without a professional, get started with these DIY tips for locating air leaks.

For other tips and information on how to make your home more energy efficient, visit our home energy check list at virginiaenergysense.org.

This post is the first in our series featuring information about home energy assessments, and what’s involved in the process.

We hear from many people who say they aren’t sure what steps to take to improve the energy efficiency of their home. One way to help assess how much energy your home uses and identify measures you can take to improve efficiency is to conduct a home energy audit (also called an energy assessment). A professional energy audit can save you time, energy and extra savings as a result of their findings.

During an assessment, the auditor will analyze your energy bills, and ask you about your comfort in your home, including questions on drafty areas. The auditor first examines the outside of the home to determine the size of the house

A typical assessment may include the following tools:

• Blower doors to determine a home’s air tightness

• Infrared cameras, which reveal hard-to-detect areas of air infiltration and missing insulation

• Furnace efficiency meters

• Surface thermometers

• PFT Air Infiltration Measurement Technique [rarely offered]

  

Things you can do to prepare for a professional audit:

• Make a list of any existing problems such as condensation and uncomfortable or drafty rooms

• Gather  copies or a summary of your home’s yearly energy bills

• Know your home’s average thermostat setting for summer and winter

To find a professional Energy Auditor in your neighborhood, visit the New Homes Partner Locator. You may also want to see if you qualify for any incentives or rebates on home energy audits.

If you don’t have budget to hire a professional auditor, you can assess your home’s energy loss by using our Home Energy Check List and visiting the Do Your Own Energy Audit page on our site. Both resources provide background and tips to help you identify areas you can improve around your home to save energy and money on utility bills. Once you’ve identified those trouble spots, check out our other blog posts that provide information about DIY projects like programming your thermostat, weather stripping, insulation and window film.

It’s hot. If you’re like us, it’s hard for you to think about much else besides staying cool!  Ensuring that your home is adequately insulated can keep your home more comfortable on hot and cold days, and can keep your home’s temperature more consistent. And since heating and cooling account for 50-70% of the energy used in the average American home, insulation can help you reduce your energy waste. To help you better understand your options, we’ve compiled some information about the different types of insulation and how it can help you save energy in your home year round.

Insulation is made from a variety of materials, and it usually comes in fo

• Batts and rolls, or blanket insulation, is the most common and widely available type of insulation. It consists of flexible fibers, most commonly fiberglass. You also can find batts and rolls made from mineral (rock and slag) wool, plastic fibers, and natural fibers, such as cotton and sheep’s wool. Batts and rolls are available in widths suited to standard spacing of wall studs, and attic or floor joists. Continuous rolls can be hand-cut and trimmed to easily fit these spaces.

  

• Loose-fill consists of small particles of fiber, foam, or other materials. These small particles form an insulation material that can conform to any space without disturbing any structures or finishes. Loose-fill insulation is well suited for places where it’s difficult to install some other types of insulation.

  

• Rigid foam rigid panels of insulation can be used to insulate almost any part of your home, from the roof down to the foundation. They provide good thermal resistance and often add structural strength to your home. Foam board insulation sheathing reduces heat conduction through structural elements, like wood and steel studs.

  

• Foam-in-place liquid foam insulation materials can be sprayed, foamed-in-place, injected, or poured. Their ability to fill even the smallest cavities gives them twice the R-value per inch than traditional batt insulation. 

For insulation recommendations tailored to your home and location, visit the DOE Zip Code Insulation Calculator.

You can also find other tips to help you save energy at home, work and school on the Virginia Energy Sense website. Check out the simple ways you can reduce your monthly utility bills.

The region is heating up and warm days are here to stay across Virginia. If you’re seeking refuge from the heat and want to make sure your home stays cool, consider what you know about your home’s windows.  Are they efficient?

Many homeowners lose an estimated 30 percent of the money they spend on cooling costs due to inefficient windows. Now that’s a lot of energy waste! ENERGY STAR qualified windows, doors and skylights can help you reduce your energy use and keep your cool air inside the house.

To help you prepare for your window project, we’ve gathered some information you should know: 

Key Terms to Know:

• The insulation in windows is measured by U-factor. U-factor refers to the rate of non-solar heat transfer through a window. The lower the U-factor, the more insulation the window provides. U-factor ratings generally fall between 0.20 and 1.20.

• Familiarize yourself withsolar heat gain coefficient (SHGC), which measures the fraction of solar energy transmitted and tells you how well the product blocks heat caused by sunlight. SHGC is measured on a scale of 0 to 1; values typically range from 0.25 to 0.80.
  

Identify Materials and Contractors

Make sure the materials you choose are suited to the type of climate in which you live. Get started by determining your climate region

• Next, locate an ENERGY STAR retailer in your neighborhood. Just type in your zip code for product suppliers near you.
  

Incentives:

• In addition to the long-term energy savings you’ll enjoy, take advantage of financial incentives that lower your initial investment. Check with your local utilities and state to see if they provide financial incentives or rebates for purchasing ENERGY STAR qualified windows.

If upgrading your windows to make them more energy efficient isn’t in your budget, you’re not out of luck! There are many ways that you can improve the efficiency of your windows and the comfort of your home with a limited budget. Check out these DIY projects to help keep the cool air inside your home.

Already taken on a project to make your home more energy efficient? Share your story with Virginia Energy Sense on our Facebook page and we’ll feature you in an upcoming blog!

When you think of home energy savings, oftentimes, folks assume they must own their own home to make changes and energy efficient upgrades.  But there’s actually plenty of things renters can do to help reduce their energy impact, including many simple and low or no cost projects that can still bring a significant impact.

If you live in a rental property and can’t commit to more permanent efficiency solutions, we have a list of projects just for you. Once you’ve cleared the project with your landlord, reference these 10 ideas to reduce your utility bills and energy use:

1. Install a Programmable Thermostat: A programmable thermostat makes it easier for you to save energy by offering specific settings to regulate temperatures in your home while accounting for variables including time of

   

   day, seasons and your schedule. Programmable thermostats can range in price from $20 to a few hundred dollars, but check with your utility provider — some may install one for free or provide an incentive towards your purchase.
2. Install Gaskets Behind Outlets & Switches: You should install gaskets to prevent unnecessary heat gain or loss depending on the time of year. The purpose of foam gaskets is to seal off the wall cavity behind outlets & switch receptacles. If you were to conduct a “blower door test,” you would be

   

   amazed to find a generous amount of outside air blowing out from these points.
3. Caulk & Seal Around Windows and Doors: Leaks and drafts cause unnecessary expenses. Weatherize your home by caulking and weather-stripping all doors and windows. Also use locks on your windows to make them tighter and draft resistant. According to the Department of Energy, if you reduce drafts in your home you can cut your energy bill by as much as 30%!
4. Use Power Strips: Put laptop AC adapters, cell phone and other el

   

   ectronic device chargers on power strips that can be turned off — or will turn off automatically. The charger draws power continuously, even when the devices are not plugged into the adapter.
5. Check Your Water Heater Settings: Lower your water heater’s maximum temperature — 120 degrees should be sufficient. The energy savings are 7-11% of water heating costs. You can also wrap your water heater with an insulation blanket available at your local hardware store.
6. Replace The Furnace Filter: Have your cooling system serviced once a year and regularly replace furnace filters. During the summer months when cooling is used most frequently, change or clean furnace filters once

   

   a month.
7. Use Energy Efficient Bulbs: Replace regular light bulbs with energy efficient compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). Consider LED lights for outdoor areas. Switching one CFL can save $40 or more over the lifetime of the bulb and LED lights use at least 75% less energy than incandescent lighting.
8. Install Window Shades: Keep shades and curtains closed during the day on the south side of your home to prevent your air conditioning unit from working twice as hard to cool the space.
9. Consider fans: They move the air around spaces and that circulation action can make rooms more comfortable — even at higher temperatures. Fans usually allow for a 3 to 5 degree higher temperature setting without sacrificing comfort and each degree saves about 3% on cooling costs. That could mean cutting one of your biggest energy inputs by 15% and saving hundreds of dollars every year.
10. Clean Your Refrigerator: By cleaning the coils on the back of your fridge you’ll help one of the biggest energy hogging appliances run more efficiently.

What other ideas can you think of to help save energy around your home? Share your ideas with us on our Facebook page and we’ll share with other Virginians so we can all work to meet the state’s goal to reduce electricity consumption by 10%.

The first three months of 2012 flew by, but Virginia Energy Sense is hoping those energy efficiency resolutions haven’t flown out the door!  To keep your energy efficiency goals on track and give you some fresh ideas just in time for spring, Virginia Energy Sense caught up with Pamela Covington, our second Resolutions Sweepstakes winner, to get her thoughts on how other Virginians can ‘Value Your Power.’ Read on to see what Pamela had to say about energy efficiency:

VES: One appliance/tech gadget you can’t live without?

PC: The one thing I can’t live without is my computer. I practically do

everything on it now from Facebook, Twitter, entering sweepstakes to finding awesome deals to save money on everyday items.

VES: Favorite tip for saving energy around the house?

PC: Simply turn off the lights, TV, computer and game consoles when you are not using them.

VES: Finish this sentence: One way I think Virginia can help achieve its 10% goal to reduce electricity consumption is: 

PC: Virginia can help reduce electricity consumption by educating the public through as many means as possible; using the week around Earth Day for businesses to offer coupons and “try me” periods for energy efficient products; and offering incentives to businesses to help promote sales of more energy efficient products to consumers. 

VES: What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to saving energy? 

PC: Affordability. I know it makes sense in the long-term; however, when you are trying to really stretch your finances to cover everything, it really makes the difference.

Check back with us, weekly, to learn more energy efficiency tips and ways to save on your utility bills. In the meantime, visit our Facebook page and tell us what you’re doing to ‘Value Your Power’ and save energy throughout 2012.

How to- 5 Steps to Make Your Computer Energy Efficient

If you’re in the habit of leaving your computer on when it’s not in use, you could be wasting up to$50 annually in electricity costs for each computer you own. These five steps can help you run your computer more efficiently and save you money. Even businesses can get in on the savings by making some simple adjustments to ensure computers are running efficiently and cost-effectively. 

1. To get your computer in energy efficient shape, try these five steps: Monitors: Turn your monitor off if you plan to be away from your screen for a longer period of time. Not only will this save energy but it will also extend the life of your monitor. Note that if your monitor is more than 20 years old, you

   

   shouldn’t turn it on and off frequently.
2. Screen Savers: Don’t rely on screen savers to help you save energy. Believe it or not, a screen saver actually uses a great deal of energy. In fact, a screen saver will not only draw power for the monitor but will also keep the central processing unit from shutting down. Change your settings so your computer goes into “sleep mode” instead.
3. Games: Always close applications that aren’t in use. Many popular computer games are left running in the background while multitasking, which will not allow the computer to go to sleep, even if the game is paused. Closing unused apps reduces your computer’s workload and will also increase your computer’s speed.
4. Manage Power: Activate power management settings on your computer. Your computer should come equipped with power management tools that allow you to control how your computer consumes energy, when it enters sleep modes and how it powers up or down.  

   

To activate these settings, visit the link of the operating system you run on your computer and follow the steps to make your computer run more efficiently: 

• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7 
• Mac OS

While in the low-power or sleep mode these computers will not lose network connections keeping your data secure, allowing greater use of low power modes. 

5.  Buying New: If you’re in the market for a new computer, consider ENERGY STAR qualified models. According to ENERGY STAR,if every home office product purchased in the United States met ENERGY STAR requirements, the U.S. could save more than $100 million in annual energy costs! 

If you want to know just how much these simple steps can save you, check out the Energy Star Computer Power Management Savings Calculator to estimate your typical savings from qualified Energy Star computers and/or power management features.

For other energy efficiency tips you can implement in your home or office, visit the Virginia Energy Sense website at virginiaenergysense.org.

Drafty windows can make your home chilly and less comfortable. But with a roll of window film and a little bit of time, you can keep drafts in check.  Window film helps to conserve energy, lowers energy costs and blocks up to 65% of solar energy in summer and 38% of heat loss in winter. This project is great for renters and homeowners who aren’t able to commit to large scale energy efficiency projects. And since window film can be easily applied and removed, it’s a simple DIY

Cost: Window film typically costs between $1.35 and $3 per square foot installed. Proper installation is important to avoid bubbling, cracking, peeling and even film-induced glass breakage, so buy films with a material and installation guarantee of 5 to 10 years.

You’ll Need 

• Squeegee Razor blade
• Tape measure
• Window cleaner
• Window film kit

Instructions:

• Clean and prep the window by scraping glass panes with a razor to ensure the window is free of dirt and dust build up. 
• Use a measuring tape and measure the window you want to cover. Add 1 inch to each measurement and cut film accordingly. Excess film will allow you to hold the film during application. You’ll trim the extra pieces off after installation. 
  
• Spray both the window glass and film with cleaning solution. This helps the window film adhere to the glass.

• Start at the top of the window and allow the film to gently lie on the glass. Press the film in place with your hands and grab your squeegee to remove excess air and moisture from under the film. Work any air bubbles out by pushing your squeegee from the center of the window to the outer edge.

• Trim the excess edges from the window film with a razor blade and be sure to dry the film with a cloth rag.

Other tips:

• Window film will not adhere to a window that is too hot or too cold. Make sure to apply film during early morning or late evening hours and avoid application during periods of direct sunlight.

If you want to save energy and money on your next utility bill, check out our previous How -To blog posts or follow us on Twitter @VAEnergySense for daily energy efficiency tips and news.

A programmable thermostat makes it easier for you to save energy by offering specific settings to regulate temperatures in your home while accounting for variables including, time of day, seasons and your schedule.

Using standard settings, homeowners will see a significant savings in energy since more than half of the money spent on powering a household goes to heating and cooling costs.  In fact, installing and correctly using a programmable thermostat can help you reduce your home utility bills by as much as $180 a year. Now that’s what I call savings!

If you’re thinking about purchasing and installing a programmable thermostat, here are some things you should know:

Options: Typically, thermostat models come in a variety of schedule functions. Homeowners’ with schedules that change daily can opt for models that allow the flexibility to set separate settings for each day of the week, based on whether you’re home or away.  For those with more consistent schedules, 5-day models offer the option to keep the same settings throughout the week while switching to different settings for weekends. Depending on your preferences and home needs, programmable thermostats can range in price from $20 to a few hundred dollars. While $20 will get you a basic model, more advanced models have some other handy options you may want to consider:

• Digital, backlit displays
• Touchpad screen programming
• Voice, mobile phone and/or Wi-Fi programming
• Hold/Vacation features
• Indicators which tell you when it’s time to change air filters
• Indicators that signal malfunctioning of heating/cooling systems
• Adaptive Recovery/ Smart Recovery features that senses the amount of time it will take to reach the next set-point temperature

 How to Install and Program Your Thermostat:

·         Before installing your programmable thermostat, be sure to shut down your electricity and read the instructions that accompany the thermostat of your choice.

·         Select a location on an interior wall in your home. The location should be away from heat or air sources that could impact temperature readings.

·         As you develop a schedule for your thermostat, you should take into consideration when you’re normally away from your home and when your family typically goes to sleep. A sample schedule might look like this:

Winter Weekdays:

o   6am – 9am: Thermostat is set at 68°F

o   9am – 5pm: Thermostat is set at 55°F

o   5pm - from 10pm: Thermostat is set at 68°F

o   10pm – 6am: Thermostat is set at 60°F 

*** Setting your home’s thermostat to 68°F during winter  and turning the thermostat back 10°–15° while you are asleep or at work can save about 5%–15% a year on your heating bill—a savings of as much as 1% for each degree if the setback period is eight hours long. In the summer, you can follow the same strategy with central air conditioning, too, by keeping your house warmer than normal when you are away and lowering the thermostat setting to 78°F when you are at home and need cooling. *** 

Other tips:  

Programmable thermostats are a low voltage wiring project and involve anywhere from 2–10 wires, depending on your type of heating and cooling system. If your home requires a more extensive installation or you’re concerned about risks involved with installing electrical equipment, consider contacting an HVAC professional.

It can be awfully cozy to curl up near the fireplace with a good book or play board games with family and friends.  But did you know your fireplace is actually one of the most inefficient heating sources available?

By following these few steps from the Department of Energy, you can make sure your heating bill doesn’t burn you this winter. Here’s how:

•  Plug and seal the chimney flue if you do  not  use your fireplace.
• Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is going. Leaving the damper open is like an open window on a cold day. As air in your home warms, it rises up and out of your chimney if not properly sealed when not in use.
• Reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox (if provided) or open the nearest window slightly—approximately 1 inch—and close doors leading into the room. Lower the thermostat setting to 50°- 55°F when you have a fire lit.
• Check the seal on the flue damper and make it as snug as possible.
• Caulk around the fireplace hearth to prevent warm air from escaping.

  

• Circulate warm air back into your home. Use grates made of C-shaped metal tubes to draw cool room air into the fireplace.
• Install a heat-air exchange system that blows warmed air back into the room. Tempered glass doors will also help you maintain the heat your fireplace generates.

By making some or all of these fixes, you’ll be able to enjoy your fireplace without worrying about heat loss. If you want to increase your savings on utility bills, check out other do-it-yourself tips from Virginia Energy Sense to ensure your home is an energy-efficient haven.

Properly designed exterior shutters may provide the best possible window insulation system in addition to several other advantages:

o   Weather protection

o   Added security

o   Doesn’t require interior space

o   No thermal shock to windows if left closed.

For more information on how you can save energy around your home, visit the Virginia Energy Sense website’s ‘At Home’ section.

Take the Guess Work Out of Shopping for Light Bulbs

With all the discussion surrounding light bulbs and what’s being phased out, phased in and most efficient, one can easily be a little confused about what’s available!
Before you find yourself standing in the aisle of your local lighting supplier staring at shelves of lights – or worse, being dissuaded from moving away from traditional bulbs  – here’s what you need to know to easily read new bulb packaging labels and select the perfect lighting options for you.

• To replace a 100-watt (W) incandescent bulb, look for a bulb that gives you about 1600 lumens. If you want something dimmer, go for less lumens; if you prefer brighter light, look for more lumens.
• Replace a 75 W bulb with an energy-saving bulb that gives you about 1100 lumens. 
• Replace a 60 W bulb with an energy-saving bulb that gives you about 800 lumens. 
• Replace a 40 W bulb with an energy-saving bulb that gives you about 450 lumens. 

Another feature mentioned on the label to consider before purchasing your new lights is Light Appearance. Compact fluorescent lights [CFLs], and light-emitting diodes [LEDs] offer color options. These colors can range from warm/yellowish, to white to cool/blue.  Depending on your personal preferences, you

Virginians across the state are doing their part to make buildings greener and more energy efficient. Now, with the release of the U.S. Green Building Council’s list of Top 10 States for LEED Green Buildings, we know Virginians are among the best in the country. In the USGBC ranking, Virginia ranks 5^th among all 50 states with a whopping 19,358,193 square feet of LEED-certified building space in 2011.

To see what LEED certified buildings are near you, check out the USGBC’s LEED Projects and Case Studies Directory. You can filter results based on a number of criteria including state and city.  

Of course, it’s not just up to commercial builders to make Virginia more efficient.  Consider reaching out to your local USGBC Green Rater for more information on how your home can be LEED-certified.  Green Raters verify that the home is designed and built to the rigorous requirements of the LEED for Homes Rating System through onsite verification and must be involved with your project from the design phase through completion.

You can also reach out to EarthCraft, a group of home builders, renovators, developers and Technical Advisors throughout the Southeast who construct and renovate comfortable, energy- and resource-efficient homes, uniquely suited to the region’s climate conditions.  EarthCraft has a number of Virginia professionals available to walk you through your construction or renovation project. 

If you’re looking at new construction, the Environmental Protection Agency’s [EPA] Energy Star New Homes program ensures your home meets ENERGY STAR guidelines. A third–party certified Home Energy Rater works closely with your builder throughout the construction process to help determine the needed energy–saving equipment and construction techniques and conducts required on–site diagnostic testing and inspections to document that the home is eligible to earn the ENERGY STAR label.  To find participating builder partners in your area, visit the ENERGY STAR Partner Locator.

There are plenty smaller, simple steps you can take to make your home or workplace more energy efficient too. Visit the ‘At Home’ section of the Virginia Energy Sense website for more energy saving tips and to learn about how you can help Virginia reduce electricity consumption by 10%. We even have a step-by-step guide for a do-it-yourself home energy assessment you can conduct to discover easy ways you can reduce energy waste and improve your home!   Get started today and show other Virginians you ‘Value Your Power!’

Did you make your resolutions at the stroke of midnight this year? As January days quickly slip away, we hope you’re still hard at work setting and working toward the goals you’ve set for 2012! Virginia Energy Sense has a goal of its own and wants your help to achieve it—a 10% reduction in energy use across the state.

Making and keeping a resolution to reduce energy use this year (and for many years to come!) not only helps Virginia reach its goal in making the Commonwealth a better to place to live, but it will also reduce your utility costs! What will you do with those extra dollars in 2012?

To get started today on saving energy, check out our ‘Top 12 for 2012’ for tips to help keep your energy saving pledge on track all year long. Also, don’t forget there’s still time to enter the Virginia Energy Sense Resolutions Sweepstakes.  Just login to Facebook today and check the box to select which resolution you’ll commit to th

See how many energy saving actions you can take at home, work or school this year. Help your friends, family and neighbors do the same by reminding them to ‘Value Your Power!’  

• Make energy efficiency projects fun! Light an incense stick and let kids wave it (or for safety, watch you do it!) in front of windows to detect drafts. Together you can then help them apply caulk to plug air leaks around door frames.

  

• Encourage your kids to become Energy Hog Busters by playing Hog and Seek, sponsored by the Alliance to Save Energy.  

• The U.S. Department of Energy’s Kids Saving Energy site has games, tips and facts just for kids of all ages who want to become more energy conscious.

• Print and post the Easy Energy Action Plan on your fridge so kids can keep track of how they use energy wisely every day.

• Energy Star Kids can also help teach children why their planet needs them and how they can help. Energy Star’s word banks also offer a great vocabulary lesson for kids to learn about energy and environment concepts.  

• The U.S. Energy Information Administration Energy Kids site has lesson plans, energy career articles and games and activities—all for students.

You can also help your kids make energy saving resolutions through our contest launching in early January. Check our site for more details coming soon!

For ways kids and adults can help apply their energy-saving knowledge when they return to school, check out Virginia Energy Sense’s At School page. You can also read about schools across Virginia working to make their buildings more energy efficient.

We all make them— New Year’s resolutions. To kick off the New Year, Virginia Energy Sense invites you to share your resolutions by entering our Virginia Energy Sense Resolutions Sweepstakes.

• Conduct a home energy assessment. Learn how to get started today! http://ht.ly/7YsAo

• Change all of your lights to energy-efficient CFLs or LEDs. They can use up to 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs!

• Install and set a programmable thermostat. Check out our incentives page for rebates. http://ht.ly/7YsCx

• Have other ideas? Tell us what you’ll do to save energy in 2012!

You’ve decorated, gathered gifts and cooked. Now it’s your turn to host a holiday celebration. Before you rush around taking care of last minute details, check out these tips to help you have the most energy efficient party on the block!

• Expecting a large crowd? Since more bodies translate into more heat, turn down your thermostat a few degrees.  You’ll keep everyone comfortable and keep your heating bill in check.
•  If your home is already in decent order, skip major cleaning before the event. Instead, leave the cleaning until after the party so you don’t use cleaning appliances twice, saving time and energy during this busy time of year.
•  If your guests plan to move between inside and outside areas, consider using candles to light your walkway or patio to save energy throughout the party. Make sure to follow fire safety guidelines
• If your tree lights are on, consider turning off some room lights. Lights on your tree should provide enough light to navigate a room, and a festive atmosphere for your party.

Tell us how you’re saving energy this holiday season on our Facebook page. We’ll feature some of your new ideas on our Twitter feed and Tumblr blog!

Cooking up a storm or storing leftovers from holiday gatherings? Consider the following tips to reduce your energy use in the kitchen this season:

Prep time:

• Your refrigerator loses its cool every time you open the door. To save energy, try gathering all your ingredients in one trip.
• Defrost your food in the refrigerator to cut down on time and energy spent cooking. It also helps keep your fridge cooler!

Cook time:

• Waking up early to roast that ham or turkey? Since it takes several hours to cook, skip preheating and help your oven save energy where it can.
• When your dish is close to finished, turn your oven off and let the remaining heat complete the cooking process.
• Keep the oven door closed tightly! Use the oven light instead to check on food instead of opening the door. Opening the door can let heat (and money!) escape. 
• If you’re cooking side dishes or only entertaining a small crowd, consider using your microwave instead of an oven. Microwaves use up to 50% less energy than conventional ovens.
• When you need to use the stove top, make sure the size of your pot or pan matches the size of the burner.  A six-inch pan on an eight-inch burner will waste more than 40% of the energy.

Clean up: 

• When you’re finished cooking, leave the oven door cracked to release heat into the house to make use of the energy you’ve already used.
• After all the holiday cooking, your oven is bound to be dirty. If you self-clean the oven right after cooking, you can use existing heat to save energy.

Tell us how you’re saving energy this holiday season on our Facebook page. We’ll feature some of your new ideas on our Twitter feed and Tumblr blog!

Some folks are just hard to buy for no matter how early you start shopping! If you want to be energy conscious and help those close to you value their power throughout the year, check out our energy-saving gift ideas: 

Gift Tips!

•  Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs make great stocking stuffers. Year-round lighting accounts for up to 25% of a home’s electric use—making a CFL bulb the gift that keeps on giving!

•  For the DIY person on your list, consider giving them local hardware store gift cards so they can make energy improvements to their home.

•  If you’re handy, consider giving the gift of home improvement assistance. A personal ‘coupon’ to install motion sensor lights (or similar projects) can help your gift recipient save energy all year long.

•  Keep your loved ones warm this holiday season and help them save energy with the gift of warmth. Blankets, warm sweaters, fuzzy socks and slippers can help your friends and family members stay warm and cozy in their house, allowing them to turn back the thermostat a few degrees.

• Planning to gift a television, laptop, appliance or other electronics? Check the Energy Star guidelines to make sure your gift is energy-efficient. http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=about.holiday_shopping 

Tell us how you’re saving energy this holiday season on our Facebook page. We’ll feature some of your new ideas on our Twitter feed and Tumblr blog!

Holidays are always a busy time of year, and it can be difficult to keep up your energy efficiency efforts during the season. Whether you’re hosting a big holiday dinner, traveling long distances to be with family, or spending time at home with close friends, holiday activities can often mean increased energy use and higher utility bills. But don’t you pout— Virginia Energy Sense has you covered with tips on how you can keep your energy use in check this season. Here are a few energy saving tips to consider this season which may help put a few extra cents in your wallet just in time for gift giving.

 Decoration Tips!

• For a truly energy efficient tree, skip lights and go for old-fashion and edible decor. Gingerbread men, candy canes and popcorn strings make great decorations— and a project the kids can enjoy!

• If you absolutely adore a twinkling tree of lights, consider making the switch to new mini lights or LED-powered ones. They can be up to 70% more energy efficient than traditional bulbs, which can use up to 10 watts each!

• After you decorate the tree, consider connecting light timers to save energy and prevent potential fire hazards. If you decide not to use a timer, be sure to unplug your lights when you go to sleep or leave home.

• Decking your home with tinsel, stars and other decorations that don’t use any electricity is a great way to keep your energy use down over the holidays. Tinsel and mirrored decorations will catch lights already in use giving off a twinkle similar to lights.

As we all know, temperatures in Virginia can wildly fluctuate in short periods. In response to the flux, energy users often increase their energy consumption with added heating and cooling to maintain comfort.

The Defense Logistics Agency is doing its part to avoid this flux and help Virginia reduce energy consumption by installing ground source heat pumps that will be operational by December. The pumps will use up to 50% less electricity than equivalent air source heat pumps and mechanical materials will last 25 years — 10-15 years longer than standard air source heat pumps. The system uses the earth as a heat source during winter months and pumps heat into the ground during summer months. The consistent temperature of the earth lends itself to the overall efficiency of the system.     

The DLA is also installing solar panels and motion activated light sensors to further reduce the agency’s energy use and meet its own goal to increase renewable energy sources by 7.5%.

You can read more about the DLA and its Energy and Water Strategy here.   

To learn more about renewable energy sources or find tips to reduce energy use around your own home or office, visit the Virginia Energy Sense website.

This post is the fourth and final in our series featuring schools across Virginia and their efforts to become more energy efficient. To see parts 1, 2, and 3, click here.

• Abingdon, Virginia Highlands Community College
• Big Stone Gap, Mountain Empire Community College
• Clifton Forge, Dabney Lancaster Community College
• Crozet, J.T. Henley Middle School
• Dublin, New River Community College
• Fancy Gap, Fancy Gap Elementary School
• Harrisonburg, Camp Horizons
• Harrisonburg, Thomas Harrison Middle School
• Harrisonburg, Virginia Wind Application Center (James Madison University)
• Heathsville, Northumberland Middle and High School
• Monterey, Highland High School
• Richmond, Science Museum of Virginia
• Roanoke, William Fleming High School
• Rocky Mount, The Gereau Center
• Salem, Salem High School
• Spotsylvania, Spotsylvania Career and Technical Center
• Stafford, Rodney Thompson Middle School
• Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach City Public Schools
• Wise, Wise County Career and Technical Center
• Woodstock, Central High School
  

Want to encourage your local school to be more energy efficient or help students learn more about how to save? Find tips and other helpful educational resources by visiting the At School section of the Virginia Energy Sense website here.  Also learn how your school can become a Virginia Energy Sense partner and take the pledge to reduce energy use, today!