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A Home Remodel with Energy Efficiency in Mind
Planning a home remodel that will help you become greener, save money and energy? If you stumbled across this site, welcome; here you can get information, tips and tools, savings calculators, and free resources about home energy savings and green living strategies. Energy efficiency has been my mantra for the past 25 years - sometimes successfully, sometimes, not so much. As a do-it-herselfer and energy engineer, I am continually updating and adding information here; what works, what doesn't and what to look for and expect with energy efficiency projects. I have spent a large portion of the past 19 years making older buildings (including my own home) more efficient - evaluating products and technologies in different settings, and *realistically* estimating or measuring the savings. My experiences have been VERY eye-opening, and sometimes, very expensive. Energy considerations - and motivations - in homes are completely different than in commercial buildings and therein lie the many challenges we face today. With a limited budget, I have often needed to be creative with home remodel projects to improve energy efficiency in dated properties - much of what I did can be done with little or no help. Since I am not fond of working in vain, especially in basements or attics, cost, savings and payback are very important to me - in other words, is the effort worth the reward? AND, can form and function marry efficiency. I refer to form, function, n, 'fficiency as the "3Fs". For starters, The value of your home increases by $20 for every $1 you save in utility bills - Appraisal Journal Yes, this is not like winning the lottery, but then again, consider a $100 per month reduction in your utility bills. That will save $1,200 a year and increase your home value by $24,000. What would you do with an extra $1,200? Is that even doable? For most people in older homes, yes, and then some. Performing simple energy savings strategies that are often low or no-cost can reduce your utility bills - sometimes dramatically. Even still, there is effort involved in updating older homes, and awareness, and proper planning are key to a successful home remodel that leads to consistent savings every month. The ultimate goal in creating this site is to clarify, inform and motivate action (hence the word "Faire" in HomeEnergyFaire, from the french word meaning "to do"). When home remodels are concerned, the 3Fs can be illusive: "Form" is almost always the most visible, sought-after and costly part of the project, "Function" is almost always short-changed, and "'fficiency", well... it is the unsung hero that goes ignored most of the time. But for the rewards it offers in savings and comfort, efficiency should be viewed as the defining point that brings the project together. For Homeowners The topics in HomeEnergydFaire can help you take a "whole-house" approach to your home remodel, examine your home's existing condition and particular needs, estimate your savings and payback for upgrades, prioritize your energy plan and implement measures sensibly...while preserving the 3Fs. For Real Estate Professionals A deep understanding with a home's particular energy issues can improve market share; most professionals have a focused view of a building mainly from the aspects that pertain to their expertise. As a green professional, you can offer value-added services including home energy assessments and recommendations for energy improvements to increase saleability and market value. In an economic climate where keeping or buying and selling real estate is a challenge, distinguishing yourself through relevant knowledge that can help save money and the environment is an asset that will go far. For additional resources and services, please visit our sister website, www.datafaire.com .
Start from Your Utility Bills
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