28 April 2010

Special Edition:
Home Energy Audits

ATTENTION HOME ENERGY AUDITORS

Pinpoint Where You‟re Losing A home energy audit makes sense

for every type of home: apartments, Looking to save money on your energy bill but
Energy not sure where to start? Before you delve into
condos, single-family houses, multi-
Are your home energy bills getting family buildings. But if you don‟t all the suggestions on our site, see the
out of hand? Does your house feel own your home, be aware that suggestions outlined by the Government‟s
drafty even when you crank up the many of the auditor‟s recommenda- Energy Star program by clicking on the house
heat? Have you been dragging your tions may be for improvements that below. The room-by-room energy saving advice
feet on giving your house an energy only a building owner can make, will point you in the right direction.
-efficiency tune-up because you like upgrading heating or cooling
don‟t know where to start? equipment or adding more insula- Once you‟re done, click over to our CO2 Center
tion. and use our Carbon Calculator which will
If you answer yes to any of these provide you will detailed suggestions for your
questions, you might want to hire a If you‟re a diligent do-it-yourselfer,
you can conduct your own home
energy audit with guidance from
online checklists or utility company
brochures. But unless you have
considerable expertise, you may
miss out on savings opportunities.
It‟s also unlikely that you‟ll want to
invest in the expensive, specialized
diagnostic tools that many profes-
sional auditors use to pinpoint
where your home is losing energy.
professional home-energy auditor.

Home energy auditors come to your

What to Expect From an Energy
home and identify where energy is Audit
being wasted. If you follow through Once you‟ve signed a contract, your
on the recommendations from the energy auditing company will send Just by answering a few sim-
home energy audit, you may be someone out to do a top-to-bottom ple questions, you can learn
able to reduce your energy costs by visual inspection of the whole what things impact your in-
as much as 20% to 30%, especially house, including the attic and base- door air quality and therefore
if your house is older and hasn‟t ment. This auditor will look at the keep your family from living
been retrofitted for energy effi- building components and systems in a healthy home. We even
ciency. that affect energy use, such as offer many quick tips you can
ducts, windows and doors, insula- implement immedi-
Energy auditors are similar to home tion levels, and heating and cooling ately. After all, a healthy
performance contractors—in fact, equipment. Be sure to be home home is a happy home.
some companies provide both during the audit so you can ask
Start Here
types of services. But energy audi- questions and point out areas of
tors focus specifically on saving particular concern, like condensa-
energy. Home performance contrac- tion on windows or drafts in certain
tors look at other issues as well, rooms… Continues on Page 2 In this issue:
such as saving water and improving
1
indoor air quality.

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Learn more about our GreenCheck and Advertising Opportunities.
28 April 2010
Special Edition:
Home Energy Audits

Home Energy Audit Continued…

If your auditor conducts a blower door test, he or she will probably install a large fan (set within a door-sized panel) into
one of your home‟s exterior doorways. When the fan is turned on, it will suck air out of the building. By measuring the rate
of air flow, the auditor can determine how leaky the house is.

To find the source of the air leaks, the auditor can walk around the house with a smoke plume (such as from an incense
stick) to see where air is being drawn in from the outside. The auditor‟s report will include recommendations on how to
remedy those air leaks.

Many energy auditors also used an infrared camera to conduct a thermographic inspection of walls, ceilings, and areas
around windows and doors to see where insulation may be missing or poorly installed, or where the building‟s components
aren‟t airtight. On the infrared image, colder spots show up as dark areas.

The auditor will also analyze your utility bills for the past year or more and will ask you some questions about your house-
hold‟s habits as they relate to energy use. (If you don‟t keep copies of your bills, you can get them from your utility com-
pany.) This information will help the auditor compile a list of recommendations for energy savings.
The Audit Report
After the audit, the company will give you a written report describing its findings and suggesting actions to save energy.
The report should prioritize the recommendations and for each item it should explain what‟s needed and how much energy
could be saved by making the change. If this information isn‟t clear, ask the auditor for details.

Some of the recommendations will likely be easy fixes that you can do yourself, like replacing incandescent lights with
compact fluorescents, putting weather stripping around windows that don‟t fit tightly in their frames, or installing door
sweeps under exterior doors.

Other recommendations, like adding insulation or upgrading to more-efficient heating or cooling equipment, may take
more effort and money, or require the services of a professional.

Don‟t be pressured into buying products or repair ser-

vices from your auditing company. As with any home
improvement project, take your time to do research
Home Energy Audit Brief
and interview multiple contractors. Many energy audi- Produced by Corbett Lunsford of Green Dream Group and hosted
tors don‟t do repair work themselves but can provide on http://www.gogreentube.com
you with a list of contractors you can call for esti-
mates.

Remember, in the end, an energy audit is just a piece

of paper. To save energy, you‟ll likely have to make
some changes. Some will cost money, but others will
be free. To get a sense of what they might entail, go to
“15 Ways to Save a Buck and a Watt.”

Are your home energy bills out of hand? Does your

house feel drafty even when you crank up the heat?
Have you been dragging your feet on giving your home
an energy-efficiency tune-up because you don‟t know
where to start? Watch this home energy audit video
and then click to read how a home energy audit could
start you on the path to having a green home.

Find a GreenCheck verified Energy

Auditor near you!
28 April 2010
Special Edition:
Home Energy Audits

GreenCheck is a great source of credibility for your company and ensures to

your clients, old and new, that you are taking the extra steps towards environ-
mental responsibility. Learn more about our GreenCheck.

Air Sealing and Weatherization

Your holey home
Leaving cracks and crevices for air to leak in and out of your home can make life feel drafty and uncomfortable. It can allow
moisture-laden air to sneak inside, increasing the likelihood of condensation, mold, and rot. It can swell your energy demand,
adding 20% to your bill for heating and cooling. To avoid this fate, pre-
pare your house for winter and other sorts of inclement weather. In
other words, weatherize!

Some people worry that a tighter house means poor indoor air quality.
While it‟s true a healthy home needs fresh air, it‟s important to be able
to control when and where that outdoor air enters and indoor air
leaves. Many older homes are extremely leaky, and even newer homes
often aren‟t airtight. You may be aware of drafty spots around doors
and windows, but air is likely escaping in other places, too. According to
the Consumer Energy Center, here‟s where the air leaks out in most of
our homes:

Getting Started
If you are reasonably handy with home repairs, you can tackle many energy-efficiency and indoor-air-quality improve-
ments yourself. This website is filled with tips for tuning up your home and we have “how to” videos below. You can also
get more detailed directions on how to seal air leaks from Energy Star‟s free publication “A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Seal-
ing and Insulating with Energy Star.”
Many local utility companies offer free or low-cost energy-efficiency evaluations. They usually also have publications with
tips on how to do your own energy audit and home performance improvements. Check your local electricity provider‟s
website to see what is available. Also make sure to reference dsireusa.org.
Alternatively, you can hire an energy auditor or home performance contractor, who will pinpoint leaks and recommend
the most cost-effective fixes. Some of these specialists will do the repair work themselves, while others will refer you to
contractors who specialize in weatherization. Be sure to check the results before you pay the bill. If a company has in-
stalled weatherstripping, for example, examine each door and window to make sure none were missed. Open and close
the windows and doors a few times to make sure the weatherstripping isn‟t loose and doesn‟t impede their operation.
Read our article “How to hire a contractor” before having somebody start work in your home. If you‟re are looking to find
a contractor or energy auditor near you, please visit our GreenPages.
Article continues on www.sierraclubgreenhome.com View DIY videos, compliments of Green Dream Group

Regina Stepanov, Supervisor and Writer

rstepanov@scgh.com
Do you have suggestions for content topics?

See all partners

Climate Crossroads
Student Coalition
Sierra Trails
28 April 2010
Special Edition:
Home Energy Audits

Abi Wright, Advertising Coordinator for SCGH

awright@scgh.com

Preaching What You Practice: Green Marketing

I‟ve come across an interesting concept in green online advertising. We all certainly know, or are at least familiar
with, the term “greenwashing”. This is basically spinning or disguising a company‟s products or services as being eco-
friendly, when in fact it‟s just a very deceptive use of Green Marketing.
I come across this all the time when listening to the radio and watching television. In radio, you have a well thought-
out, 30 to 60 second commercial that is strategically written to catch your attention—but as soon as you‟ve heard it, it‟s
over—it‟s gone. The advertiser doesn‟t know how effective the commercial was and really, if the audience even paid atten-
tion to it at all. In television, not only is there a great expense to produce the commercial (and one must think about the car-
bon footprint involved in that process alone) but you‟re again looking at a 30 to 60 second television ad that costs additional
money just to air. You really can‟t be sure these days about the saturation or effect it truly has on the viewing audience and
this isn‟t even mentioning the validity of how sustainable the product or service actually is! With radio and television, seeing
and hearing about a product doesn‟t make it green—the proof is in the pudding, so to speak, and until you actually purchase
the product or service do you honestly find out for sure. Online advertising, however, is different.
According to Internet World Stats (Aug. 09), 76% of the population (appprox 227,719,000 people) are internet us-
ers. Just knowing this little bit of information tells us one thing: The internet is the future! It‟s way more affordable to adver-
tise online than with TV or print, and radio/outdoor advertising is becoming a thing of the past due to its inability to engage
the consumer. With online advertising you can:
target your specific market offer a visual and sometimes audio aid for your ads
measure your results hyperlink to your company‟s website
change your creative as quickly and often as needed offer additional discounts with just the click of a finger.
With online advertising, you have greater opportunity to reach more people, more frequently.
When it seems that every company is offering a „green product‟ it‟s even more important to advertise your credibility
behind what you have, how it makes a difference, and why it‟s more sustainable or environmentally friendly than your com-
petition. Have you ever heard the phrase, „Practice what you Preach?‟ It‟s true, but what about, „Preaching what you Prac-
tice?‟ In order to avoid being labeled a Greenwasher you need to align your company with reputable organizations that pro-
mote parallel platforms. That‟s why we created Sierra Club Green Home‟s GreenCheck™. This is a verification process for our
visitors and users to know that each GreenCheck™ provider listed in our database has taken the time to enforce their com-
pany‟s steps towards greater environmental sustainability. When searching for services or products within our GreenPages,
our users and visitor prefer GreenChecked providers because they have been vetted to carry the SCGH GreenCheck seal.
The SCGH GreenCheck™ is specifically designed to address a company‟s product or services in one or more of the following
fields:
1. Indoor air quality impact 5. Waste
2. Energy usage 6. Customer education
3. Water usage 7. Provider health
4. Material usage 8. Provider business practices

Sierra Club is a major competitive advantage in a field where authenticity is crucial! When you become an SCGH
GreenCheck™ provider, you will receive our official SCGH GreenCheck™ logo which can be placed on your site, your ad, even
your other marketing materials! You can align your company with a 118 year-old, nationally recognized environmental organi-
zation—talk about true Green Marketing! And that‟s not all Sierra Club Green Home can offer you! We also have skyscraper
ad space available, article sponsorships, and additional advertising opportunities to learn more about! Let the world know
that you are truly green! Advertise with SCGH and you‟ll be advertising directly to your target audience, effectively and effi-
ciently! Preach what you Practice!
In this issue:

Want to join the Sierra Club Green Home community?

Make a username or a provider account on
www.sierraclubgreenhome.com.
28 April 2010
Special Edition:
Home Energy Audits

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