Homeowners who want to remodel their kitchen will have projects goals like selecting the style, quality of craftsmanship and materials used. Since the buzz now is going green, many people are choosing green options in order to increase energy efficiency and preserve resources. Dick Titus who is the executive VP of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) said using eco friendly elements in kitchen modeling is no longer a passing fad, but is a way of life. Homeowners are particular in choosing environment friendly products that are also safe for their families.Green Education Prospectus
Green Job Growth
Source: Pew Charitable Trusts, 2009, based on the National Establishment Time Series Database; analysis by Pew Center on the States and Collaborative Economics.
Green Job Distribution
Source: Pew Charitable Trusts, 2009, based on the National Establishment Time Series Database; analysis by Pew Center on the States and Collaborative Economics.
Tag Archives: homeowners
The Future of Solar Renewables: New Quantum – Dot Photovoltaics
Solar power has always been the renewable energy source that captures the imagination. Free, instant electricity with no moving parts and nothing to wear out –you just point your panel at the sun and plug in. It’s such a wonderful concept that it’s always been in the back of every renewable energy ecogeek’s mind. On top of that, it’s a commonly quoted figure that the sun blasts the earth with enough energy in an hour to produce a year’s worth of electricity. It all sounds very promising and seductive; the problem is that solar panels just aren’t very efficient. In fact most modern solar panels are only able to convert around 25% of the energy that hits them into electricity. That’s not very much and because of that solar panels just haven’t been very successful when it comes to development as a means of mass power generation.
But wait – there’s more! That’s not the only thing that is having a negative effect on the popularity of solar power. The other issue (and probably the killing stroke) is expense. Solar panels use components and materials (gold, to name one) that are extremely expensive. Because of that, the panels are very costly. The truth of the matter is that not everyone is committed enough to alternative energy that they have desire to shell out thousands of dollars to purchase a machine that only does its job at ¼ to 1/3 efficiency. Continue reading
Green Makeovers Making a Splash in the UK
To achieve 2050 green housing objectives, a Government adviser warns that UK requires 12,500 retrofits weekly.A big three million pound research project is going to focus on the task of refurbishing 12,500 homes weekly for the next 40 years. This is for the purpose of determining whether Britain’s cold and draughty houses could be improved by large scale produced building technologies. The research project will focus on the best way to start a nationwide green business program and is being supported by Energy Technology Institute (ETI) and consortium of businesses (e.g. building consultancy BRE, EDF energy firm, Peabody-Energy and property firm etc).
Based on Government figures, most of the UK’s 26 million homes will be still in use in 2050 which means that there is a need for large scale home energy efficiency improvement on the housing stock. If this is done then there is a possibility that the country can achieve its goal of curtailing carbon emissions by 80% by mid century. Continue reading
Go Green When Remodeling Your Home
Since kitchen cabinets could account for almost half of the renovation budget, its important for homeowners to incorporate green elements in their kitchens by choosing a quality cabinet manufacturer who’s into environmental sustainability. KCMA’s Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP) can help in that. Companies will only get the ESP seal shown on their products if the certification requirements like product resource management, air quality, process resource management, and environmental stewardship and community relations are all met. For homeowners who want to set affordable eco friendly cabinets into their kitchen, ESP keeps the standard. Continue reading
Energy Star Rebate Program Begins In Florida
Energy Star brings good news for Florida. If you’re from Florida and you own Energy Star-rated air conditioners, air source heat pumps, and geothermal heat pumps, then you’ve got a reason to be happy on Monday, the 30th of August 2010. Energy Star will be offering about $15 million in rebates for the above-mentioned units, with each rebate costing $1,500.
If you buy units starting Monday, August 30 until December 31, you qualify for the rebates unless the money has not run out before then. However, purchases made before Monday do not count at all. But good news though is the state’s expectation that the money will last for a while.
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Posted in Green, Green Collar, Green Government, Renewable Energy
Tagged air source heat pumps, air-conditioners, air-conditioning systems, duct testing, energy, energy efficiency rating, energy star, energy star rating, federal government, federal tax credit, florida, florida class 1 rater, florida energy star® residential hvac rebate program, florida licensed mechanical contractor, florida power & light, florida solar energy center, geothermal heat pumps, homeowners, hvac system, progress energy of florida, rebates, rebates program, renewable energy, seasonal energy efficiency rating
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Live Green, Save Green by Lowering Your Energy Bills
For sure, you’re sweating like a pig right now. Who wouldn’t be right? The summer heat has reached every part of your body and it has kept you’re body temperature rising, just like when you’re having a fever.
Alongside this temperature rise, your blood pressure could rise as well. Whether you like it or not, summer heat is paired with skyrocketing energy bills. That’s why the Eco Institution’s green consultants are going out of their way to help homeowners lessen their energy usage as a good way to save money and the environment as well.
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U.S. Population Embraces Green Job Creation
Last July 15, 2010, about one hundred contractors (composed of mechanical, insulation, air sealing, general contractors and energy auditors) assembled together at the Knight Green Jobs Training Center. The meeting was intended for them to hear the discussions on Metro Philadelphia’s first ever Residential Energy Efficiency Retrofit Ramp-up Program. Such information sessions was sponsored by the Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA), the program administrator of Philadelphia’s Home Energy Works program. The said project is funded by a $25 million grant from the United Sates Department of Energy. ECA hopes that about 2000 homes within the Philadelphia Metro region will be retrofitted under this ramp-up program.
The above-mentioned session gave the audience an opportunity to learn about the program and how the local businesses can benefit out from it. As contractors, the audience as well, gains further information on how they can augment their income.
Posted in Green
Tagged air sealing, bpi, bpi certified auditors, building performance institute, contractors, eca, energy auditors, energy coordinating agency, general contractors, homeowners, insulation, knight green jobs training center, mechanical, peco, philadelphia, philadelphia’s home energy works program, us department of energy
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California versus Fannie and Freddie over clean energy stimulus
Fannie Mae ad Freddie Mac, mortgage finance companies have been taken to court by the California attorney general’s office. The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday, because they have disrupted a popular green financing program. This finance program permits homeowners to pay for energy efficiency improvements to their house, through a surcharge on their property.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency which supervises Fannie and Freddie, issued guidelines on Monday. These guidelines given to lenders limited a homeowner’s ability to take part in the finance program called PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy). From the stimulus funding support from the Obama Government, $159 million has been utilized by twenty two states that have authorized the programs. A lien is put on the home, when the city or state spends on energy efficiency upgrades through the program. The lien similar to other property tax assessments becomes more important then the home loan if the homeowner defaults. Continue reading
Posted in Green, Green Collar, Property Assessed Clean Energy, Renewable Energy, Sustainable Living
Tagged california, energy efficiency, environment, fannie may, freddie and fannie, freddie mac, green, homeowners, housing agency, jerry brown, jobs, lawsuit, lien, mortgage, pace program, property assessed clean energy, sustainable living
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The Federal Government has criticized the Creative Local Green Energy Finance
Financial experts at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac who accumulated loses in the billions of dollars in the housing sector have made a decision to obstruct a promising and innovative procedure to finance local green energy ventures. The federal agency has come down heavily on an energy and money-saving program, Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE), which indicates a clear opposition to green energy ventures.
PACE programs permit local governments to vend municipal bonds in order to raise capital which will then be lent to local homeowners for renewable energy projects. PACE helps the homeowners to retrofit their old homes for green energy in two ways; provides capital and the prospect that time taken to recover the energy cost savings from your investment could be more then the time taken to own your home. Continue reading
Posted in Green, Sustainable Living
Tagged eco friendly, energy efficiency, environment, green, green energy, green homes, green living, homeowners, pace, renewable energy
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