I recently received my GREEN designation, a status from the National Association of Realtors that designates a Realtor as a source of information on sustainability and energy efficiency as it pertains to real estate. In my courses I came by a lot of insightful, helpful information about green design for new construction but it was quickly obvious that greening an existing home, the buildings most of us live in and purchase, was a lot more difficult.
Whats worse, is even when homeowners want to take measures to "green" their homes and lifestyles, that word can bring on a barrage of products and ideas.
While I certainly am not an expert on greening a home, here are a few insights into the big world of sustainable living and energy efficiency for the average person....
Technically, absolutely zilch. Like "all-natural", the word "green" isn't much more than an advertising bandwagon. When sustainability got popular and consumers elected to pay more for sustainable products, every company wanted to get on board and take a piece of the pie - like odd foods noting they are "gluten free". (My frozen peas BETTER be gluten free. Not sure why they need to say so on the bag...)
In fact, this is the one of the biggest issues I see with consumers moving forward with sustainable, energy-efficient choices: No one really knows what they are!
While there really are probably numerous products out there that are sustainable made, here are the general sites and certifications to keep your eyes peeled for.
Energy Star Energy Star is a go-to for energy- efficient appliances, utilities and building products. Before you just assume you are good-to-go on an appliance or product, take a look at their site to make sure they actually certify an item and what that certification means. However, as a rule of thumb, the blue star is a government guideline for energy savings. It does not necessarily mean that the product use recycled materials, can be recycled, was locally made, etc. So if those are more important to you than dollar savings based on energy consumption, than this little stamp may not be the one you are looking for...
LEED The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is mostly there for new homes, buildings and neighborhood designations. However, homes can be retrofitted extensively to get the LEED label. However, another rule of thumb is that LEED applies to buildings/projects, not individual products.
WaterSense I'll assume that if the EPA puts a stamp on something, consumers feel better about the purchase. Well, that's WaterSense - the EPA's label for water-saving products. Unlike some of the other labels, this is both a cost/energy efficient label as well as a sustainable label as many products take into account not only household cost savings but the impact on the environment (their website claims to have saved consumers 1.1 trillion gallons of water and $21.7 billion in water/energy bills)
FSC The Forest Stewardship Council is the go-to for tree-friendly building and paper products. The FSC certifies not only sustainable products based on environmental impact but also on social impact too (indigenous group rights, forest community and worker relations, etc). Look for this label on paper products, flooring and wood building materials.
Now, again, these are just a few of the most recognized, distinguished and trusted designations out there. The fact of the matter is, because "Green", "sustainable" and even "energy efficient" are vague, open-ended words that can mean different things to different people, there are more and more designations to certify a different set of values every day. In fact, I love the EcoLabel website's long list of certifying agencies. Its massive and ever-growing. And most of these aren't even schemes! They are legitimate research agencies that think a set of "green" values are important and want to put that stamp on appropriate products, choices and projects.
But unless you are particularly livid on your level of education on such topics, a lot of this adds to feels of overwhelmed choices. Thus, stick to the big ones. If you see a product, like a flooring material or a cleaner, and choosing based on the label, or for that matter paying more because of it, is important to you, then just do a little research. Remember, while one label might mean energy savings, another might mean environmental-friendliness and another yet might mean locally-sourced.
When deciding where to start with making your home more energy efficient, there are some relatively easy decisions to make, at least on where to start.
Energy.gov has some great basic information on understanding your home's energy consumption (and some fun infographics so don't be scared about the .gov bit). But after getting a little energy 101, the best way to get an idea on where to start with upgrading your home's energy efficiency is knowing where you stand with a home energy audit. Most energy companies will provide you with this service for a relatively low cost. (For example, PECO's Smart House Call is only $50-100 depending on which service you elect!).
Essentially, a home energy audit is a 3rd party (as in no bias) who reviews your home with a visual walk-through (or more if you pay for more) to see where your home may be loosing energy, have room for improvement or looks good. In general, an audit looks at your home to see where you might be losing energy and how that can be improved. Poor insulation in the attic, gaps around windows, an undersized A/C unit, etc.
This is such a no-brainer way to start looking into making your home more energy efficient. Even if you aren't crazy with the audit's findings, it will give you a place to start the conversation.
There are A LOT of things you can do to "green" your existing home, so the biggest factor here is motivation; what are you trying to accomplish?
Want to brag to your friends about cutting-edge your green home is? Well, guess you need to contact the township about putting up that windmill.
Just worried about your affect on the environment around you? Look at ways of conserving water around your property, plant some native plants and make sure to buy local, organic food.
Just looking to utilize the newest energy-efficient systems to save money? Then get that audit, find out where you are loosing moola and fix it!
*Side note, this is true when making a green home purchase decisions too! Yes, that city row home does have a lot of impervious surfaces that negatively impact storm water systems but you might be helping the environment by having a smaller home, lower utility usage and maybe you don't even have to drive to work!*
Energy Efficiency is all about knowing how your home is loosing energy and finding better ways of adapting your home using current features. You can go all out, add solar panels and generate enough energy to actually sell it back to the energy companies (called 'net metering'). Or, maybe you are like most people and just want the most bang for your buck, in which case cheap additions like switching everything over to LED or at least CFL bulbs will be helpful (besides who wouldn't pay a bit more to not have to change a light bulb for 20 years!?)
Sustainability is a bit more of a way of life, making sure your footprint is as small as possible. There are plenty of ideas here, but its easy to start with the basics: recycle as much as possible (even do tech and paint recycling when offered by your township), cut down on how much water you use, build a rain garden and/or channel your rainwater into porous devices (and if you are lucky enough to live in Philly that means you can take advantage of the wonderful RainCheck program which gives you a free rain barrel and a cheap downspout planter!) or just cut down on driving and purchasing non-local foods.
There are a zillion ideas out there - from planting a native tree to installing a geothermal heat pump - but you don't need to rebuild your entire home in order for it to be "green". Just make smart, informed decisions that speak towards your individual motivation for green living. With our existing homes, in my opinion, its best to look towards slow, smart homeowner decisions that save you money now, in the long run and make a better impact on you environment.
Still need help? Email me for more information at meg.augustin@foxroach.com
Whats worse, is even when homeowners want to take measures to "green" their homes and lifestyles, that word can bring on a barrage of products and ideas.
While I certainly am not an expert on greening a home, here are a few insights into the big world of sustainable living and energy efficiency for the average person....
What the h**l does "Green" mean?
Technically, absolutely zilch. Like "all-natural", the word "green" isn't much more than an advertising bandwagon. When sustainability got popular and consumers elected to pay more for sustainable products, every company wanted to get on board and take a piece of the pie - like odd foods noting they are "gluten free". (My frozen peas BETTER be gluten free. Not sure why they need to say so on the bag...)
In fact, this is the one of the biggest issues I see with consumers moving forward with sustainable, energy-efficient choices: No one really knows what they are!
While there really are probably numerous products out there that are sustainable made, here are the general sites and certifications to keep your eyes peeled for.
Energy Star Energy Star is a go-to for energy- efficient appliances, utilities and building products. Before you just assume you are good-to-go on an appliance or product, take a look at their site to make sure they actually certify an item and what that certification means. However, as a rule of thumb, the blue star is a government guideline for energy savings. It does not necessarily mean that the product use recycled materials, can be recycled, was locally made, etc. So if those are more important to you than dollar savings based on energy consumption, than this little stamp may not be the one you are looking for...
LEED The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is mostly there for new homes, buildings and neighborhood designations. However, homes can be retrofitted extensively to get the LEED label. However, another rule of thumb is that LEED applies to buildings/projects, not individual products.
WaterSense I'll assume that if the EPA puts a stamp on something, consumers feel better about the purchase. Well, that's WaterSense - the EPA's label for water-saving products. Unlike some of the other labels, this is both a cost/energy efficient label as well as a sustainable label as many products take into account not only household cost savings but the impact on the environment (their website claims to have saved consumers 1.1 trillion gallons of water and $21.7 billion in water/energy bills)
FSC The Forest Stewardship Council is the go-to for tree-friendly building and paper products. The FSC certifies not only sustainable products based on environmental impact but also on social impact too (indigenous group rights, forest community and worker relations, etc). Look for this label on paper products, flooring and wood building materials.
Now, again, these are just a few of the most recognized, distinguished and trusted designations out there. The fact of the matter is, because "Green", "sustainable" and even "energy efficient" are vague, open-ended words that can mean different things to different people, there are more and more designations to certify a different set of values every day. In fact, I love the EcoLabel website's long list of certifying agencies. Its massive and ever-growing. And most of these aren't even schemes! They are legitimate research agencies that think a set of "green" values are important and want to put that stamp on appropriate products, choices and projects.
But unless you are particularly livid on your level of education on such topics, a lot of this adds to feels of overwhelmed choices. Thus, stick to the big ones. If you see a product, like a flooring material or a cleaner, and choosing based on the label, or for that matter paying more because of it, is important to you, then just do a little research. Remember, while one label might mean energy savings, another might mean environmental-friendliness and another yet might mean locally-sourced.
Energy Efficiency in your Home
When deciding where to start with making your home more energy efficient, there are some relatively easy decisions to make, at least on where to start.
Energy.gov has some great basic information on understanding your home's energy consumption (and some fun infographics so don't be scared about the .gov bit). But after getting a little energy 101, the best way to get an idea on where to start with upgrading your home's energy efficiency is knowing where you stand with a home energy audit. Most energy companies will provide you with this service for a relatively low cost. (For example, PECO's Smart House Call is only $50-100 depending on which service you elect!).
Essentially, a home energy audit is a 3rd party (as in no bias) who reviews your home with a visual walk-through (or more if you pay for more) to see where your home may be loosing energy, have room for improvement or looks good. In general, an audit looks at your home to see where you might be losing energy and how that can be improved. Poor insulation in the attic, gaps around windows, an undersized A/C unit, etc.
This is such a no-brainer way to start looking into making your home more energy efficient. Even if you aren't crazy with the audit's findings, it will give you a place to start the conversation.
Making Choices about Retrofitting your Home
There are A LOT of things you can do to "green" your existing home, so the biggest factor here is motivation; what are you trying to accomplish?
Want to brag to your friends about cutting-edge your green home is? Well, guess you need to contact the township about putting up that windmill.
Just worried about your affect on the environment around you? Look at ways of conserving water around your property, plant some native plants and make sure to buy local, organic food.
Just looking to utilize the newest energy-efficient systems to save money? Then get that audit, find out where you are loosing moola and fix it!
The fact is, we all have different concerns (though no one, except maybe that first guy, can say no to more money) so making sure you know what you want before you start Googling "green home features" is Step 1.
*Side note, this is true when making a green home purchase decisions too! Yes, that city row home does have a lot of impervious surfaces that negatively impact storm water systems but you might be helping the environment by having a smaller home, lower utility usage and maybe you don't even have to drive to work!*
Energy Efficiency is all about knowing how your home is loosing energy and finding better ways of adapting your home using current features. You can go all out, add solar panels and generate enough energy to actually sell it back to the energy companies (called 'net metering'). Or, maybe you are like most people and just want the most bang for your buck, in which case cheap additions like switching everything over to LED or at least CFL bulbs will be helpful (besides who wouldn't pay a bit more to not have to change a light bulb for 20 years!?)
Sustainability is a bit more of a way of life, making sure your footprint is as small as possible. There are plenty of ideas here, but its easy to start with the basics: recycle as much as possible (even do tech and paint recycling when offered by your township), cut down on how much water you use, build a rain garden and/or channel your rainwater into porous devices (and if you are lucky enough to live in Philly that means you can take advantage of the wonderful RainCheck program which gives you a free rain barrel and a cheap downspout planter!) or just cut down on driving and purchasing non-local foods.
Wissahickon park!
There are a zillion ideas out there - from planting a native tree to installing a geothermal heat pump - but you don't need to rebuild your entire home in order for it to be "green". Just make smart, informed decisions that speak towards your individual motivation for green living. With our existing homes, in my opinion, its best to look towards slow, smart homeowner decisions that save you money now, in the long run and make a better impact on you environment.
Still need help? Email me for more information at meg.augustin@foxroach.com
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