Summer Energy Efficient Windows – Part3

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

Summer Energy Efficient Windows – Part3
In the final months or my energy conservation mode, I’m beginning to gear up for the next step – Energy Efficiency. My study now revolves around windows for summer energy efficiency.
Today’s window performance rating element is visible transmittance (VT).
Visible transmittance tells you the amount of light a window allows though. [...]

Home Energy Conservation Challenge – Week 6

Wednesday, March 18th, 2009

Home Energy Conservation Challenge – Week 6

Welcome to the final week, week 6, of the Home Energy Conservation Challenge! If you’re here for the first time, you can find how this challenge works here.
If you have taken the action steps explained in the previous five (5) weeks of the Energy Challenge, you know or have [...]

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

Monday, January 19th, 2009

Image by Joshua Davis (jdavis.info) via Flickr

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
Did you know you can calculate your home energy carbon footprint? There’s a nifty carbon footprint calculator at BeGreenNow.com. All you have to do is enter your kilowatt-hour usage and/or your natural gas usage for the month (or year).
Using the BeGreenNow calculator, I calculated my home’s [...]

Energy Conservation by Individual Choice

Friday, January 16th, 2009

Image via Wikipedia

Energy Conservation by Individual Choice
The mission here at Simple Home Solar Energy is to “go solar.” The goal is to eventually produce all the energy our home requires. The process to turn our home into a solar energy generator is documented here, in this blog.
Not being a trained engineer or a scientist, I [...]

Home Energy Reduction Diet Update

Monday, December 22nd, 2008

Image via Wikipedia

Home Energy Reduction Diet Update
My home energy reduction diet has been going well since August. It’s December now. On this cloudy, cold day in South Texas, I’m cold.
Setting my digital thermostat to 85 degrees in summer was easily tolerated by this southern acclimatized body. However, the thermostat setting of 68 degrees during the [...]

Home Energy Efficiency versus New Energy

Friday, December 5th, 2008

Image by rpeschetz via Flickr

Home Energy Efficiency versus New Energy
There appears to be a contest between embracing energy efficiency and going solar.
Why is every thing a contest? We all want the same thing:
•    Reduced carbon footprint
•    Reduced energy bills
•    Reliable energy source
•    Energy independence
Maybe it’s the government subsidies. Solar energy gets subsidies but home energy [...]

Home Energy Savings with an LG Washer/Dryer

Monday, November 17th, 2008

Home Energy Savings with an LG Washer/Dryer
In these critical economic times, all of us want energy efficiency. Being energy efficient reduces our carbon footprint and reduces our monthly energy bill. We always search for new ways to reduce or eliminate our electrical load in order to make a home solar energy system compatible with our [...]

Reduce Home Energy with Solar PVs and Solar Hot Water

Thursday, September 25th, 2008

One Example of Net ZEH
Is it possible to create a net zero energy home by renovating an existing home?  Yes!  This 2,400 square foot house was built in the 1970s.   With a desire to live sustainably, the homeowners decided to set an energy budget of 10 kWh/day for their home. A budget [...]