If you own your home, you know that energy bills take a big bite out of your household budget. Reducing them isn’t just a way to save money – it can also help the environment, by reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
All homeowners (and renters) should know about the basic things they can do to reduce energy use: using CFLs or LEDs for lighting, installing low flow faucet aerators or showerheads to save water, using smart power strips to reduce phantom load that electronic devices create.
But beyond that, New York City homeowners can take a much bigger step toward sustainability, by considering an energy efficiency upgrade of your home. Energy efficiency “audits” are now available and affordable for property owners who want to test their homes and identify energy efficiency measures that can result in a net savings in energy—and money.
During an audit, a professional contractor or engineer analyzes an entire building for heat loss, insulation, ventilation, combustion appliance functionality, and other health and safety criteria. The auditor will recommend particular measures that will help improve the health and safety of the home and also help the homeowner save money on their energy bills by making sure building systems are functioning optimally. The audit will recommend upgrades that offer a good return on investment. Common upgrades include proper insulation, air sealing, energy-efficient lighting systems, heating system repair or replacement, and high efficiency refrigerators, dishwashers, and clothes washers.
To encourage homeowners to take these steps towards more efficient homes, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) offers incentives for energy audits and upgrade work. Most New Yorker’s qualify for a free or reduced cost energy audit and low-cost financing through Home Performance with ENERGY STAR and the Green Door Project NY. Homeowners who participate in the program are also eligible to receive 10% of the cost of eligible energy efficiency improvements, up to a maximum of $3,000.
For more information, visit Pratt Center’s Retrofit NYC website: http://prattcenter.net/retrofitnyc.
