Energy Efficient

AT&T's U-verse TV Gets Green Certification

jplatt — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Subscribers to AT&T's U-verse digital TV service got good news this week: all of AT&T's set-top boxes (the devices that empower the Internet-based TV service) exceed the energy requirements of the U.S.'s ENERGY STAR program, meaning they use less electricity than competing products and therefore save subscribers a few bucks a year.

The news comes with the announcement that all new U-verse set-top boxes will officially carry the ENERGY STAR logo.

According to AT&T, the fact that they're providing TV services over Internet lines makes the service much more energy-efficient:

"Because of the inherent benefits of advanced Internet Protocol (IP) technology, U-verse TV customers IP-based set-top boxes are more energy-efficient than other digital set-top boxes. AT&T U-verse receivers conform to energy efficiency requirements that are 36 percent more stringent than cable set-top box requirements. The improved efficiency is achieved, in part, because IP receivers don’t have tuners."

So far, only DirecTV set-top boxes share AT&T's ENERGY STAR distinction. Now if only we can get more cable companies into the act.

Energy Efficient Kitchen Appliances

KitchenAppliances — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:13:02 -0500

Using environmentally friendly cleaning products, recycling and using biodegradable bin liners are just a few ways families are going green in their home. However one of the most important, and significant changes many households are making is buying and using energy efficient appliances.

As more individuals grow increasingly concerned about the environment, many are researching what they can do to make their homes more eco-friendly. A great place for concerned homeowners to start is with the kitchen. Using environmentally friendly cleaning products, recycling and using biodegradable bin liners are just a few ways families are going green in the house. However one of the most important, and significant changes many households are making is buying and using energy efficient appliances.

For many families, appliances consume the most energy. Fridge Freezers, cookers, ovens, dishwashers and other appliances can account for nearly 40% of the total energy consumed in some homes. Buying energy efficient appliances, and changing the way appliances are used on a daily basis can easily make the kitchen a greener place.

Once you make the decision to buy efficient appliances for your new eco-friendly house, it’s important that you consider the size of the appliances. Many families buy oversized appliances that they don’t need and end up wasting energy in the process. Larger appliances with lots of features can be very tempting. However if you have a small family, it’s best to buy energy efficient appliances that will fit your family’s needs, rather than opting for larger models. You’ll save space, money and you’ll be helping to save the environment too.

Dishwashers are great for convenience, but it’s important that you use them wisely. Did you know that many of the newer, more energy efficient dishwashers use less water than old models? Additionally, many of them are engineered so that you don’t have to waste additional water rinsing your dishes before you place them into the dishwasher. When buying an energy efficient dishwasher, choose a compact model, and remember to run it only when it’s full to help save both energy and water.

It’s imperative for families that cook often to use energy efficient appliances. Using appliances such as cookers and ovens can require a great deal of energy. When possible, use microwaves or other smaller appliances to prepare or heat food. And if you need to boil water, try using more practical smaller efficient appliances such as a cordless kettle, rather than utilizing the cooker.

Do you still use an oven that requires preheating? Most newer models have made preheating a thing of the past, thus just one of the ways energy efficient ovens can help you reduce energy consumption. And remember, when it’s time to use the oven, always try to cook more than one dish.

Another great energy efficient appliance to consider when going green is a range hood. A range hood can help with the ventilation in your home, and keep the air in your home cleaner. Clean air is essential in any eco-friendly environment.

When considering buying new energy efficient appliances, the first thing that probably comes to mind is the price tag. While purchasing energy efficient appliances can be a significant investment initially, you’ll see the savings instantly on your energy bill and save even more in the long run. Energy efficient appliances can save you between 10 – 50% in monthly energy costs. So in reality, by purchasing energy efficient appliances you’re not only doing your part to help protect the environment, you’re also saving a substantial sum on energy costs too.

Energy Efficient Cooker Energy Efficient Range Cooker Energy Efficient Microwave Energy Efficient Oven Energy Efficient Hob Energy Efficient Dishwasher Energy Efficient Washing Machine Energy Efficient Washer Dryer Energy Efficient Tumble Dryer Energy Efficient Fridge Freezer Efficient Frost Free Appliances

Apple Introduces Its Greenest MacBook Ever

jplatt — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:43:20 -0400

How green is the new MacBook? Apple says the laptop computer uses "one quarter the power of a single lightbulb" when it's running. That's not too shabby.

Of course, Apple doesn't say if they mean a CFL bulb or an incandescent, but even so, the green innovations in this new MacBook are definitely worth celebrating.

Let's look at the 13-inch screen first. The computer is free of dangerous chemicals often used in monitors, like PVC, mercury, arsenic and brominated flame retardants. It also employs an LED backlit display, which uses far less energy than other LCD screens.

On the manufacturing and shipping side, the MacBook is made with fewer parts, making it easier to assemble and recycle. Packaging has been significantly reduced (by 41%!) and uses more recycled materials.

There are also several innovations on the hardware and software side that help the computer use far less electricity.

All of these innovations helped the new MacBook earn both an Energy Star rating for energy efficiency and an EPEAT Gold rating for efficiency, manufacturing processes and recyclability.

The new MacBook starts at just $1,299 -- a bit high, not bad for a pretty tricked out laptop. Worth a look.

Make Beautiful Music with Eco-Friendly Audio Systems

jplatt — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:25:22 -0400

Love music? Love the environment? Then let's talk about this year's greenest audio devices.

Like all electronics, audio systems can contain all kinds of toxic materials. They aren't always easily recyclable, and they often come with too much packaging. They also tend to use a lot of power, a critical concern when we're trying to make things more energy efficient.

To help make sure you're choosing the greenest audio components, MetaEfficient has named the Greenest Audio Systems of 2008. Winners include the Pure iPod dock, the Samsung SWA-4000 Wireless Rear Stereo Amplifier, and the Panasonic SC-PT650 home theater system. Several brands of speakers and receivers are also rated.

All of these devices ranked well on energy efficiency, and often use eco-friendly manufacturing processes.

There are other ways you can "green" your music. You can buy any number of solar chargers to keep your MP3 players juiced up. Buying music digitally can also be green, since it doesn't involve any manufacturing or shipping.

Got other ways you keep your tunes eco-friendly? Post 'em here!

Green Your Workspace with New Online Tool

jplatt — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:00:00 -0400

One of my core beliefs is that one person can make a difference. That's true at home, in the community, at play or at work.

Speaking of work, the EPA's ENERGY STAR program has launched a great new website called Energy Star @ Work. It offers any employee, executive, building manager or small business the tools and information they need to make their office and workplace greener and more energy efficient.

Some of the recommendations are nothing new -- use CFL bulbs, for example -- and others are obvious choices for the sponsor of the site -- buy ENERGY STAR qualified monitors. But the site is full of all kinds of other ideas that look at everything from heating and cooling and reducing waste to setting up "green teams" at work.

One of the site's highlights is an interactive tour of the average office, which offers some unexpected ways to save energy.

Check out the Energy Star @ Work site at http://www.energystar.gov/work. It's worth a look, and it could help you make a difference.

Energy-Efficient Freezers Help You Store Organic, Local Food All Year Round

jplatt — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:13:49 -0400

We're off to a big organic food festival this weekend, and plan on coming home with a trunk full of local fruits and vegetables -- more than we can eat any time soon, but enough to keep us in good, local eats all winter long.

But before we can do that, we need to buy a new freezer. Our goal for this week is to pick up a dedicated unit (not a fridge-freezer combo), preferably a chest freezer like the one illustrated here.

Chest freezers, which have a lid on the top of of the unit rather than on the side, are 10% to 25% more efficient than upright freezers, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

According to the ACEEE, the most energy-efficient chest freezers on the market today at the Whirlpool EH151FXR (around $425) and the DC-powered SunDanzer (around $1,000).

The ENERGY STAR program offers several tips for buying energy-effienct fridges and freezers. (ENERGY STAR also recently upgraded its criteria for refrigerators, so the newest models are even more efficient than they were just six months ago.)

I don't recommend picking up a freezer unless you're going to stock enough food to fill it. But if you live in a area like me (coastal Maine) where the winters and long and local food is hard to come by, then a freezer could end up being your best friend.

Save Energy by Installing Motion-Sensitive Lighting

jplatt — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:00:00 -0400

Okay, you've installed CFL light bulbs in your house to save energy, but what's the next step for saving energy and saving money? How about installing motion sensors to automatically turn some of your lights on and off?

Motion sensors are a great solution for garages, hallways and other parts of your house that see a lot of "through" traffic. You can set them to turn a light on when someone walks into a room, then turn off on their own a few minutes later. No more worries about accidentally not turning off a light when you no longer need it!

The wide range of devices on the market offer you a long list of possible features and settings. Some motion sensors plug into a wall outlet, while some others are battery powered. Some control lights or other devices wirelessly, while other models allow you to you plug the device you want to control directly into them. No matter what you pick, a motion sensor should help you to reduce your energy costs while adding a degree of security that normal light switches don't provide.

And yes, motion sensors aren't just for lights. You can also use them to control radios, fans, or just about any other household electronics that don't need to be on 24/7.

Of course, motion sensors consume their own power, so there is a bit of a trade-off. Meanwhile, they cost at least $15, with models raning up to $50 and more, so you might not make that money back immediately. But in this day of rising energy prices, every little bit helps, right?

Aiki Homes Showcased in "Resource Efficient Homes Across America"

AikiHomes — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:21:58 -0400

Homes Across America is a program of Peaks to Prairies Pollution Prevention Information Center. Peaks to Prairies is one of eight EPA-funded centers, collectively known as P2Rx.org and devoted to providing high-quality information to businesses interested in adopting pollution prevention practices. Our online presence began in 2000 as an out-growth of the Peaks to Prairies Residential Construction Topic Hub, showcasing accomplishments of environmentally conscious businesses.

Homes Across America today serves as a major vehicle for sharing information amongst builders, architects, and building associations. The Residential Construction Topic Hub, combined with Homes Across America, receives more site traffic than any other P2rx topic hub.

Build Your Home for Energy Efficiency

jchait — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:06:33 -0400

If you’re building from scratch there are some things you can do to insure maximum energy efficiency.

Work proper shading into your design – tactics such as overhangs and trees planted within close proximity can work hard to naturally cool your home during the summer.

Use smart lighting where you can: Shoot for a majority (or all) of your lighting to be sun tunnels, compact fluorescents, or LED vs. incandescent lighting.

Throughout your home use energy efficient appliances – look for the energy star label.

Don’t add more light then you need. For example, in a room used for an office, one that just has a desk, requires less lighting than say a family dinner dining area. If you can utilize task lighting with LED only, try that. You can always add more light if truly necessary.

Build no larger than you really need. Extra unoccupied rooms lead to extra heating and cooling costs. Even if you shut the doors on these rooms, drafts may be an issue.

Build with the correct building orientation in mind to utilize passive solar and minimize wind. Consider whole solar or power or a wind solar combo if you can.

Use spaces as weather buffers – like a garage. Although, some think that better energy efficiency can be gained by not having an attached garage. Talk to your contractor or designer to see what suits your site best.

Make sure you design your home for easy installation of renewable energy systems from the start. If you plan poorly in the beginning, it can cost much more later on.

Choose a home building team who has completed energy efficient homes from the ground up previously.

Consider a green roof or white roofing.