Positively Green Blog: Energy Efficient Home Saves Money, Cuts Carbon Footprint

It’s sort of ridiculous to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a home, only to find certain areas of the house unliveable, depending on the weather. Our family of four spent more than a few summer days in our 1930s English Tudor sleeping cramped into our first floor bedroom because the second floor rooms were unbearably hot … even with the central air running. We were able to sleep in the second floor bedrooms on the coldest of winter days … buried under piles of blankets. It wasn’t until we made our home more energy efficient that we were able to live (and sleep) comfortably.

“Healthy Home, Healthy Wallet, Healthy Planet: Making Your Home Energy Efficient,” is a free seminar open to all residents interested in reducing their energy consumption, improving their home’s comfort level and saving money. Join us Wednesday, March 20, 7 p.m., at the Elmhurst Public Library. This program is sponsored by Elmhurst Cool Cities Coalition as part of the Elmhurst Public Library’s “Got Fit In Elmhurst” programming.

Representatives from Citizens Utility Board (CUB) and Energy Impact Illinois (EII) will provide insight on how to improve your home’s efficiency, making the right improvements quickly, effectively and economically.

CUB is a non-profit, statewide utility watchdog organization created by the Illinois Legislature in 1983 to work for lower gas, electric and telephone rates. Their work has saved Illinois consumers more than $10 billion. CUB Energy Saver is a free, online tool that helps consumers develop customized, energy-savings plans for their homes. On average, participants reduce energy usage by 6 percent, saving roughly of $100 a year.

To become an Elmhurst Energy Saver (Team EES), sign up for free at www.cubenergysaver.com/team/EES. To date, Elmhurst has 94 CUB Energy Saver members. Those members have saved $13,030 and 116,759 kWh of electricity, reducing their carbon emissions from electricity usage by 190,142 lbs. Elmhurst ranks 39th among participating Illinois communities. To date, our household has saved $115, and we’ve earned 384 points (which can be redeemed for discounts at 1800PETMEDS, Sears.com, FTD.com, and Abt.com, to name a few).

Energy Impact Illinois encourages individuals to reduce energy consumption, and demonstrates how those cost savings can provide big, collective results. Through EII’s partnership with NICOR Gas and ComEd, residents can schedule home energy audits at low cost. Trained professionals will provide an analysis of your home’s energy use, as well as install low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators and energy efficient CFLs that can help save money and reduce natural gas, water and electricity costs. Technicians then provide a proposal for weatherization improvements that qualify for incentives. There is no obligation to go beyond the audit. In fact, you could take the report and complete the improvements on your own, or find a contractor to do it for you. For a limited time, residents who complete their upgrades through Energy Impact Illinois and their qualified contractors can save 70% off or up to $1,750 on air sealing and insulation. For more information, visit www.energyimpactillinois.org.

Audits are currently priced at $49, saving an estimated $400 off a private energy assessment. Just by doing the assessment and receiving the direct installations (CFL light bulbs, low flow showerheads, sink water aerators, and pipe insulation on the furnace), homeowners receive about $50 worth of improvements … and those quick fixes save people on average about $50 a year on their utility bills. With air sealing and insulation improvements in the home, the homeowner generally pays (after the instant rebate) $500-$1,500 and sees annual savings on utility bills from $300-500 every year … not to mention reducing their carbon footprint.

In our own $99 audit (from December 2011; rates are currently $49), we received $41 of free product, including 9 CFLs and two aerators. The recommended energy efficiency measures (for 2,060 square feet of conditioned space) included 8” of blown cellulose on the attic floor, 1” polyisocyanurate on the kneewalls, insulation for the attic hatch, and targeted air sealing. Not being much of a do-it-yourselfer, we signed a contract and had our work completed a week later for less than $900 out of pocket (rebates were only 50% at the time, but are now 70% or up to $1,750). Worth noting, the program has become very popular and audits are being scheduled a month out. Additionally, current rebates are set to expire at the end of May.

Elmhurst residents who have used both programs will be on hand Wednesday night to discuss their energy consumption and reduction. All “Healthy Home” seminar attendees will receive a free CFL light bulb.

Elmhurst Cool Cities Coalition is a volunteer coalition of local institutions, organizations, business leaders and citizens working to achieve the goals of the Sierra Club Cool Cities campaign and the U.S. Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement. The Coalition encourages city residents and local leader to implement clean energy solutions that save money, create jobs, help curb global warming and to build a cleaner, healthier future. To participate or obtain more information, visit www.elmhurstcoolcities.org.