The shortening days of autumn are a hint that winter is just around the corner. They’re also our cue to start considering ways to keep the house warm and toasty – without going broke. What’s eating up your energy bill? Often, the major culprits are as simple as your home’s doors and windows: prime escape…
A soon-to-be-released light bulb developed by General Electric uses cutting-edge technology to last — get this — 17 years! Let’s put it into perspective. Imagine you have a baby, and you install the soon-to-be-available Energy Smart LED (light-emitting diode) bulb in the baby’s room. That baby will grow up and graduate from high school before that light bulb burns out…
Does a “gasoline-powered alarm clock” qualify for the Energy Star label, the government stamp of approval for an energy-saving product? Like more than a dozen other bogus products submitted for approval since last June by Congressional auditors posing as companies, it easily secured the label, according to a Congressional report to be issued Friday. So…
From Consumer Reports: While a few states started doling out rebates to consumers as part of the $300 million cash for clunkers for appliances program at the end of 2009, the launch date for most states will occur throughout the first several months of 2010. Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois (phase 1 only), Kansas, Oregon, Vermont, Wisconsin,…
From Bank Rate: Federal tax credits are helping to fuel demand for energy-efficient, "green" home remodeling projects. Few people undertake major home remodeling projects simply to be more environmentally conscious, says Greg Miedema, president of Dakota Builders Inc. in Tucson, Ariz., and chairman of the National Association of Home Builders remodeling division. "Nobody's going to…
As seen at the International Builder's Show, going on now in Las Vegas:
It may feel a little creepy to think of your washing machine talking to the power company, but that's among the bells and whistles appliance manufacturers are coming up with to perk up a market that's been smacked down hard by the recession. For now, Whirlpool Corp. (WHR) wants to get an edge by protecting…
A new national survey released today finds Americans once again prefer aesthetic home improvements – a refinished kitchen or bathroom – over money-saving improvements, such as energy-efficient windows or a high-efficiency furnace. The survey, the fifth annual Energy Pulse survey conducted by Shelton Group, found that consumers are reverting to their old priorities as the…
A project helping New Orleans recover from Hurricane Katrina, fronted by Hollywood actor Brad Pitt, will build what's being dubbed as the 'largest and greenest community of single-family homes' in the world. The post-Katrina housing initiative Make It Right New Orleans has already built 13 homes that meet the highest standards of the US Green…
U.S. homes waste a lot of energy, but who has the money to remodel? The White House is pushing for financing mechanisms to ease the burden. Joe Biden wants to remodel your home and help you figure out how to pay for it. The Vice President today unveiled Recovery through Retrofit (full report here), a…