Chic vs. Geek: Green Homes

It’s not always easy to tell a green home from a not-so-green one, and that’s because most green upgrades are “invisible”. There are five basic areas to consider when evaluating a green home: planning and design, energy efficiency, material conservation, water conservation, and environment. But there are tons of ways to make your home more sustainable.

CHIC (PEARL)

One easy way to save energy is to install a ceiling fan. Ceiling fans can be used in place of air conditioners, which require a large amount of energy. You can take it a step further with a programmable thermostat to make sure you’re only using your heating and air conditioning appliances when you really need them. Programmable thermostats contain no toxic mercury like thermometer-based models, and, in some climates, they can save up to $150 a year in energy costs!

GEEK (KEVIN)

Did you know the average household spends 11% of its energy budget on lighting? Traditional incandescent lamps only convert about 10% of the energy they consume into light, while the rest becomes heat. Investing in new lighting technologies, like light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) can reduce your energy use for lighting alone by 50% to 75%. Have a look at these additional tips, and let us know if you have any questions about making your home a little greener!