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BDN MAINE SPECIAL SECTION • BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM • September 12-13, 2013
ENERGY WISE 2013
A few tips and facts that apply to your home Reducing your electricity consumption ...is an easy way to reduce your environmental footprint. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 39 percent of the energy used in America is used to generate electricity. Most of it is generated from fossil fuels like coal, natural gas, and oil, which can increase the emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases while contributing to climate change. But electricity can be generated from renewable resources that do not generally contribute to climate change or air pollution. These renewable resources, which include solar, geothermal and wind technologies, do not burn fuels. If such renewable resources are not accessible to you, then there are additional ways to reduce your electricity consumption. • Purchase energy-efficient appliances and electronics and operate them efficiently. • Energy-efficient windows can bring more natural light into your home, allowing you to rely more on natural light than electricity to brighten your home. • Energy-efficient, properly insulated windows help both your home’s heating and cooling systems to operate more efficiently by reducing the amount of air that escapes through the windows.
MAINTENANCE FROM PAGE 12
Bigger changes are more complicated, The use of renewable energy sources but home-performance upgrades ...is on the rise. According to the U.S. Energy Informa- based on an integrated analysis can tion Administration, the world consumed 504.7 quadril- yield huge results. In fact, it’s not unlion BTU of energy in 2008 (the most recent year for usual for whole-house air sealing and which statistics are available). Ten percent of insulation upgrades to cut heating that consumption was from renewable energy and cooling costs by 25 to 50 persources, including biofuels, biomass, wind, cent. Even better, the improvements and solar energy. that dramatically reduce energy costs By 2035, the EIA forecasts that consump- also make homes more comfortable tion of renewable energy will account for year-round, treat basement moisture roughly 14 percent of the total world enproblems, and reduce the likelihood ergy consumption. World electricity genof ice dams. eration from renewable fuels also figures to Efficiency Maine maintains a list of be on the rise. qualified energy advisors who can help In 2008, electricity generation from renew- you understand how your whole house able fuels accounted for nearly 19 percent works as a system and engineer improveof the world’s total electricity generation, ments that go beyond annual maintea figure the EIA estimates will be nearly 23 nance. Find it at EfficiencyMaine.com. percent by 2035. Kathleen Meil is the Marketing & Customer Relations Manager for EverPoorly sealed ductwork is responsible green Home Performance in Rockland. ...for an estimated 15 to 30 percent los of a home’s total Her building science expertise is rooted heating and cooling energ, according to Going Green in the homeowner perspective, and she Today. This costs consumers about $5 billion annually. A shares that background, as well as ficonsultation with a heating and cooling technician may nancing information, with customers in reveal where the drafts are located and what can be done their initial calls and throughout their to address the problem. projects.