24-Feb-09 3:00 PM CST

Energy Study: the household economic stimulus package

Texas leads the nation in energy production. We also lead the nation in energy consumption, and we are paying 56% more each year for electricity than the national residential average, according to the latest findings from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The nation is looking at President Obama to give us an economic stimulus package that will reach each one of our households...NOW! Yet the answer to saving money is at our fingertips: energy remodels to our existing homes. This is the GREEN economy at work, the savings are real, and the impact is now. The key is having an energy study of your home in hand, some sweat equity, and a modest investment in your house. The result? Lower energy bills for the rest of the life of the home.

Energy studies, audits or doctors come in many different formats and at different cost. This is a relatively new phenomena, but one that is here to stay. The existing housing stock of America is consuming too large a share of energy in this country, and the best way to protect an investment is to do a due diligence on the home. After hearing a presentation on a case study at the Greenbuild Conference in Boston in Nov. 2008, it became evident that we have the new technology to do an energy study of every home in America, and tackle efficiently and economically the main culprits of energy waste in the home.

The technology is the Thermographic camera, which forms an image using infrared radiation, similar to a common camera that forms an image using visible light. Instead of the 450-750 nanometer range of the visible light camera, infrared cameras operate in wavelengths as long as 14,000 nm. The results are similar to an X ray machine in that it can see through some walls and detects surface anomalies; they can tell the story behind ceilings and walls of old insulation that is compromised, of ductwork that is leaking, of cracked walls that let in moisture and outside air, of attic accesses that allow for attic and indoor air to merge. Out with the generic notion of having to change all windows and doors, strip the whole house, or demolish the old leaky house. In is the notion that we can evaluate each home and find the culprits of energy waste that can reduce the energy bills by 20-50%.

ceiling joists seen through thermography camera showing missing insulation (white areas)

It is important that you trust that you will be getting not only a thorough report on the energy performance of your home, but also an individualized and prioritized list of the most impactful changes that are to be made to the house or to the systems in order to maximize the return on the investment made. Don't think about this much longer; if you have a house older than the year 2000, you too can garner the savings in your monthly energy bill next month...to the tune of minimum of 20%, and up to 50%. In these economic times, there is not a better investment out there.

See themography pictures

See a video excerpt of our Casa Concept Energy Study

Video #1 What elements are we recording

Video #2 Insulation that doesn't work

Video #3 Rethinking windows and shade trees

Video #4 Size of A/C unit and ductwork as the big energy culprit

Video #5 Recommendations for energy remodel

Video #6 Healthy home

See a sample Casa Concept Energy Study

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