I just saw a new presentation about the new City of Austin Ordinance requiring energy audits. Today’s presenter was Living Green, an energy audit and home energy conservation company in Austin, Texas. Now, since June 1st, 2009, any home sold in Austin, Texas that uses Austin Energy is required to have an Energy Audit. Living Green not only does the energy audit but Living Green can also make the improvements to help you save the Earth, as well as save money on your water, gas and electric bills. Your ROI or Return On Investment can be high. What this means is the time for the improvements to pay for themselves by saving you money is low.
Living Green uses radiant barriers, solar screens, window tinting, CFL & LED lighting, motion activated light switches & dimmers, low flow toilets, solar wind turbines and Low E windows as elements in your home to save you money. Living Green also installs rain water harvesting systems.
I think the intent for the City of Austin implementing this audit was to help buyers looking to buy. However I think they haven’t worked out all the kinks and problems are going to arise because of it. It is definately going to put itself to the test, so stay tuned.
I attended the “Living Green” presentation and I learned a lot. Living Green will do a complete energy inspection and tell you what you can do to improve your home’s efficiency. The presentation taught me that even if you pay x amount of dollars now–in the near future you will re-coop more than you gave out. I also learned that over time the spray insulation more than likely will need to be re-sprayed due to humidity and heat. The two conditions compact the foam, thus reducing its function to keep heat out. I believe the home energy inspection is well worth the money.
I think the new green energy program is a fantastic program that in the long run will be a tremendous cost savings for the homeowners. Thanks for posting this blog.
This presentation definitley made me think about what we all can do to help to minimize our global footprint. I am sure we all have measures we can take to increase our home’s efficiency.
I think doing that audit if you WANT to do the audit is fine. I do see the logic behind it. I just have a problem with it being “required.” Stand back and watch and see if someone doesn’t contest this and we’ll see them on the front page of the Austin Statesman challenging this.
I too have reservations about “requiring” green audits, however, it seems like the timing is good. Recently,I had a great conversation with an architect who had just built a fully-sustainable home for his personal use. I was amazed at his low cost per sq ft as it rivaled conventional methods! Affordability, combined with tremendous energy savings and increased environmental awareness, gives the markets something to sink their teeth into.
light switches should be made from oxygen free copper so that they last longer’,.