The new Austin Energy Audit in Austin, Texas is getting mixed reviews. I personally think that the ROI or Return on Investment can be great with energy efficiency improvements and I think an energy audit can be a great starting point for needed information on where and how your home is losing energy. One of the check off points for the Austin ECAD auditors relates to how much sun the home’s windows receive each day. This is very relevant since windows are considered a weak point in a home’s envelope. The recommended way of dealing with this is solar screens or tinting. However there are other options. One option not at the forefront of most discussions is to install energy efficient window coverings inside the home. These can include the honeycomb type shades, Roman shades or other options. Black out lining or insulation like quilt batting can be applied to most ready made curtains and roman shades or you can make your own window coverings. Fabric stores sell black out lining, ring tape and other items needed for making roman shades. I personally like this option because in the winter when I have my plants inside my home I like to have the windows uncovered during the day to let the sun shine in.
Betty,
Saw this website on your car and wanted to find out what it was. Very nice a lot of subjects that are very important. I especially am interested in this subject I have been doing some research on becoming an energy auditor and would welcome your feedback. I think that it is very important especially with the continued growth in our area that we look at how we can conserve energy.