Tuesday, April 22, is Earth Day, and amid what continues to be an international reckoning with the state of our planet, this date marks a great moment to look at our own individual energy usage. This doesn’t mean you need to give up modern utilities or even make drastic changes to your place of residence. It might mean more money in your pocket too.
To decode the world of residential energy efficiency, we’ve spoken with experts about why you should be thinking about your current or future home’s energy usage and gathered their advice on changes that can help you long-term.
Why Think About Energy Efficiency?
Of course, it’s vital to humanity’s future to care for our environment, and the horrors that nonrenewable sources of power inflict on the Earth — from oil spills to melting ice caps and rising ocean levels — are well-documented. But, working towards an energy-efficient home is also “good for your wallet,” notes Larissa Johnson, residential energy program manager for the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection.
Vicrum Puri, co-founder and president of August Homes, a residential construction company focused on high performance and net zero home building across Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C., agrees. “The big reason [for energy efficiency] is [you’ll] save money on energy bills for the life of the home.” It also, “creates a more comfortable home, where you don’t have different rooms that have different temperatures,” among other benefits that include longevity of performance systems, healthier indoor air and a quieter house.
The Basics
When it comes to energy efficiency in your home, says Johnson, you can think about it in four steps.
“The first step is going to be making sure that you’re using as little as possible, or conserving energy,” she explains. “The cheapest form of energy is the energy we don’t use!”
To find out where your home stands, Montgomery County residents can get an hour-long Quick Home Energy Checkup (available to those who pay their own utility bills, regardless of property ownership), offered at no additional cost through the EmPOWER Maryland Program. For those who own their homes and pay utilities, the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Audit via EmPOWER Maryland may also be a good option, costing $100. Results from both give consumers a look at their home’s energy usage and areas for improvement.
The second step is energy efficiency itself — ensuring your home has ventilation, insulation, LED bulbs, and energy-efficient appliances (i.e. smart thermostats and smart power strips that will turn off when not in use). The county also offers an Energy Efficiency Tax Credit for improvements like insulation, HVAC upgrades and window replacements, flags Johnson.
Number three is electrification. “Wherever people can, they want to make sure that the appliances in their home are electric and not gas,” both for public health and to limit fossil fuel output, she explains. Electrify MC, a county pilot project, helps residents make the transition with direct incentives at the point of sale.
And lastly? Number four — switching to renewable energy sources wherever possible. Through the co-op Switch Together, county residents interested in going solar can make the switch with other residents making the same decision, “so that the cost of the solar comes down per person,” explains Johnson. She also says that “Maryland is an energy choice state, meaning you can find a clean energy provider and select your electricity and natural gas providers. … [This] can lead to significant savings, as suppliers often offer rates up to 10% less than your local utility company.”
Common Concerns (and Reassurance)
“With energy efficiency, people always think they need a new roof or new windows or big, expensive things,” notes Johnson, “when, in reality, it’s insulation and ventilation. … If you do these small things, it could make a big difference.” In her own home, a home performance audit found that her attic only had three inches of insulation when it needed
30 — a massive difference and simple fix.
Similarly, Puri relays, “The No. 1 misconception is that you have to do everything that you read and you have to spend a ton of money to have a much more energy-efficient and high-performance home — you do not have to do that.” While homeowners are able to learn much more than they were in the past due to information available online, this info is often unguided — and you don’t necessarily have to go “all out.”
Of course, there may be an upfront cost, but savings down the line should more than make up for this. This is why it’s important to get expert opinions in addition to online research.
“[Some homeowners/purchasers] are requesting things that may cost six figures and the return on investment is not there. … We can say ‘Look, you can spend 20% of what you just asked for with a different technique, and you’re going to save just as much on your energy bills,’” he emphasizes.
What’s Next
Innovation is driving the energy-efficiency space forward and there are many new advances to be excited about. Johnson loves smart thermostats, which allow homeowners to lower (or raise) temperatures when away from the house and revert back when arriving home.
“Solar and battery backup systems working together has come a long way,” adds Puri, explaining that prices have gone down, battery technology has gone up, and the development of things like smart SPAN Panels give homeowners the power to make
real-time energy changes.
The future is bright — both figuratively and literally. Puri’s company, already constructing EI (energy independent) homes, is now developing the first Energy Independent community in the D.C. area and one of the first in the nation. The 11-home project will feature EI properties in which battery systems/power storage systems will communicate with one another and collectively sell power back to the grid when the grid is paying the most.
For more information on Montgomery County’s energy-efficiency incentives and programs, visit montgomeryenergyconnection.org.
