Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings: Save Money, Save the Earth

Increasing the energy efficiency of your home can save you money, help the environment, and enhance your comfort, but how do you decide which improvements are the most beneficial and cost-effective? Completely revised to incorporate the latest developments in green technology, Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings is the definitive resource for consumers who want to better their home's performance while reducing their energy bills.

Well-organized and highly readable, Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings begins with an overview of the relationships between energy use, economics, and the environment. Updated and expanded chapters focus on specific aspects of any home, such as heating and cooling, ventilation, electronics, lighting, cooking, and laundry, and provide helpful explanations for each, including:

• Energy use characteristics
  
• Comparisons between available technologies
  
• Cost-effective repair and replacement options
  
• Step-by-step guidance for finding the right equipment

This comprehensive resource is packed with tips on improving existing equipment and guidance for when and why to invest in new purchases, as well as a reminder to check local government and utilities for purchase or retrofit grants or incentives. It is a must-read for anyone concerned about reducing both their energy bills and their environmental impact.

Jennifer Thorne Amann is the buildings program director at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

Alex Wilson is the founder of BuildingGreen, Inc, executive editor of Environmental Building News, and author of Green Building Products and Your Green Home

Katie Ackerly is a researcher at the Center for the Built Environment and a graduate student in architecture ate the University of California, Berkeley.