Save energy and money in your home | Environment

Green Homes

Save energy and money in your home

Using current technology can help even older homes become more energy efficient

By Jason Boyer, Meteorologist, KWGN

December 6, 2007

DENVER — At 12,000 square feet in size, it certainly isn't your average home. Everything about this one is big except for the eventual utility bill.

"It will cost the homeowner the same amount to heat and cool this home as it would a 4,000 square foot home," said Kelly Dutton with InVision Homes.

That's because it goes above and beyond when it comes to being green.

"To be a registered built 'green' home, the home must have a minimum of 75 on the checklist, this home has over 400 points," said Dutton.

From Energy Star rated windows, and energy efficient lights, to the floor, the house is state of the art,

"This home features a radiant heat flooring system that is over 90 percent efficient," said Dutton.

Noel Sicard with Elite Mechanical said, "This is a hot-water radiant floor heating system with a modulating condensing boiler. So, if one room comes on the flame will only be 20 percent, but if another room comes on, that flame will grow."

On average, radiant heating systems cost one-and-a-half times more than conventional furnaces, but Sicard says there's about a 30 percent less operating cost per month. It doesn't have to be a multi-million dollar home to be energy efficient. Sure, it's easier to do when you're starting from scratch, but even the average older home can be made much more energy efficient at a much lower cost. And you don't have to do it all at once.

"You can save approximately fifty dollars a year just by changing the bulb,"said Jason Flaig, a sales manager at Lowe's Home Improvement.

By replacing all the bulbs in your house with compact fluorescent (or CFL) bulbs, your savings can be in the hundreds of dollars a year. Simply insulating doors, windows and even your water heater can be inexpensive and very effective at lowering your utility bill . Eventually you may want to replace appliances like your washer & dryer with energy star rated ones, like these Whirlpools.

"Between the energy bill and the water bill, they actually pay for themselves in six months," Flaig said.

And that helps you keep a little green in your wallet while going green at the same time.