Conference teaches energy efficiency tips
Posted on Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Home energy improvements don't cost the homeowner money; they make money, according to licensed architect and energy consultant Doug Rye.
Rye spoke to an audience about how to lower energy costs and utility bills Monday during the Conference on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, hosted by U. S. Rep. John Boozman and the University of Arkansas College of Engineering and Division of Agriculture.
"By doing a few simple things, I can show you how to heat and cool your home for less than a dollar a day," Rye said at a breakout session titled "Energy Efficiency for Individual Citizens and Households."
Known as the "King of Caulk and Talk," Rye hosts the radio program "Home Remedies"and conducts more than 150 seminars a year across the countr y teaching people how to reduce their heating and cooling bills. He also works as a consultant for the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas to promote energy efficiency.
The one thing that everyone can do is tap into the energy that's right in their backyards, he said.
Geothermal heating and cooling systems use energy stored just below the ground. In the winter, the geothermal system taps the earth's warmth to heat the home, and in the summer the system draws heat from the home and carries it back into the earth.
Geothermal heating and cooling systems are 400 percent energy efficient, Rye said. While they cost more to install, he said, the systems could save a homeowner $ 60 a month on their utility bills.
They also provide free hot water all year long, Rye said. The heat that is removed from the home is put back in the water tank, he said.
Rye provided several energysaving tips, noting that in most homes the ductwork is located in the attic, the hottest place in the home during the summer months.
He also recommended using radiant barrier roof decking in new homes to reduce the temperatures in the attic and insulation to keep the heat in the attic from radiating into other areas of the home.
Most water heaters have to be replaced every 10 years, he said. Homeowners should install a water heater that is guaranteed for life to never leak, saving about $ 100 per month on electric bills, he said.
The session also addressed energy efficiency in automobiles. Clinton Blair, senior director of federal affairs for the Auto Alliance, talked about recent technology advancements in the automobile industry.
The energy bill that was signed into law last December established fuel economy standards that will be challenging for automakers, Blair said.
The legislation raises mileage standards to 35 mpg by 2020, a 40 percent increase in fuel economy. It requires a 30 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from new automobiles, lowers oil consumption by 11 million barrels a day and saves 18 billion gallons of gas per year.
To meet these standards, Blair said, automakers are producing more alternative fuel vehicles.
There are nearly 70 models of alternative fuel autos on sale today, he said, five times the amount available in 2000.
Higher gas prices are increasing consumer interest in hybrid and flexible fuel vehicles, he said.
Looking for ward, Blair said, there will be more hybrid, clean diesel and E-85 vehicles available in the next few years as consumers, fuel providers and automakers all work to be part of the effort to reduce gasoline use.
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