Buying Green - Or Greenish

November 20, 2008

This year’s energy scare is a taste of what will come. Experts all agree that our use of energy in this country has to change. So if you’re looking to buy a home, how do you choose a home that has a moderate appetite for energy? Although “green” homes are becoming more popular, they come at a price. But there are alternative choices that will provide savings if you are aware when you go looking.

The first thing to look at is the orientation of the home. Passive solar homes are designed to work with the sun. The ideal home is one with most windows facing the south. During the hot summer months, the sun moves over your house but will not directly shine into the south facing windows. During the winter months, the sun is lower and will shine into your south facing windows, providing solar warmth to your home. A home with a lot of west facing windows will have much higher cooling bills as the hot afternoon summer sun will penetrate even double glazed windows.

Next take a look at how the house conserves energy. The existing homeowner may be able to tell you what the energy efficiency rating is on the house. Are the windows double or tripple glazed? Is there insulation in the attic and under the floors (not all areas of the country need insulation under the floors). Do the built-in appliances have an ENERGY STAR rating? Is the home leaking energy? Sealing air leaks is the quickest and cheapest energy improvement you can make. Actual savings vary for each home, but it is possible to reduce energy costs by one-third. Sealing air leaks can save money in other ways, because a tighter home envelop allows for smaller-capacity heating and cooling equipment. The best way to reduce air leaks and implement the right ventilation strategy is to hire an energy analyst to run a blower door test.

Bear in mind that once you buy a home you there are other things you can easily do to increase the energy efficiency of your home. Unplug appliances when not in use, especially chargers. Switch to using energy efficient Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs). Look for ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs by choosing the right lumens (not watts). Use cold water to wash clothes, line dry items, use air dry instead of heated dry on your dishwasher. Invest in thermal shades or drapes.

So with a little forethought, your next home could be a partner in your effort to save both money and the earth’s natural resources!

This is an inactive RePage. If you are Donald J Perron and wish to reactivate this page, please visit www.RePagesOnline.com for instructions.

Local Information for Lafayette, LA

Latitude: 30.213901 -- Longitude: -92.029363

Other Area Cities: Crowley New Iberia Lafayette Breaux Bridge Abbeville Rayne

Enter our Photo Sweepstakes and Win $200 for your Lafayette photos!

To see random photos for other cities Click Here.

Submit your photos of Lafayette and become eligible to win $200. Click Here for details.

Lafayette is a city on the Vermilion River in Lafayette Parish, in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Lafayette is the parish seat. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 110,257; a 2004 census estimate put the metro area's population at 246,160. It is the fourth largest city in the state. The city was founded as Vermilionville in 1821 by a French-speaking Acadian named Jean Mouton. In 1884, it was renamed for the Marquis de Lafayette, who assisted the United States during its Revolutionary War. The city's economy was primarily based on agriculture until the 1940s, when the petroleum and natural gas industry became dominant. The city is also home to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, formerly University of Southwestern Louisiana. Lafayette has a strong tourism industry, attracted by the Cajun and Creole cultures of the surrounding region and hosts the annual Festival de Musique Acadienne, Festivals Acadiens, and the annual Festival International de Louisiane. -- Source: Wikipedia.com

Louisiana 2000 Census Population Profile Map

	Lafayette	Louisiana	United States
Population	110,257	4,468,976	281,421,906
Median age	33.1	34	35.3
Median age for Male	31.4	32.6	34
Median age for Female	34.8	35.3	36.5
Households	43,506	1,656,053	105,480,101
Household population	105,819	4,333,011	273,643,273
Average household size	2.43	2.62	2.59
Families	27,116	1,156,438	71,787,347
Average family size	3.07	3.16	3.14
Housing units	46,865	1,847,181	115,904,641
Occupied units	43,506	1,656,053	105,480,101
Vacant units	3,359	191,128	10,424,540

Visit US Census