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!

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Local Information for Aptos, CA

Latitude: 36.9815 -- Longitude: -121.907432

Other Area Cities: Scotts Valley Santa Cruz Felton Soquel Davenport Aptos

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Aptos is a census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. The population was 9,396 at the 2000 census. The name is Ohlone, meaning "the meeting of two creeks". "Aptos" is pronounced "app-toss." Aptos is located at 36°58'53?N, 121°54'27?W (36.981500, -121.907432). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 18.2 km² (7.0 mi²), all land. As of the census of 2000, there were 9,396 people, 4,055 households, and 2,428 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 517.5/km² (1,339.6/mi²). There were 4,486 housing units at an average density of 247.1/km² (639.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 90.38% White, 0.56% African American, 0.65% Native American, 2.39% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 2.49% from other races, and 3.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.97% of the population. -- Source: Wikipedia.com

California 2000 Census Population Profile Map

	Aptos	California	United States
Population	9,396	33,871,648	281,421,906
Median age	41.4	33.3	35.3
Median age for Male	40.3	32.2	34
Median age for Female	42.5	34.4	36.5
Households	4,055	11,502,870	105,480,101
Household population	9,303	33,051,894	273,643,273
Average household size	2.29	2.87	2.59
Families	2,427	7,920,049	71,787,347
Average family size	2.78	3.43	3.14
Housing units	4,486	12,214,549	115,904,641
Occupied units	4,055	11,502,870	105,480,101
Vacant units	431	711,679	10,424,540

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