How to make a home green and reduce the energy cost… Sam L, Kareemah, Joe and Jake

IMPROVING STRUCTURE  Geothermal heating/cooling  Solar panels  Insulated windows  Natural sunlight (passive energy) IMPROVING INSIDE IMPROVING INSIDE  Automatic temperature controls  Automatic lights  Fluorescent light bulbs  Trash compost

Geothermal Heating / Cooling -Using the natural temperature of the earth for heating and cooling. -Geothermal is an average of 48% more efficient than the best gas furnaces on a source fuel basis, and over 75% more efficient than oil furnaces. Ground temperature is always around degrees Fahrenheit

Solar Panels Money saved with solar panels can depend on many factors Money saved with solar panels can depend on many factors A cost of one new solar panels can be around $700 A cost of one new solar panels can be around $700 Depending on your house’s factors, solar panels could pay for themselves in five years time Depending on your house’s factors, solar panels could pay for themselves in five years time

Insulated Windows All windows with glass panes can gain heat and lose heat through the process of convection as well as conduction and air seepage. Windows that are energy efficient can use various coating methods, gas fillers and multiple glass panes to control the transfer of heat. Dual pane windows are filled with gases that do not easily conduct heat, which creating a barrier in order to prevent conduction. Energy efficient windows like the standard insulated window are painted using a clear metal oxide compound that is can allow the sunlight to come in while reflecting as much as 95 percent of the heat. By Double Glazing windows, you can repay your investment within 5 years or so. By Double Glazing windows, you can repay your investment within 5 years or so.

Natural Sunlight Natural Sunlight uses passive energy which doesn't involve the use of mechanical and electrical devices. Natural Sunlight uses passive energy which doesn't involve the use of mechanical and electrical devices. 1. Have as much window space as possible facing towards the south to capture natural sunlight. 1. Have as much window space as possible facing towards the south to capture natural sunlight. 2. Flooring like stone can capture the sunlight coming through the windows and store it. The captures sunlight all day and then when the sun goes down and it becomes colder the heat radiates off the floor back into the house. 2. Flooring like stone can capture the sunlight coming through the windows and store it. The captures sunlight all day and then when the sun goes down and it becomes colder the heat radiates off the floor back into the house.

Automatic Temperature Control Different areas of your house have different temperature needs, as do individual members within your family. What may be hot to someone may be cold to someone else. With a temperature control system one will be able to save money and energy. Home Temperature control systems are electrically connected to sensors, the home is then conditioned to meet the requirements of that specific room. This saves you money because instead of heating or air conditioning the house as one full unit, you only have to heat/air condition the portion of the house you’re using. Also by regulating the air/heat in your house you are saving energy, this strategy can save you up to 30% on your energy bill.

Automatic Lights Automatic lights are definitely more energy efficient than non automatic lights for many reasons. Using motion censored lights will cut your electric bill in half and it will save a lot of energy and electricity. Rather than keeping your lights on all day, motion censored lights will automatically turn on and off according to the motion in the room. Rather than keeping your lights on all day, motion censored lights will automatically turn on and off according to the motion in the room. This will save you money by reducing the amount of electricity you use, and it will also help save the planet by reducing the amount of energy used. This will save you money by reducing the amount of electricity you use, and it will also help save the planet by reducing the amount of energy used.

Fluorescent Light Bulbs  If every American home replaced just one light with an ENERGY STAR light:  Save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year.  About $700 million in annual energy costs.  Prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, equivalent to the emissions of about 800,000 cars.  An ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulb:  Will save about $30 over its lifetime.  Pay for itself in about 6 months.  It uses 75% less energy and lasts about 10 times longer than an incandescent bulb.

Composting is a method for treating solid waste in which organic material is broken down by microorganisms in the presence of oxygen. Composting is a method for treating solid waste in which organic material is broken down by microorganisms in the presence of oxygen. Improves soil quality and improves root strength Improves soil quality and improves root strength Helps control weeds Helps control weeds Reduce global warming (no methane released) Reduce global warming (no methane released) Less trash and wont smell as bad Less trash and wont smell as bad Trash Composting Americans generate about 210 million tons of trash, or solid waste, each year