Earthcraft emerged form a cooperative project of the Greater Atlanta Homebuilders Association and Southface Energy Institute. The sustainable building certification has been around nearly as long as LEED certification, which began usage just a year earlier. Earthcraft offers resources for individual homes, multi-family dwellings, light commercial developments, and communities.

Learn more at the Earthcraft website: http://www.earthcrafthouse.com/

(images via EarthCraft)

3M’s Light Guide technology uses a dimpled, multi-layer optical film to evenly distribute light, avoiding the “spotlight effect” and shadow lines of some early LED bulbs. The Advanced LED bulb is available in either “Cool White” or “Warm White”, in both 8.5-watt and 13-watt models (equivalent to 40-watt and 60-watt bulbs). It delivers instant-on light with no warm-up, and it’s mercury-free. The bulb is also dimmable when used with certain fixtures/dimmers (primarily models from Lutron and Levitron, according to 3M).

With a 25-year lifespan, the 3M bulb could save users up to $140 compared to a comparable incandescent bulb, and they are manufactured in the USA.

3M Advanced LED Light Bulb, 13-Watt (60-Watt Equivalent), $24.88 at Amazon.

The following tips don’t require any significant investment or permanent renovations. But they can significantly cut your utility bills and make your home a little greener.
 

Reduce Water Use

Install a Low-Flow Showerhead
Modern low-flow showerheads are luxurious and water-efficient.

Go Low-Flush
Most newer apartments will have low-flush toilets installed. But if you have an old-style water hog, displace some of the water in the tank with a brick or plastic bottle full of gravel. You can also consider installing a dual-flush retrofit kit, and take it with you when you move.

Aerate
Make sure your faucets all have low-flow aerators on them, which create a more effective and forceful stream with less water.
 

Reduce Energy Use

Install LED Light Bulbs
At this point, LED’s durability and energy efficiency speak for themselves. And the newest LED light bulbs cost under $10.

Kill Power Vampires
The simplest solution is physically unplugging anything you aren’t using. Power strips are an easy way to cut off the trickle of power that’s wasted by unused chargers and electronics, and Belkin even makes a nifty timed outlet that switches itself off.

Know How Much Electricity You Use
A simple electricity meter like the Kill-a-Watt will let you pinpoint energy hogs, and get a handle on how much juice you’re actually using.

Keep Your Fridge Running Smoothly
A little basic refrigerator maintenance will let it work far more efficiently, and you’ll save money on your power bill. Two easy tips: vacuum the vents and compressor coils to keep them free of dust, and rub a small amount of vaseline on the rubber door gasket to help ensure a tight seal.

Launder in Cold Water
A modern washing machine with quality detergent will get most clothing perfectly clean in cold water – avoiding all the energy waste from heating up gallons of water.

Compost
Any waste that you don’t put in the trash means less trash to be processed through landfills. You can find a variety of convenient, odorless indoor compost pails that are perfect for kitchen use.

Take Advantage of Renewable Energy
Many utility companies let you select the source of your energy, including solar and wind power. And if you have a balcony, you can even generate your own solar power with an all-in-one photovoltaic panel.
 

Heat & Cool More Efficiently

Seal the Cracks
Foam rubber weatherstripping can do wonders for preventing drafts and keeping outside air outside. And those beanbag “snakes” are also great for blocking gaps under doors.

Insulate the Windows
Windows are literally giant holes in the walls of your home. Storm windows are vey effective, but even a layer of plastic film adds a surprising amount of insulation. Thermal insulating window blinds and even heavy draperies are great too, providing a dose of style while boosting energy efficiency.

Reflect your Radiator Heat
Adding a layer of foil behind a radiator will help reflect heat into the room instead of absorbing it into the wall. You can keep your home just as warm with the heat set lower.

Get Smart With Your Window AC
Have a window air conditioner? Be sure it’s in the shade – it won’t have to work nearly as hard to keep your pad comfortable on a hot summer day. And in the wintertime, either seal it up with a cover or remove it from the window altogether.

Keep it Shady in the Summertime
Close your shades or blinds before leaving home in the summer, and your apartment won’t absorb all that solar heat while you’re out.

Humidify in the Wintertime
Humidity levels have a dramatic effect on how warm or cool a home feels. Use a humidifier to add moisture in the winter, and your home will feel far more comfortable without cranking up the heat.

Move the Air Around
Fans (especially ceiling fans) are great year-round, offering comfort with less reliance on a heater or AC. Fans evenly distribute heated air that collects at the ceiling in the wintertime, and offer a cooling breeze in the summer.
 

Finally, Reuse & Recycle

This is good advice for everyone, not just renters. Furnishing a new apartment? Using previously owned furniture can add some really cool, unique style as well as being environmentally friendly. And when items reach the end of their usable life, take full advantage of municipal recycling programs.

In addition to their organic formulation, Jobe’s fertilizers are unique because they contain substantial amounts of a soil-friendly bacterium called Archaea (known as BioZome in their product line). Archaea aggressively breaks down minerals and compounds in the soil, transforming them into nutrients that plants can actually absorb and utilize.

Jobe’s granular fertilizers are available in an All Purpose blend, plus several formulations for specific plantings including Vegetable & Tomato, Fruit & Citrus, Rose & Flower, and Azalea, Camellia & Rhododendron. Jobe’s also produces an excellent compost starter mix, which can help keep your home compost pile working at maximum efficiency.

Jobe’s organic fertilizers are available from Amazon, and the price for a 4-lb. bag ranges from about $7- $14 (depending on the formulation).

The interactive version on the Minnesota Power website includes specific tips within each tier, many of which are useful for renters as well as homeowners. Check it out here:
http://www.mnpower.com/EnergyConservation/ForYourHome

Three bulbs make up the family of new models. The 6-watt warm white bulb is a 450-lumen 40-watt equivalent, with a warm white color temperature of 2,700K. The 9-watt Daylight (5,000K) and 9.5-watt Warm White (2,700K) are both comparable to a 69-watt incandescent bulb.

All of the bulbs are dimmable and cast even, omnidirectional light. Or as Cree puts it, “its non-weird shape casts a non-weird light”. They use roughly 85% less energy than comparable incandescent lightbulbs, and carry a 10-year warranty. Best of all, you can enjoy their energy savings without breaking the bank: prices start at just $9.97. Currently available exclusively through Home Depot.

Thermal Mass

“Thermal mass” refers to a structure’s ability to slowly absorb ambient heat, then store and radiate that heat. Thermal mass construction can help avoid sudden spikes in indoor temperatures, and can also shift energy demand to cheaper off-peak times of day.

Incorporating thermal mass is especially efficient in climates where there is a large temperature swing over the course of a day; studies have shown substantial energy savings for thermal mass homes in hot areas like the Arizona desert. For colder climates, the potential for savings drops off and insulation becomes the most important part of the equation.

Effective building materials for thermal mass applications generally have high density, high specific heat (the capacity for absorbing heat), and low thermal conductivity. Common examples are concrete and brick construction; earthen walls in adobe structures, and even water tanks like the Rainwater HOG also add thermal mass.

“Solar gain” is another term frequently seen in discussions of a home’s thermal performance; this refers to the amount of heat from the sun that is absorbed by a home’s thermal mass. Thermal mass can be one key component of “passive solar” design.

Insulation and R-Value

Simply put, insulation is just a barrier between hot and cold temperatures. “R-Value” stands for “resistance value”, meaning the measurement of resistance to heat transfer (higher R-values indicate better insulation). R-value measurements are most commonly seen in insulation products like foam board, fiberglass mats, and blown cellulose, and also in components like thermal windows or doors.

Many materials with substantial thermal mass also provide good insulation; being inherently thicker, they usually don’t transfer heat through the building envelope very readily. But conversely, many common insulating materials like fiberglass and polystyrene foam do not provide thermal mass, because they lack the necessary density and specific heat.

Dynamic R-Value Equivalent

The dynamic R-value equivalent is a comparison of insulation and thermal mass performance in a specific structure (because it depends largely on the local climate). The dynamic R-value equivalent is basically the R-value of a traditionally constructed frame wall that delivers the same energy efficiency as a comparable structure with thermal mass walls.

Here’s an example: a concrete and masonry home in the desert Southwest might provide efficient heating and cooling thanks to its thermal mass. The static R-value of the home’s walls might be R-22, but the home’s energy use could be comparable to a timber frame home with R-45 insulation in the walls. Thus, the R-22 masonry walls in this particular home would be said to have a dynamic R-value equivalent of R-45, since they perform just as well as an R-45 frame wall.

The Lutron Maestro’s super-sensitive XCT occupancy sensor detects even small motions (like turning the page of a book), keeping the lights on when needed then turning them off when the room is empty. The sensor is designed for spaces up to 900 square feet, and users can adjust the time-out delay.

The unit is easy to install, and has settings to turn the lights on manually or automatically when someone enters the room. It also features a daylight sensor, so it’s smart enough to detect whether or not the lights are needed. The Maestro is compatible with all types of bulbs, including incandescents (up to 250 watts) and LED light bulbs (up to 150 watts).

Lutron Maestro Motion Sensor Light Switch, $20.41 at Amazon.

The Business Case for Green Building from World Green Building Council

World GBC report highlights several benefits green buildings offer various stakeholders throughout a building’s life cycle.

NYSERDA Offering Low-Income NYC Residents Energy-Efficient Building Assistance

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and nonprofit Community Environmental Center (CEC) are partnering to provide energy-efficient building solutions to low-income residents affected by Superstorm Sandy.

Impermanent Solutions to Make your Apartment More Energy Efficient

Investing in efficiency isn’t just for homeowners – renters can also do plenty to save energy and money.

“Green” Buildings Gaining Status

The commercial real estate construction and investment philosophy that places a premium on location and quality is giving way to interest in sustainable design, according to market analysts.

Zero Energy Home Uses 40,000 Recycled Plastic Bottles for Insulation

Italian architectural firm Traverso-Vighy and the Department of Physics at the University of Padua have teamed up to create an innovative zero-energy home utilizing insulation made from 40,000 recycled plastic bottles.

Ronacrete paves the way ahead at Eco Build

Ronacrete showcases the first top to bottom, fully-eco resin bound surfacing at last week’s UK Eco Build.

The G-NER-G device claims to cut energy usage up to 35% by stabilizing the electrical current in your home, reducing power surges and electrical noise. It plugs into a regular AC outlet in your home, and uses something called a “harmonic resistant capacitor” to deliver a more efficient flow of electricity to your appliances.

This didn’t really answer our questions about how it works.

Here’s the manufacturer’s description of the process:

“G-NER-G works by reducing the amount of power drawn from your utility company using a harmonic resistant capacitor. By optimizing the efficiency in which energy is drawn into to your home appliances, and storing the energy that is normally wasted, G-NER-G begins working as soon as you plug the unit it, saving you money every month. Customer can plug unit into any outlet, but recommends to plug in closest to where you are looking to reduce amperage (i.e. your laundry room for the washing machine, the living room for your television).”

So there you have it. If you’re interested, you can view a PDF of the product manual here.

The Viatek G-NER-G Energy Saving Device is available for $44.95 at Amazon, but there are no user reviews yet to evaluate its effectiveness.

If you’ve used the Viatek G-NER-G, leave a comment below and let us know if it works!