One of the most powerful energy-and money-saving tools is already within your reach. It’s your home. “How we use our homes will have an impact on our immediate surroundings as well as contribute to our local, regional and global environments,” says Alex Dean, president and CEO of local green building, design and renovation firm The Alexander Group. 

There are so many ways to make energy-saving changes to your home (and our planet). If you’re looking for ideas, start right here. Make 2011 the year you reduce your home’s footprint and its impact on your wallet.

1. Change bulbs &  fixtures.

It’s still one of the quickest, easiest, most affordable ways to start saving. Replace every incandescent light bulb in your home with a compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb. Find them in more sizes and shapes at local retailers City Mill and Hardware Hawaii.

Switching to light-emitting diode (LED) lighting is also a fantastic choice. Make sure you purchase them from a reputable source, because LED products vary greatly in quality. “LED chips must have the proper thermal management to prolong life, and there are various grades of chips and components involved,” says Kyle Kamakura, of Dial Electric and Lighting Gallery. “Before stocking and selling our LED products, we make sure we have tested them and feel that they are quality goods.” Dial Electric carries Tech brand Monorail lighting, which offers LED pendants and directional fixtures.

2. Install ENERGY STAR® products.

Replace electronics and appliances with ENERGY STAR®-rated models whenever possible. Check out toptenusa.org for the top 10 eco-friendly brands in most popular appliance and electronics categories. Locally, these products are available at reputable retailers such as the ones listed in the “Where to Get It” section of this story. Find energy-saving appliance recommendations for every budget.

3. Install efficient ceiling fans.

When replacing your ceiling fan, choose one that’s powered by a direct current (DC) motor. Because DC-motor ceiling fans use 40 percent - to 60 percent less electricity than alternate-current (AC) fans, DC fans are 70 percent more efficient on average, according to Kamakura. He recommends the Kichler brand of DC fans, available at Dial Electric & Lighting Gallery.

4. Replace your windows.

Because they act as a portal for light, heat and air, windows have become a tremendous tool for energy savings. When shopping for new windows, make sure the manufacturer has expressed a commitment to environmental stewardship and that company representatives can support this statement with facts such as these: Windows should be ENERGY STAR®-rated, be made with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood (if they’re wood windows) and be made with all, or at least partial, recycled content. Windows should be officially rated for energy efficiency using the U-value (a rating of .35 or less is required for ENERGY STAR® qualification) and manufactured with low- or no- volatile organic compound (VOC) paints and finishes. Pella Windows & Doors – HSC’s Designer Series window line satisfies these requirements, and continues to win awards for energy efficiency among top brands.

5. Block more light & heat.

Dean recommends installing reflective coating on existing windows to reduce the amount of heat your home gains through sunlight. Also, look for window and shutter products that help block out light and heat. Sunburst Shutters’ Polywood shutter line is a great choice.

6. Ventilate naturally.

Without a doubt, the best cooling methods come from natural ventilation. Promote circulation of our Islands’ trade winds with high-tech louvered windows and window-shutter systems. Brent Wilson of Sunburst Shutters recommends louvered windows that maximize airflow by allowing you to open the windows completely and control airflow when you need less.

7. Install a solar water heater.

Solar water-heating systems can save up to 90 percent of your current water-heating costs. Plus, with the energy and money you’ll save, the system can pay for itself in as little as two years. Select a participating solar contractor through Hawaii Energy and receive up to $750 in Hawaii Energy rebates in addition to federal and state tax credits.

8. Re-program your thermostat.

To keep cooling costs down, invest in a programmable thermostat, which will automatically regulate the amount of A/C you use when you’re home and reduce the amount of A/C you use when you’re not at home. Dean recommends setting your programmable thermostat to 78 degrees at all times. Set it higher when you’re at work, at school or on vacation.

9. Install über-efficient A/C.

If your cooling needs involve air conditioning, make sure your A/C is as efficient as possible. Air-conditioner efficiency is expressed in the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating. The higher the rating is, the more energy-efficient the system will be. ENERGY STAR®-qualified central air conditioners must have a SEER rating of at least 14.
High-SEER-rated air conditioners of all types can be found at reputable retailers such as Admor HVAC, Carrier Hawaii, Servco Home & Appliance Distribution and Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery. Also, look for energy-efficient air conditioners as standard features in planned communities. “The SEER rating for all Gentry Homes is at least 16, and our Haleakea models feature SEER-rated systems at 24.5,” says Gentry Homes representative Rick Hobson.

10. Re-roofing? Get reflective.

Your roof’s surface area is in the sun’s direct path. That means a large portion of your home’s total heat gain occurs through your roof. Minimize heat gain (and the need to cool your home with air conditioning or fans) by investing in a “cool roof.” Rather than absorbing heat, cool roofs are coated with materials that reflect radiant heat. Find the latest in cool-roof technology at local retail and installation companies like Aluminum Shake Roofing.

11. Heat water more efficiently.

You’ve decided to install a solar water-heating system. Great! Now, combine your water heater with systems that optimize its energy use. For starters, check out the GE Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater, available at Servco Home & Appliance Distribution. In addition to heating your water with solar power, this water heater pulls heat from surrounding air and transfers it to the heating tank, resulting in an even more efficient water-heating process. The savings is transferred directly to you, to the tune of up to $320 per year in reduced energy costs.

Bradford White’s Icon water-heating system is another one to watch. The system saves by producing its own electrical energy from the pilot flame. It then uses its own self-produced energy to operate its gas valve and electronic components. Find it at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery.

Also, check out the Metlund Act D’Mand hot water circulation system, available at Servco Home & Appliance Distribution, which transports the hot water from the water-heating tank to your faucet or showerhead an average of four to five times quicker than usual. The result: less water wasted as you wait for it to heat up, and less heat energy lost through your pipes as it travels from tank to fixture.

12. Fan it out.

Whole-house fans and solar attic fans allow homeowners to minimize, or even eliminate, the use of an air conditioner. “The whole-house fan systems cool the home by pushing trapped hot air out of attic vents and drawing fresh, cool air through the windows,” says Al Whitworth of Island Cooling LLC. Whitworth recommends the Quiet Cool fan, available at Island Cooling LLC, which carries a 10-year warranty and a starting price of $645. Alternate Energy carries solar attic fans manufactured by Natural Light. The fans carry a 25-year manufacturer warranty and can reduce attic temperature by up to 40 degrees.

13. Clean and heat your pool more efficiently.

Replace your old pool pump with a more energy-efficient model. “Variable-speed energy-efficient pumps can reduce energy used to clean and circulate pool water by 75 percent,” says Clifton Crawford of C & J Contracting. This can often bring the average cost of running your pump down from $150 to about $35 or $40. Crawford recommends (and carries) Jandy and Hayward pump brands. Compare the cost of your current pool pump system to a new Jandy system at jandy.com/calculators/poolpumpsavings.php.

You can also cut down on energy costs for pool heating by installing a solar pool system, which heats your pool water using solar panels on your roof. Rule of thumb: The square footage of panels on your roof should equal the square footage of surface area of your swimming pool. Solar pool systems are available at retailers and installers such as C & J Contracting, Hawaiian Island Solar and Alternate Energy.

14. Replace your insulation.

Unlike the old blanket insulation, which comes in batts and rolls, blown-in insulation from brands such as Icynene fits into every crevice in your walls, completely sealing off your home’s envelope. Blown-in insulation allows you to keep more cool air inside your home and hot air out, minimizing the need for air conditioning. Many brands can also promote healthier indoor air quality by eliminating air leakage and penetration of dust and allergens. Blown-in insulation is available from local retailers and installers. Icynene insulation comes standard in all planned communities at Gentry Homes.

15. Get PV.

Before you invest in photovoltaics (PV), make sure you’ve taken all, or most, of the steps outlined in this article. “Get your
home in shape before you buy PV,” says Ponce. “You don’t want to run a bigger energy factory than you need to.”

If you’ve done everything else, it’s time to take your home to the next energy-saving level: producing your own electricity. PV systems create energy from sunlight using panels placed on your roof. The energy can then be used to power everything in your home that uses electricity.
If you’re willing to make the extra investment, you can also install a battery backup system, like those available through Hawaiian Island Solar and other local retailers, that stores extra electricity for use when power outages occur. Bonus: You can offset your electric bill by giving extra energy your home produces to Hawaiian Electric Company’s grid through a program called Net Energy Metering, or through Hawaiian Electric’s new Feed-In Tariff program. Find out more at heco.com.