Earth Day 2014 - Learn How to Improve Your Home's Energy Efficiency

Solar panels

Earth Day is a reminder of the immense environmental challenges we face. To help those interested in improving energy efficiency in their home, HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research has developed the Guide to Energy-Efficient and Healthy Homes (www.huduser.org/portal/consumer/home.html). This guide summarizes how homeowners and renters can make their homes energy efficient and healthy, and the information provided can be applied to both new construction and renovations.

As a first step toward improving a home's energy efficiency and indoor air quality, consumers should consider starting with an assessment of their home's energy use and indoor air quality; more information on this topic is provided in the Guide's "Home Energy and Health Assessments" (www.huduser.org/portal/consumer/home_energy.html) section. In this section, consumers can find information on conducting do-it-yourself energy audits and on hiring professional home energy auditors.

The Guide's "Energy Efficiency and Indoor Air Quality" (www.huduser.org/portal/consumer/path_1.html) section provides information on strategies to reduce energy costs and indoor air pollutants in homes.

And finally, the Guide's "Financial Incentives for Home Energy-Efficiency Improvements" (www.huduser.org/portal/consumer/financial_incentives.html) section provides information on tax credits, rebates, and other incentives that federal and state agencies offer for home energy-efficiency improvements.

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