UNC Chapel Hill Dorm in First Place In ENERGY STAR Competion

With about three months left to the national building completion sponsored by the EPA and ENERGY STAR, the Morrison Residence hall in Chapel Hill, North Carolina is in the lead with over 19% reduction in energy usage. The dormitory building is part of the University of North Carolina, and houses 800 students. It was the leader on its campus in using solar panels, and it is the home of UNC’s Sustainability Living Learning Community.

Morrison Hall was built in 1965 and is a 10 story building housing 800 students and 50 support staff. In 2007 it was renovated with energy savings in mind, installing central air and heating to all rooms and solar panels for the production of hot water.

Companies like IDT Energy and many others are certainly interested in the creative ideas put forward by students like those at Chapel Hill.

Buildings Reducing Energy Consumption in Energy Star Contest

Different types of buildings have different energy needs and can therefore have radically different EUI numbers. For instance, a hospital which is full of equipment which is energy intensive will have a much higher EUI than an elementary school which only uses lights, heat, and other simple types of power for the people inside. So it is not surprising that a normal EUI for a hospital might be 470, while that for a school is only 169.

The ENERGY STAR competition will judge each building according to the percentage it reduces energy consumption over the course of the contest, and not the total amount of energy usage actually reduced.

ENERGY STAR Building Competion Brings Down the EUI

The Environmental Protection Agency and ENERGY STAR are sponsoring a nationwide building competition to see how efficient a building can become over the course of one year in its use of power and its creation of waste. The 14 buildings in the contest will be measured for their EUI, energy use intensity, which describes in an easy to understand number how much energy a building consumes relative to the size of that building.

How is EUI measured and calculated?

The EUI is arrived at by finding the total energy consumed in one year, which is measured in kBtu’s, and dividing that figure by the building’s total floor space. As an example, if a school with 50,000 square feet of floor space used 7, 500,000 kBtu of energy, then its EUI is calculated to be 150. Usually the lower the EUI is the more energy efficient the building.

Going Green with Energy Companies like IDT Energy & More

It’s certainly always interesting and important to keep up with new green energy products. Many companies, such as IDT Energy, are offering green options and working to help the environment in any way possible.

One of the world’s largest solar module manufacturers, Canadian Solar Inc., just unveiled two new solar module products. Learn more about their new product offerings and the presentations that they made at the Intersolar North America in San Francisco, California at the Moscone Center.

American Solar Challenge Highlights Importance of Solar

The American creative spirit is alive and well, as evidenced with the American Solar Challenge that just wrapped up. This annual competition challenges groups to design, build and race solar-powered cars in a cross-country event. The purpose of the event is to bring greater awareness and understanding about solar and its many applications. Way to go University of Michigan!

Cleaner Water?

Finally there may be a way to clean water that is polluted “without producing toxic byproducts.” New research by scientist from the Florida Institute of Technology has invented a compound based on ferrate (a revved-up form of iron). Following that, a chemistry professor from the institute (Virender K. Sharma) joined Ferratec, LLC to commercialize this project.

Slashing Hidden Costs from Your Electricity Bill

There are many hidden costs in your electricity bill that you may not even realize. By paying special attention to these areas in the home, you may be able to reduce your bill significantly over the course of the summer – and certainly over the course of the year. Energy companies like IDT Energy want to help you to save, and here are a few suggestions to do so.

Your refrigerator may actually be causing you extra costs. Make sure that everyone in the family knows to open the refrigerator doors only briefly and not to leave them open unnecessarily. Follow the manufacturer’s directions about the “cold” control and vacuum your refrigerator coils periodically to remove dust.

If your refrigerator isn’t frost-free, make sure to defrost it periodically. Also, plugging your refrigerator into an electronic induction motor control like the Power Planner, which is available in most home improvement centers, can help to reduce the amount of power the refrigerator’s motor uses.

Summer Savings Suggestions with IDT Energy

With the summer upon us, it’s time to start thinking about saving money on your electricity bill. If you live in a state, like NY, NJ or Pennsylvania, where electricity has been deregulated, then you should look into changing your energy supplier. You may find that some companies, like IDT Energy, offer surprisingly low rates.

There are many other quick and easy ways to lower your costs this summer, in ways that you probably won’t even feel in your day to day life. Have your air system run on fan instead of on air conditioner. Flip your thermostat to “Fan Only” to recycle air through the house. Make sure that you replace and clean your heating and cooling system’s air filters to improve their efficiency.

Small changes of this sort can make a large difference in your overall electricity bill over the course of time.

Saving Electricity in the Kitchen: IDT Energy

Most of us spend a great deal of time in the kitchen. A good portion of our electrical expenditure is done in this part of the home, and it’s important to learn key ways to save on your electrical bill in this area. Whether you use IDT Energy or another distributor, knowing how to save energy in the kitchen can make a big difference in your bill.

When you are cooking, turn on your range hood so that waste heat will go out of the home. Consider what you cook during the summer months and cut down on the amount that you use electrical appliances. Serve cold salads, deli slices and other items that don’t need to be cooked in a hot oven or stove top.

Make sure your oven door is tightly closed when in use and use the oven light to check on the progress of your items rather than opening and closing the oven door. Be sure to use a timer or a meat thermometer when cooking to save energy. Overcooked meals don’t taste particularly good, and uses extra electricity unnecessarily.

Five Quick Energy Saving Tips: IDT Energy

We all want to save money on our energy bills. Whether you’re using IDT Energy or another company, you’ll want to stay on top of your energy use and minimize your superfluous expenditures as much as possible. Here are five quick ways to stay on track with your energy spending.

1. When you wash dishes and clothes, try to do so with a full load. One full load certainly uses less energy than do two half loads.

2. To save water, make sure to only boil the amount of water that you actually need.

3. Pay attention to your water taps. Fix leaky taps and make sure that your taps are always fully turned off. A tap that is continually dripping even a small amount makes enough hot water to fill half a bath in a week!

4. Pay attention to the light bulbs that you purchase and look for the ENERGY STAR label. Energy efficient light bulbs can save you a great deal of money over the life of the bulb, and they last up to 10 times longer than do ordinary bulbs.

5. Have a home energy check done on your house. Many companies conduct these checks and they will offer you other suggestions for saving on your electricity and gas bills and will provide quick tips for saving in the home.