Aug. 3--Either through tax credits from Uncle Sam or direct savings on your utility bills, it's paying off to be more energy- conscious at home. The energy bill awaiting President Bush's signature contains several new tax incentives for consumers who take advantage of energy-smart vehicles and building materials and who make home improvements with a nod toward the environment.

At the same time, the bill passes tax credits on to manufacturers for producing more energy- efficient appliances such as dishwashers, refrigerators and clothes washers. That gives manufacturers incentive to offer more efficient choices to consumers, which in turn will shave money off consumers' utility bills.

Jeff Witherspoon, executive director of Consumer Credit Counseling Service, said he was not yet aware of the tax credits but that consumers should take advantage of any benefits that come their way.

Witherspoon tells clients about the yellow Energy Star stickers on appliances ---- the stickers let consumers know how much it will cost to operate a certain appliance ---- so they can make the most of their money.

"But I also tell them to check Consumer Reports to see how long something lasts" and how reliable it is, Witherspoon said.

Highlights of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 for consumers include tax credits for buying hybrid vehicles, making home improvements and using solar power.

If you're in the market for a hybrid or lean-burn technology vehicle, you can get a credit of $400 to $2,400 based on the fuel economy of the vehicle. The higher the fuel economy, the higher the one-time tax credit on new vehicle purchases.

You also can get a credit of $250 to $1,000 based on the vehicle's estimated lifetime fuel savings.

The credits apply to new purchases made after Jan. 1, 2006.

The credits replace tax deductions previously in place for hybrids.

Such perks help sell the cars, said Bob Woolley, new car manager at Scholfield Honda, which sells hybrid Accords, Civics and Insights.

Salespeople let customers know about the incentives, Woolley said.

Scholfield Honda can't keep hybrids in stock, he said. Customers must special-order the Insight. The dealership gets hybrid Accords and Civics in with its regular inventory, he said, but "we usually sell them before we get them to the lot."

The tax breaks begin to phase out after each hybrid manufacturer sells 60,000 of the vehicles.

Consumers also can get a credit of up to $2,000 for using solar energy, including qualifying solar panels that produce electricity as well as solar equipment to heat water.

The credit applies to equipment installed between Dec. 31, 2005, and Jan. 1, 2008.

Your contractor can get a credit of up to $2,000 for meeting certain energy standards while building a new home.

The credit applies to homes substantially constructed after Dec. 31 and that are purchased after then and before Jan. 1, 2008.

The tax credit most consumers probably could benefit from is one for home improvements such as air-circulating fans, new doors and windows, and insulation that meets certain efficiency standards.

The credit applies to improvements made after Dec. 31 and is for 10 percent of the cost up to a lifetime maximum of $500. No more than $200 will be given for new windows.

The energy bill also rewards manufacturers for being more energy conscious.

The Energy Star program, developed by the federal government, educates consumers about how much it will cost to operate an appliance during an average year. The higher the rating, the more the consumer will save over the life of the appliance.

During the past year, consumers have paid a lot of attention to Energy Star ratings, said Tom Cole, store manager at the Lowe's store on Ridge Road.

"Consumers are definitely conscious of how much money they're going to save over the course of a year or five years, whatever the case is," Cole said. "All appliances sold with the exception of microwaves will tell you how much it will cost per year. If they're Energy Star- qualified, they will have that label on them."

Higher-efficiency appliances can cost more than others but typically the energy savings helps consumers recoup the cost.

"On washer and dryers, for example, front-loading washers and dryers that are Energy Star rated do cost a third more than maybe the best top-loading washer and dryer," Cole said. "But over the course of two or three years, they pay for themselves."

Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports magazines, operates www.greenerchoices.org.

That site includes information for consumers on how to save money at home.