Georgians Seeking Ways to Slash Home Energy Costs Use
Atlanta Firm's Energy Calculator to Mine for Cash
ATLANTA, June 23, 2010 (News Release)
Georgia is encouraging residents to mine for cash within the walls of
their homes and an Atlanta-based company – APOGEE Interactive – is
providing the tool to help them uncover a lot more than pocket change
from under their sofa cushions.
Georgians seeking ways to cut energy costs got a boost from Governor
Sonny Perdue earlier this year when he unveiled an interactive website –
www.GovernorsEnergyChallenge.org. Residents can visit the site, fill out
their home profile and receive a list of energy-saving options
customized by APOGEE’s energy calculator specifically for their Georgia
home.
The site is the public extension of Gov. Perdue’s Energy Challenge where
he committed state agencies to reduce energy consumption 15 percent
below 2007 levels by 2020. The Georgia Environmental Facilities
Authority (GEFA) contracted APOGEE to develop an online energy process
that enables residents, businesses, schools and local governments to
analyze their energy use and take actions to reduce it.
APOGEE customized the calculator specifically for Georgia reflecting the
state’s home construction, weather zones and home energy equipment used
by most residents. “To realize the most effective cost reduction in
energy use, we eliminated any vague national averages and customized the
calculator specifically for Georgia,” explained Joel Gilbert, APOGEE’s
co-founder, chief software architect and 30-year energy industry
veteran.
APOGEE’s Georgia utility customers use the firm’s Web-enabled
products to drive energy efficiency programs for their customers.
Earlier this year Marietta Power & Water teamed with Marietta City
Schools and successfully used APOGEE’s online services to power a
school-on-school competition that slashed energy costs across all 11
district schools and by almost 30 percent at the winning school. Georgia
Power and Cobb EMC have recently contracted Apogee to implement their
online energy audit offerings this summer.
The benefits of using an APOGEE energy calculator can also extend far
beyond saving a home’s residents money in their monthly energy outlay.
It can cascade from residents and homeowners to sellers, buyers and
builders.
The Appraisal Journal reported that the selling price of homes increases
by $20.73 for every dollar decrease in energy bills. For example, if a
seller cut an annual $1,500 energy bill by $400, the value of the house
would increase by $8,300.
In fact, according to Gilbert, energy-efficient homes may offer a bright
spot in a depressed real estate market. A study by Seattle’s Green Works
Realty showed that environmentally certified homes sold for 4.8 percent
more and were on the market for 24 percent less time than comparable
homes. “Even in a depressed market a home can be a cash cow if you have
the right tools to tell you where to look,” added Gilbert. “An
energy-efficient house sells faster because its operating costs are
lower, just like the trend toward smaller cars or cars with
fuel-efficient, hybrid engines.”
Most of what makes a house energy-efficient is hard to see and needs to
be pointed out. Features such as better insulation in the wall and
attics, double-paned windows and weatherized doors and windows are all
energy-efficient money savers. And that’s where APOGEE’s calculator
comes into play.
Here’s how it works: Residents can go to
www.governorsenergychallenge.org and click on “Take the Challenge.” They
complete a simple profile on their home such as number of occupants,
square footage, year built, etc. They then answer a variety of questions
ranging from the types of appliances and water heaters to windows and
heating and cooling systems. By following a few other simple prompts the
calculator will provide a customized list of options that can be taken
to reduce energy costs.
Georgia is one of many states where homeowners who install
energy-efficient equipment can realize a tax break too. In Georgia, tax
incentives cover a variety of energy-efficient building products. To
receive the tax break, the equipment must be installed between July 1,
2008 and December 31, 2012. Tax incentive and rebate information is
available on the Governor’s Energy Challenge website.
APOGEE Interactive Inc.
APOGEE’s software powers nearly 500 utility online energy efficiency
programs throughout the U.S. The company’s Web-based solutions reach
millions of consumers daily and include self-service home energy audits,
energy and carbon calculators, energy education Web content module such
as “Kids Korner” and energy bill analyzers with progress reporting.
Serving the industry since 1994, APOGEE’s clients include leading
utilities such as Southern Company (SO), Georgia Power, Cobb EMC,
Marietta Power & Water, Jackson EMC, Con Edison (ED), American Electric
Power (AEP), SMUD, BGE (CEG), Westar Energy (WR), PECO (EXC), Puget
Sound Energy, NSTAR (NST), Empire District (EDE), TVA and more.
Contacts:
Kathy Hart, APOGEE Interactive, khart@apogee.net, 404-271-1489
Shane Hix, GEFA, 404-584-1043, 404-769-6949
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