Showing posts with label energy savings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label energy savings. Show all posts
Monday, June 14, 2010
Hybrid Appliances Aim to Solve Energy Crisis
Have you seen the new horror/science fiction movie Splice in which scientists combine the DNA of different animals to create incredible new hybrid animals? It's pretty scary stuff...especially when they start splicing together the genes of animals and humans. But outside of Hollywood, there are some other kinds of "genetic engineering" taking place that could have a major and beneficial impact in your home in the coming yearsThere’s a new movement quietly gaining momentum as we search for ways to reduce our energy dependence, improve our environmental outlook, and save money on rising utility costs. Part innovation and part science fiction, the technology of hybrid appliances is fast taking the scientific world by storm. Here are some of the unusual and novel appliance and fixture combinations you may see in your home some day soon.
The Washing Machine Toilet:
At first, putting a washing machine together with a toilet sounds downright unsanitary. But upon closer examination, the idea is fairly brilliant. The washing machine does a load of laundry as usual, but then stores the waste water from the rinse cycle and uses it to flush the toilet when it’s needed. Using dirty water to get rid of…well…dirty water just kind of makes sense, doesn’t it? Users will cut down on water consumption while solving another common household problem: limited space. By combining a bulky appliance that normally takes up a lot of space with a necessity already found in every single home and apartment in the country, the washing machine toilet could prove a god-send to those in a serious space-crunch.
Developed by a Turkish engineer, the washing machine toilet was recently entered in the Greener Gadgets design competition. Though it’s still in conceptual development, this hybrid appliance could revolutionize the way we do our laundry and our “business.”
The Toilet Sink:
If it’s good enough to get set up with the washing machine, why not pair the toilet with the sink, too? The toilet sink is meant to be another space-saver and reduces water consumption, too.
How does it work? The water in the toilet tank and bowl combine with gravity to flush waste. Fresh water then flows into each receptacle. With the sink feature, this fresh water can be diverted to the tap where it flows out just like a normal sink. The water that drains from the sink then flows back into the toilet bowl where it stays until the toilet is flushed again. So you’re always washing your hands with fresh water, but you may be flushing the toilet with grey water on occasion.
The downside of this neat little device is that you’d have to lean directly over the toilet seat to use the sink, so just be sure to keep the bowl clean!
The Tanning Shower:
It’s every prom queen’s dream: a shower that gives you a tan while you lather, rinse, and repeat.
Made by ProSun International, the SunShower was first introduced in 2006 when it won an award for best bath product at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show.
According to ProSun, the tanning shower emits a balanced, gentle UV light spectrum that’s similar to natural sunlight. It allows the user to tan just a little bit with each shower, rather than experience the UVA and UVB bombardment of one 10 or 15 minute session in a traditional tanning booth. Supposedly, this gradual tanning is easier on the body.
While there’s as yet no proof that these claims are true, tanning enthusiasts are already snapping up these powder room novelties.
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Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Weatherization Assistance Program from the U.S. Department of Energy
It seems like everything costs more these days -- and like we’re all trying to stay afloat with less. For those who qualify, the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) provides a long-term solution to the rising cost of household utilities.Since the Weather Assistance Program’s inception in 1976, more than 6 million low income families have benefitted from home improvements that not only help make their energy costs more manageable, but also reduce national energy dependency, improve the environment, and encourage economic growth in poor communities.
The Weatherization Assistance Program works with various service providers to install energy-efficient upgrades for qualifying homeowners at no cost. While these are not extravagant improvements—the average spending limit is $6,500 per household—they are effective and generally pay for themselves in just a few years. The Department of Energy monitors the energy savings and compares them to program costs to ensure that spending and value are proportionate.
Weatherization has an impact greater than just helping low-income families save money. The same initiatives that have been part of the Weatherization Assistance Program for decades have helped spawn an entire industry sector dedicated to green construction measures. Energy-efficient construction employs thousands and many of the improvements that have become standard practice in the industry were first developed as part of the Weatherization Assistance Program. In fact, the weatherization program continues to lead testing and advancements in home energy efficiency, making these upgrades more readily available to us all.
The Department of Energy distributes federal dollars to individual states to fund Weatherization Assistance Program initiatives, but each state is charged with setting rules and guidelines for eligibility. States also select Weatherization Assistance Program service providers and review performance for quality. There are more than 900 state and non-profit agencies that make up the nation’s weatherization network.
Many of us have heard of home weatherization—which involves inexpensive improvements like replacing weather stripping around windows and doors—but the services and upgrades offered through the Weatherization Assistance Program are a bit different. The program’s focus is on low-cost solutions to high energy bills. This involves things like heating and cooling systems, electrical systems, and appliances. The Weatherization Assistance Program looks at the whole residence and tries to identify the most cost-effective ways to improve energy efficiency.
Because many of the homes and multi-family dwellings the Weatherization Assistance Program serves are also aging and in need of repair, the weatherization program is concerned with the overall safety of each project. Every major energy system is thoroughly checked for safety before and after installation.
The Weatherization Assistance Program takes a comprehensive approach to green and energy-efficient renovations and upgrades. Each property is subjected to a sophisticated and individualized analysis that takes all aspects of the building’s structure into account. The goal is to maximize energy efficiency while controlling costs and making a difference in the high cost of utilities for struggling families. This approach has also helped drive the scientific advances in energy-efficient and eco-friendly initiatives that have become a hallmark of the Weatherization Assistance Program and have spread to other sectors of the home construction industry.
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