Southface Institute: Blog

The Southeast has among the highest electricity bills and the lowest investment in energy efficiency in America according to 2019 data from US Energy Information Administration and the Southern Alliance …

Continue reading "GEORGIA GAINS REINFORCEMENTS IN FIGHT FOR EQUITABLE ENERGY POLICIES"

When people hear Energy Star, they typically think of household appliances, but did you know that commercial buildings and homes can be Energy Star certified? This certification was created by …

Continue reading "Energy-Efficient Homes Across the U.S."

Residential housing is one of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions, yet most homeowners do not even realize it. More time spent indoors results in higher energy bills, but what does this increase really tell us about how much energy a home consumes?

Energy Efficiency Day is a nationwide effort that lowers energy bills, makes indoor environments healthier and reduces your carbon footprint.

While the spread of COVID-19 remains uncertain, working from home is quickly becoming the new normal, leading to more at-home energy costs. A predicted one-third of Americans will see a 10-15% increase in their energy bills this summer because of virus-related changes at work, which means spending between $2 and $37 more, according to Arcadia, an energy and analytic company.

The new statewide energy code went into effect at the beginning of this year, making it easier to receive financial incentives for a high-performing home. Amelia Godfrey, program manager of EarthCraft, shares the incentives available for homes that are built or renovated to meet the minimum standard. While there are several ways to build a high-performance home, many can be accompanied by low additional costs.

Government shutdowns and economic inactivity due to the coronavirus pandemic have caused sharp declines in greenhouse gases. Over 1 billion tons of carbon emissions have already been reduced, and it is projected we will see an overall annual decrease between 4-7%. Although these reductions are remarkable, scientists warn that more structural changes to the energy system need to be made for long-term success.

As "shelter in place" orders have been made to control the spread of COVID-19, the world’s data centers and internet infrastructure are experiencing a rise in usage. This is because people are spending all their time at home using videoconferencing, collaboration software and other streaming services.

During this time when more of our household members are working and studying from home, sometimes connected to multiple devices for hours on end, the energy savings that may come from reduced commutes may be offset by increased at-home use.

Phones and communication networks could consume 21% of global energy consumption by 2030. Tom Jarrett, a designer at the U.K. design studio Normally heard this and started researching how to redesign the internet to use less energy. Find out how his version of Instagram limits its energy consumption and carbon footprint.