INDUSTRY LINKS
National Organizations
- ENERGY STARŪ - A joint program developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy to help Americans save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.
- Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) - Develops standards used by the mortgage industry and federal government to verify the energy performance of the nations residential home stock. These standards are used to qualify homes for the EPA's ENERGY STAR program and to qualify homeowners for Energy Efficient Mortgages.
- Building Performance Institute (BPI) - An organization which develops and promulgates a set of standards for the residential energy efficiency retrofit and weathertization workforce.
- U.S Green Building Council (USGBC) - A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which is working to make green buildings available to everyone. The USGBC also developed the LEED green building certification system to provide third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built in a sustainable manner.
- Efficiency First - A national non-profit trade association of residential building professionals organized to provide a voice for the building community to promote energy efficiency retrofitting in public policy discussions. Two of the most important public policy initiatives which Efficiency First supports are the Home Star Program and the Retrofit for Energy and Environmental Performance Program.
State Organizations
- Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) - A state agency who's mission is to maximize energy efficiency while promoting economic development, reducing reliance on foreign energy supplies, and improving the environment. The MEA advises the Governor on directions and policies related to the energy market.
- Maryland Home Performance with ENERGY STAR - A program sponsored by the Maryland Energy Administration to train and certify contractors to perform Home Energy Audits and install whole-house energy improvements. The program was established as a part of Governor O'Malley's EmPOWER Maryland inititative.
Educational Information
- ENERGY STAR DIY Guide to Air Sealing
- Standby Power - An excellent resource for learning about and reducing vampire electricity usage
- GREENGUARD Environmental Institute - A non-profit committed to protecting human health by reducing chemical exposure and increasing indoor air quality. GEI oversees third-party verification programs which identify acceptable product emission standards and certify low-emmitting products.
Energy Saving Tip
**Having the incorrect refigerant charge in your air conditioner can lower system efficiency by up to 20%.**
"The (Atlas Home Energy) auditor found energy problems in areas of my home that I didn't know we even had! After the inspection they took the time to meet with my husband for over an hour to show us how to fix all of the problems. Throughout the whole process I felt like they truly cared about our home!"
Frank, Martinsburg
