Chefs love their gas ranges, right? However, we are increasingly aware of their negative impact on air quality and the environment. Compared to gas, induction stoves are easier on utility bills, the environment, and healthier for your family. Top-rated brands, according to Consumer Reports, including Frigidaire, LG, and Samsung, are all available at Appliance Barn […]
Are you going to need a new furnace in the next ten years? A new water heater? When you do, think “electric”. Cutting long-term energy costs AND cutting greenhouse gases is fairly simple conceptually: (1) upgrade to electric-powered appliances and (2) convert the electric grid (and potentially your home) to renewable solar, wind, and geothermal
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Another way to keep your house cooler – and reduce urban heat island – is to install a “cool roof” that reflects sunlight, lowers the roof’s temperature, and reduces heat flow into the house. Ideally a cool roof is installed during new construction or routine repair. Existing roofs can also be retrofitted with cooling, solar-reflective
Energy-Saving Roofs Read More »
If you are wondering how you can take action to reduce your carbon footprint, look no further. In August, 2023, Iowa City launched a pilot program to study the effects of free, safe, and convenient bus transportation in the community. Since the program was launched, transit rides have increased by 45%, compared to the same
Let’s celebrate Johnson County’s growing clean energy economy! We want to spread the word about new businesses, projects, initiatives, and events. Send us your news! Solar by Brandt: Brandt Heating and Air Conditioning, a long-standing fixture in Iowa City, recently began offering the full range of solar energy services in Johnson, Washington, and Linn Counties.
Lingering in a hot shower is one of life’s pleasures, but heating water is a household’s second highest utility cost, accounting for 18% of the typical home’s energy use. Much of this energy is a standby loss because we heat water even when we are not using it. Because replacing a water heater is often
Efficient Water Heaters Read More »
Windows are an essential feature of any home – for sunlight, cool breezes, a view of the neighborhood –but they’re potentially a huge cause of energy loss. On average, 25-30% of heat gain or loss is through windows, forcing your HVAC system to work harder, shortening its life, and costing you thousands of dollars in
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Americans waste as much as 30% of the energy they pay for every month. To stop hemorrhaging money and make your house more comfortable, get a home energy assessment! Johnson County residents have three options – a simple do-it-yourself; a free inventory by trained Americorps students; and a professional audit w/ energy coaching services aimed
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Whatever our good intentions, it can seem prohibitively expensive to make the changes needed to reduce our energy use. Most of us simply cannot afford an electric car, heat pump appliances, or solar panels. One energy and money-saving device that comes virtually free is a clothesline, which substantially reduces the use of one of the
Clotheslines: Using the Summer Elements to Your Energy-Advantage Read More »
Download Iowa City Solar 2035 Report A new report calling for an ambitious expansion of solar energy in Iowa City over the coming decade has been released by the University of Iowa’s Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities and Johnson Clean Energy District. “Iowa City Solar 2035” explores technical and policy feasibilities of expanding solar energy,
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