If your heat pump, air conditioner, furnace or boiler is more than 12 years old, or if your energy bills are too high and your heating/cooling heaters are demanding frequent repairs, that means that your equipment is too old and that it's time to replace it with a new efficient system.

Homeowners and renters know saving energy means saving money without sacrificing comfort. There are many things you can do to save energy in your current home, or when designing and building a new energy-efficient house. Whether you choose no/low cost improvements or invest in long-term energy saving strategies, the following sites can help you choose what is best for your energy picture.

Build Green WI promotes the certification of residential projects in Wisconsin under the National Association of Home Builders Research Center's (NAHB-RC) National Green Building Certification Program. The NAHB-RC's National Green Building Certification Program provides the credibility of accredited, third-party verifiers for measuring and validating the degree of "green" achieved by a given project.

Homes certified, by third-party verifiers, through the NAHB-RC's National Green Building Certification Program receive ratings in the following categories: * Lot Design, preparation and development * Resource efficiency * Water efficiency * Energy efficiency * Indoor environmental quality * Operation, maintenance and owner education

Everything seems to be "going green" these days - from cars, to companies, to coffee. Sometimes it is hard to tell what that really means, especially when it comes to your current or future home. If you are planning to purchase a green home, or considering remodeling your current home to be more green, these resources can help you get started:

Green homes incorporate environmental considerations and resource efficiency into every step of the building and development process to minimize environmental impact. The design, construction, and operation of a home must focus on energy and water efficiency, resource efficient building design and materials, indoor environmental quality, and must take the home's overall impact on the environment into account.

You can reduce water pollution, lower your water costs, and help preserve Lake Michigan -- all by capturing water from your roof's downspout into a rain barrel. Rain barrels are fun, and easy to install!

Federal Tax Credits for Consumer Energy Efficiency If you purchase an energy-efficient product or renewable energy system for your home, you may be eligible for a federal tax credit. Below you will find an overview of the federal tax credits for energy efficiency.

If every American home replaced just one light with a light that's earned the ENERGY STAR, we would save enough energy to light 3 million homes for a year, save about $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, equivalent to those from about 800,000 cars.

Efficient Windows Collaborative (EWC) members have made a commitment to manufacture and promote energy-efficient windows. This site provides unbiased information on the benefits of energy-efficient windows, descriptions of how they work, and recommendations for their selection and use. Take a look to learn more!

A home energy assessment, also known as a home energy audit, is the first step to assess how much energy your home consumes and to evaluate what measures you can take to make your home more energy efficient. An assessment will show you problems that may, when corrected, save you significant amounts of money over time.

You have a lot to consider when selecting a new water heater for your home. You should choose a water heating system that will not only provide enough hot water but also that will do so energy efficiently, saving you money. This includes considering the different types of water heaters available and determining the right size and fuel source for your home.

* kitchen waste * lawn clippings (use thin layers so they don't mat down) * chopped leaves (large leaves take a long time to break down) * shredded branches * garden plants (use disease-free plants) * shredded paper * weeds (before they go to seed) * straw or hay * newspaper * wood ash (sprinkle lightly between layers) * hay * tea leaves and coffee grounds

There are several ways in which compost heaps can be made and various theories exist as to the way in which they should be treated. There are two important points which are essential for successful compost making and these are adequate drainage and aeration and sufficient moisture.

Anyone can compost, and just about anything that once lived is suitable for compost. A compost pile doesn't have to be anything fancy. You don't need a special bin or container. Organic material will eventually break down into humus, no matter how or where it is stored.

Wisconsin law bans the landfilling of yard materials such as leaves, grass clippings and branches less than 6" in diameter. Composting is a preferred alternative to burning such materials (which is banned in many communities), and by doing it at home, residents can enjoy the benefits of the finished compost. Certain food scraps can also be easily composted with yard materials at home.

When insulating your home, you can choose from many types of insulation. To choose the best type of insulation, you should first determine the following:

Windows can be one of your home's most attractive features. Windows provide views, daylighting, ventilation, and solar heating in the winter. Unfortunately, they can also account for 10% to 25% of your heating bill. During the summer, your air conditioner must work harder to cool hot air from sunny windows. Install ENERGY STAR windows and use curtains and shade to give your air conditioner and energy bill a break. If you live in the Sun Belt, look into low-e windows, which can cut the cooling load by 10% to 15%.

Solar water heating systems usually cost more to purchase and install than conventional water heating systems. However, a solar water heater can usually save you money in the long run.

Demand (tankless or instantaneous) water heaters are rated by the maximum temperature rise possible at a given flow rate. Therefore, to size a demand water heater, you need to determine the flow rate and the temperature rise you'll need for its application (whole house or a remote application, such as just a bathroom) in your home.

Welcome to SolarPower.org! Our organization is dedicated to fueling the rapid deployment of renewable energy across America to help regain our national energy independence and fight climate change. Here you'll find the news, information, tools, and resources to help in the solar movement and determine if solar power is the right option for you.

You can lower your water heating costs by using and wasting less hot water in your home. To conserve hot water, you can fix leaks, install low-flow fixtures, and purchase an energy-efficient dishwasher and clothes washer.

Federal legislation passed in 1992 requires all U.S. plumbing manufacturers and importers to meet or beat the following water-efficiency standards: * Showerheads: 2.5 gallons per minute * Faucets: 2.5 gallons per minute * Toilets: 1.6 gallons per flush

City of Milwaukee residents have two convenient locations where they can recycle or safely dispose of a wide variety of items. When you arrive at a self-help center, you will be asked to provide proof of City of Milwaukee residency or property ownership. Contractors are not allowed to use the centers. You will then be directed to unload your vehicle. The centers are located at: * 6660 N. Industrial Road * 3879 W. Lincoln Avenue

Recycling turns materials that would otherwise become waste into valuable resources. Collecting used bottles, cans, and newspapers and taking them to the curb or to a collection facility is just the first in a series of steps that generates a host of financial, environmental, and social returns. Some of these benefits accrue locally as well as globally. Benefits of Recycling * Recycling protects and expands U.S. manufacturing jobs and increases U.S. competitiveness. * Recycling reduces the need for landfilling and incineration. * Recycling prevents pollution caused by the manufacturing of products from virgin materials. * Recycling saves energy. * Recycling decreases emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change. * Recycling conserves natural resources such as timber, water, and minerals. * Recycling helps sustain the environment for future generations.

Recycling is the process of taking a product at the end of its useful life and using all or part of it to make another product. The internationally recognized symbol for recycling includes three arrows moving in a triangle. Each arrow represents a different part of the recycling process, from collection to re-manufacture to resale.