There is one great place owners are seeing the change their efficiency remodel, however – their utility bill. To make this important change more visible to homeowners, we have developed our Future Fit Kit and the popular CEWO Fridge Magnet – a place for homeowners to record the benefits of their remodel. It’s proved to be a good teaching tool about energy savings for children and adults as well. The following are a few quotes from homeowners who have seen energy savings and shared their story on our Facebook page:

“I know I’ve mentioned before how pleased I am with the CEWO results from the work that was done on my house on 12/11. BUT!! I want to say, I just rec’d the biannual EqualPay adjustment from NW Natural. All-gas appliances, 113yo Victorian. $23/mo estimate from NWNatural!! At this rate, the improvements will pay-off in no time.” – Ken

“Just calculated the therms we saved on our gas bill the first year after our Clean Energy Works Oregon home energy remodel. We used 186 fewer therms for an energy savings of 38%.” – Chris

“It has been about 7-8 months since our house underwent a CEWO Transformation. Great news, the natural gas usage for our last three bills (Nov, Dec, Jan) was down by almost 60% compared to the previous year. Our home is much more comfortable and the savings on our bill is easily paying for the Transformation. We’ve also seen about a 10% drop in our electricity bill because the natural gas furnace fan is not running as often.” – Sean

“I just received my first set of utility bills since installing a new furnace and insulating the walls of my house. Though the daily temperature in December / January was 8 degrees cooler than November/ December. I used 30% less gas and my thermostat was set at a balmy 68. CEWO is a great program that I encourage everyone to consider.” – Kari

“January bill is in. With much colder weather I am maintaining a 42% reduction from 2010 and 2011.” – Nathan

As the article points out, energy efficiency just makes good sense.

“Improving energy efficiency is the no-brainer, no loser environmental policy. By limiting wasted power, we reduce the number of power plants we need—and their consequent pollution—and we save money.”

So what seems to be the holdup? Information, it seems.

“Cutting energy waste is a matter of better lights and better insulation, better heaters and better air conditioners. But first and foremost it’s a data challenge. You can’t cut waste until you know what you’re wasting—and most of us have only the slightest idea of the energy we’re using at home.”

That’s why companies like Opower are busy creating home energy apps. And, the Nest, a smart thermostat designed by former Apple engineers, is selling at a brisk 40,000-per-month pace.

Here at CEWO, we’re also working to get you the information you need to make informed home efficiency decisions. We applaud the work being done on the smart grid and love the new efficiency products and apps. We also believe that when it comes to home efficiency, sometimes you have to roll up your sleeves and really investigate what’s going on at a house.

That’s why our free home energy assessment takes an in-depth, 4 hour look at your home’s energy performance. We’ll check out the attic and crawlspace, do a blower door test to check for air leaks and do a safety test of your heating and cooling equipment. When we’re done, you’ll know exactly what improvements your house needs to be more efficient.

We live in exciting times when it comes to technological advances and we think upgrades to the power grid are long overdue. Sometimes it is good to remember that we are all literally connected when it comes to energy use, and some of our smartest and most important energy decisions are made at home.

Today she works as a residential energy auditor and a home performance technician, earning a good living as a trained expert in a growing green industry.

And last week, Sary took a day off work, travelled to Salem, Oregon, and told her story to more than a dozen legislators, encouraging them to continue funding Clean Energy Works Oregon – one of the organizations that helped her pull herself out of poverty.

“When they met me and learned that I was a product of the program, I think it made a difference,” she said.

In 2003, Sary graduated with a degree in environmental studies from the University of Oregon. After graduation, she traveled and worked in Italy and Mexico. But things changed after her son’s father died. She struggled to regain her footing and was forced to rely on government assistance, while she tried to find work.

Sary considered her options and determined that she preferred the hands-on aspect of weatherization and was happy that it built on her past experience in finished carpentry. Like a growing number of successful women who are working in home performance, she enrolled in a pre-apprenticeship program at Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc., and also accessed help through WorkSource Oregon, the state’s resource for businesses and jobseekers. She was eventually hired by a contractor, received on-the-job training support and also found more funding for advanced trainings in air and duct sealing and building performance. Sary’s particular journey was funded by a series of grants tied to transforming energy efficiency markets and putting people back to work.

Today, she is enjoying meeting homeowners and hearing the story of their houses and what they want to do. She feels like an “absolute success story” and is committed to making the most of her opportunity so the investments that were made in her are there for others.

That is why she went to Salem last week, she said.

“I’m a professional now. It seems uncomfortable to go back and relive the past, but it was way more positive than I thought it was going to be,” she said. “My story is a testament to the demographics of the unemployed. We’re often educated. We’re often hardworking. We’re often experienced. We simply need the tools to get into a market like this.”

Venessa Margolis shares the story of how easy it was to increase the energy efficiency of her home through Clean Energy Works Oregon.

When asked about what his new appointment means for his home state, Senator Merkley responded:

“This has a powerful tie into Oregon. It’s focused on renewable energy and green jobs, and Oregon strong state program of energy efficiency finance and job creation — the Clean Energy Works Oregon program. The lessons we’ve learned with that program are worth bringing forward. It has the highest potential in terms of leveraging bang for the buck for jobs created and dollars spent.”

Merkley went on to discuss creating living wage jobs, simplified lending options that help homeowner confidence and ‘Made in America’ materials that go into making homes more energy efficient.

Senator Jeff Merkley’s Sustainable Business Oregon Interview

Light Bulb Finder

Earlier this month we reported the demise of the 75-watt incandescent light bulb. The 75-watt bulb, along with the 100-watt bulb, were phased out, while 2014 will see the phasing out of the 40-watt and 60-watt bulbs. All of this means it’s time for you to switch those light bulbs to more energy efficient options. Light Bulb Finder helps you make the switch, giving you stats on the financial and environmental benefits, while helping you find the right replacement bulb options.

Meter Readings

One of the most unique apps on the marketing for measuring your energy output is Meter Readings. This advanced app helps you monitor your household energy and water usage. Over time, the app shows you trends in your use with simple graphs, while providing tips on how to save money on your utility bills by changing your electric and water usage habits.

JouleBug

Gamification is all the rage these days, making complicated ideas and tasks easier to understand by breaking them down in a game setting. JouleBug is an energy savings game, pushing you to set energy habits by observing how you act throughout your typical day. Through offering tips, players can change their habits, being rewarded with badges. The best part of all, you can play JouleBug with friends and share your energy accomplishments through Facebook and Twitter.

My CO2 Carbon Calculator

Have you ever wondered what your daily carbon footprint is? It fairly easy to track your home energy use, but what about the energy you use at work or the carbon output commuting? My CO2 Carbon Calculator helps you track your every day activities, giving you an idea of your carbon impact, then suggesting ways you can improve. Best of all, it allows you to set targets, which keep you on task.

Opower

While the first four apps are all smartphone specific, the Opower app is a Facebook app. It’s still in beta mode, but offers a fun way to compete against your friends, seeing who can be most efficient with their energy. Empowering the user with tips and tricks along the way, taking on your friends not only brings about the competitive spirit in individuals, but helps drive behavior change. Best of all, if you expend the least amount of energy over the course of your competition, you have some pretty impressive bragging rights.

The energy efficiency tax credit applies to some types of water heaters, furnaces, insulation, windows, roofs, heat pumps, boilers and central air conditioning units.

Equally as nice, homeowners who complete a first-time home energy efficiency project in 2013 are eligible for the same credit. To find out more, reference the listed links and make sure to consult with your tax advisor.

U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency Tax Credit Information

CEWO Contractor Neil Kelly Discussing the Tax Credit

With over 250 pages of home energy efficiency information, from what are the most beneficial and cost-effective improvements, to statistics on the environmental impact of your home, this guide is the perfect resource for all your home energy efficiency needs and a great tool to help you make informed decisions when it comes to your home.

Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings – 10th Edition