Home and apartment owners can take advantage of energy efficiency standards, policies and programs to maximize their cost savings. Several states have enacted legislation to reduce energy usage and costs. For example, the Empower Maryland Act of 2008 mandates statewide reductions of 15 percent by 2015. One popular program is the Quick Home Energy Checkup (QHEC) for multifamily and single family properties.
The QHEC allows homeowners and tenants to get energy efficient products such as CFLs, efficient-flow showerheads, smart strips, and more, installed at no additional cost to their usual utility bills. As existing customers of utility companies, owners and tenants bear no additional cost for these energy conservation measures.
Whether you reside in a house, condo, townhouse or apartment, as long as you have an active utility account in the state of Maryland, you’re likely eligible for the energy and water saving upgrades. They are a fast, easy way to increase the energy efficiency of your home and help you start saving immediately. At the bottom of your bill, you can see a percentage of the existing costs going toward this program that is now redirected back to you and your community.
Park Station at Olde Towne is a residential apartment building in PEPCO territory located in Gaithersburg, Maryland that has participated in the QHEC program. greeNEWit, one of several Maryland energy solutions contractors, inspected 273 units within Park Station and implemented energy saving solutions. They installed a total of 4,300 CFLs, 613 faucet aerators, 386 showerheads and 254 counts of pipe insulation that will prevent nearly 122 tons of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere. The CO2 saved is equivalent of nearly 607 trees being planted. According to greeNEWit, Park Station will experience annual cost savings of $58,739 for electricity, water and gas, equaling $215 per unit.
Inefficient apartment buildings and single family homes cost our nation billions in lost dollars and keep us from reaching sustainability. With programs such as the Quick Home Energy Checkup, we can maximize energy efficiency, create the healthiest environment possible and minimize the environmental impact.
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