FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Media Contact: Laura Yates at (256) 552-2353 and lyates@jwemc.org
New Tool Can Help Reduce Energy Consumption
TRINITY, AL – September 30, 2005 – Rising energy prices and energy initiatives have brought energy conservation to the forefront. Joe Wheeler EMC recently unveiled a new online tool to address residential energy conservation and facilitate learning about how electricity works. “It’s hard for us to tell people what they can do to make the biggest impact in conserving energy because we don’t know each individual situation,” said Traci McKelvy, Joe Wheeler EMC’s Customer Service Manager. “With the Home Energy Suite, you can figure out what solution works best for you”. The Home Energy Suite, found in the energy services section at www.jwemc.org, provides an abundance of information about how energy is used, offering exhaustive coverage of home energy use from both the new construction and existing homeowners perspective. The six-part resource includes three energy calculators, specialized information on residential energy use, information on the fundamentals of electricity and a section designed to teach children about energy use and safety. Home Energy Calculator Most people probably wouldn’t think that changing the thermostat setting only five degrees could affect heating costs by as much as 10%, but changing the variables on the Home Energy Calculator shows the potential differences in cold, hard cash. “One of my favorite features of the Home Energy Suite is the Home Energy Calculator because it lets you input your own circumstances, change variables, and see for yourself how all these factors affect your electric bill,” said McKelvy The Home Energy Calculator uses Joe Wheeler EMC rates and local weather in determining average bills to provide a more accurate estimation of the costs related to running a home’s heating and cooling, water heating, lights and appliances. In addition, efficiency tips related to each category automatically appear near the bottom of the screen. The Home Energy calculator visually represents the survey results in an annual summary as a pie or a bar graph by month. Then, users can view the details and email the calculated results. Lighting and Appliance Calculators are also included. “People can compare how a change of three degrees on their thermostat can conserve energy or how changing just two light bulbs can add up to annual savings,” said McKelvy. “Since the calculator also factors in our local weather, the results more accurately reflect how the changing seasons affect your utility bill”. Residential Energy Systems Rising energy prices and the prospect of incentives for energy-efficient home improvements may inspire homeowners to make some changes around the house. However, it’s often difficult to know where to start and which improvements will be the most cost-effective for individual homes. The subjects covered in the Residential Energy Systems are geared toward homeowners, homebuyers, builders and lenders. This resource identifies ways to get the most “bang for the buck”, especially when combined with results from the Home Energy calculator. In addition, customer service sections explain how to read both electric and gas meters, perform an energy audit and identify power quality problems. “Fall’s a great time to make home improvement upgrades, especially since any efficiency upgrades will be finished before winter weather sets in,” said McKelvy. “I think anyone who takes the time to check out Residential Energy Systems will be impressed with the volume of information that’s available,” she said. “There are some great conservation and efficiency ideas on there that can really make a difference.” The Home Energy Suite will be available in the energy services section of Joe Wheeler EMC’s website at www.jwemc.org on October 1. |