WHERE DO AMERICANS USE ENERGY?
Consuming energy in almost any form creates the green house gas emissions that are responsible for global warming. Energy used in people’s homes accounts for about 28% of all energy produced in the United States. The other major areas where energy is used are for commercial buildings (11%), Industry (33%) and transportation (28 %)
If our society is to reduce its energy consumption, individual home-owners have to focus on the 28% being used in their home. At Green3Dhome we provide information, advice and tools to help our fellow home owners save money, energy and the environment. And we want your help.
We recognize that most home-owners are also car owners and that approximately 19% of all energy is consumed in passenger vehicles. And while this is a worthy area of focus, our attention at Green3Dhome is to assist you with reducing the home energy use. In most cases, there are some easy tips and tricks that can have a big impact. See
Save $ for a quick way to get started.
Several programs have emerged to set standards for home energy efficiency. The
LEED program, for example, sets out guidelines on how to build a sustainable home. Similarly, the
ENERGY STAR and
EnerGuide programs set guidelines and information standards for home appliances.
HOW DOES MY HOME USE SO MUCH ENERGY?
A lot of your energy use depends on where you live, how big your house is, and when it was built. To get a better idea of homes in your area, use the calculator on the
Save 10% page.
The average home in the United States uses 34% of its energy for heating, 11% for electric air conditioning, 34% for appliances and lighting, 13% for water heating and an astounding 8% for refrigeration. Your home energy profile may be quite a bit different from the average based on your energy consumption patterns, the age of your appliances, the condition of your furnace and other factors.
You’ll see that heating and cooling together are the biggest energy requirements of a home, followed by electricity for appliances and lighting, hot water heating and refrigeration. The amount of energy your home consumes for heating and cooling are largely dependent upon where you live, along with the age and condition of your home and your personal habits. This map shows approximately where people in the USA spend most of their heating and cooling dollars.
