You recycle, you compost, you turn off lights when you’re not using them, but have you ever wondered what else you can do to improve your home’s “green quotient?”
One way to make sure you’re doing everything you can to save energy and water and protect our environment is to do a green audit of your home.
What Is a Green Audit?
A green audit, also known as an environmental audit, looks at your whole home and landscape, and the ways you use and maintain them, to assess its environmental impact and identify ways to improve it.
A green audit may include assessments of some or all of the following:
- Energy use
- Appliance efficiency
- Heating and cooling efficiency
- Insulation
- Waste generation & management
- Landscaping water use
- Landscaping runoff
- Pest management
Who Does Them?
Utility Companies
Local utility companies often offer basic energy audits at no charge. These may include an online questionnaire or a home visit from an energy company expert. Your utility company’s website may have information about audit services offered.
In the Bay Area, PG & E has two audit services:
- Home Energy Checkup
This is a free online tool that takes about 5 minutes to complete. It helps you evaluate your energy use and creates a list of simple suggestions for improvement. - Energy Upgrade California®
This is a statewide program that partners with local governments and utilities to help homeowners improve their energy efficiency through larger upgrade projects.
Participating certified contractors conduct on-site energy assessments and make recommendations for energy upgrades. Depending on a number of factors, including the number and type of upgrades you do and the improvements in your energy use, you may be eligible for rebates ranging from $5,500.
Some homeowners are eligible to finance upgrades at special rates available through a state program.
Energy Star
A program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Energy Star offers a host of resources and information on energy use, including the Home Energy Yardstick, an online tool that rates your home on energy efficiency, estimates your annual carbon emissions, and provides guidance on improving your home’s comfort and energy performance.
They also partner with a network of qualified contractors in some areas to conduct Home Performance Assessments and make recommendations for improvement. (Assessment costs vary depending on the location and contractor.)
Green Building Professionals
Some architects, contractors, landscapers, and engineers with expertise in green building practices offer green audit and assessment services.
A variety of organizations offer training and credentialing for green building professionals (the Green Building Alliance has a good list.) They often keep directories of certified professionals.
Do-It-Yourself Green Audit
If you want to conduct your own green audit, there’s a wealth of information available on the Web.
Here is an easy-to-use worksheet to help you get started:
Green Audit Checklist (pdf)
Green Audit Checklist (docx)