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A Bright Idea
“A while back my boss recommended I change out my old light bulbs for CFL’s – so I did and I have not changed a light bulb in two years! I called all my sisters and made them change to CFLs too.”
Mia Brown -
Jonesboro, Georgia
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A Dream "Green" Home
Eugene and Chris Mobley built their Platinum-rated EarthCraftTM home, the highest level that can be achieved, in 2008. EarthCraftTM House, created in 1999, is a residential green-building program of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, in partnership with Southface. So what did the Mobleys do to create their dream "green" home? They designed the home on a North/South facing lot with low/no maintenance building materials. The landscaping surrounding their home is completely native with minimum grass. The interior has low-VOC paint and carpet, and 80 percent of the hardwired light fixtures and all of the appliances, are Energy Star® certified. The Mobleys worked closely with their builder/contractor to face - and meet - the challenge of building an energy-efficient home outside of metro Atlanta. "Our new home was designed for low-maintenance, easy accessibility and most importantly, low-energy consumption. We are proud to have the only EarthCraftTM Platinum-certified home in Oconee County and love sharing our story."
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Home Investments Yield Big Energy and Cost Savings
A leaky water heater in 2007 led Lawrenceville, Georgia homeowner Scott Razzino down the path to a more energy-efficient home and significant cost savings. He purchased a tankless water heater for his 26-year-old home, and obtained a $300 federal tax credit, a $100 rebate from Atlanta Gas Light and a $30 rebate from the manufacturer. As a result of this installation, Razzino pays more for the service fee than actual usage. Since then, he has installed a new HVAC system and furnace, insulated his attic and replaced his windows, front door and sidelights, among other improvements. Razzino funded portions of those projects with rebate programs through his employer, federal tax credits and county tax credits such as Gwinnett County's toilet rebate program. His home is now more comfortable in the summer, and he noted, "My highest gas bill was $160 during the winter, and my highest AC bill was $145. I can only compare to others who tell me they pay gas bills ranging from the high $200's to low $300's and AC bills from the high $300's to low $400's per month with houses similar in size to mine." Razzino has tracked his energy bills for more than three years and sees the long-term savings in relation to the investments he made.
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The Green Standard in the Southeast: Gables Midtown
Gables Midtown in Atlanta is the first EarthCraft and ENERGY STAR® certified multi-family residence in the entire Southeast. Designed in partnership with the Southface Energy Institute and its EarthCraft program, Gables Midtown features four-inch air returns that increase indoor air quality, high-efficiency and compact fluorescent lighting, 14 SEER HVAC systems using CFC-free Puron refrigerant and ENERGY STAR® dishwashers and refrigerators. Through its ENERGY STAR® certification, the community is 20 percent more energy efficient than current building codes requires. Gables Midtown is a model of sustainability in the region and sets a new standard for green building.
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LEED Gold, Red and Black: Hotel Indigo-Athens
The Hotel Indigo-Athens, which opened in fall of 2009, is located just steps from the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. The hotel, built on a previously developed urban infill site, was awarded LEED Gold Certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Hotel Indigo is the tenth hotel in the world, and the first in the Intercontinental Hotel Group, to receive Gold Certification. The green hotel utilizes a variable-refrigerent-flow-zoning (VRF) heating and air conditioning system, Icynene® spray foam insulation and low E-glazing on the windows. More than 30 percent of the building was constructed from recycled content including countertops, metal room studs, carpet, ceramic tile and rubber flooring. And more than 1,660 tons of construction waste was recycled and/or diverted from landfills. More information can be found at http://www.indigoathens.com/.
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Georgia Building Authority Leads The Way
The Governor’s Energy Challenge was a logical fit for the Georgia Building Authority (GBA), the agency responsible for all maintenance and services for the State Capitol Building, the Governor’s Mansion, and other facilities in the Capitol Hill Complex. Energy costs are the second largest expense for the GBA, so the agency is continually looking for the best ways to conserve and manage energy wisely. In fiscal year 2009, GBA led a complex-wide initiative to promote energy and cost savings among its tenants. Individuals were encouraged to turn off lights when not in use, thermostats were set to ASHRAE standards, and heating and air systems were set to coincide with work schedules. The GBA also completed several large Energy Conservation Measures (ECM) including complex wide lighting improvements, decentralization of the complex wide heating system, variable frequency drives installations on large HVAC equipment, off-peak supplemental chiller installation and recommisioning of the facility computerized control systems and selected pneumatic systems. Through these and other measures, GBA reduced its energy consumption 25% in 2009 from its 2007 level.
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State and City Governments Working Together
In order to achieve the Governor’s Energy Challenge, the City of Decatur decided it was best to start by assessing their current energy usage and practices. With grant funding provided by the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority, they undertook four energy audits of government facilities. Two staff members accompanied the auditors, providing the staff with an opportunity to learn from the auditors’ expertise while also answering questions about City operations. The resulting reports, combined with historical utility information from all other government facilities, will help to ensure that investments in energy efficient technology are made wisely.
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Building a Green Community: Clark's Grove
The Clark's Grove EarthCraft Community in Covington, Georgia, was awarded $250,000 through GEFA's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Competitive Grant Program to install 59 kilowatts of solar power and a solar thermal collector for domestic hot water. The solar panels, developed and installed by Hannah Solar, LLC in Atlanta, Georgia, provides energy sources for the community's elementary school and mixed-use buildings, including a coffee shop, restaurant and beauty salon. This neighborhood, which is slated to have more than 300 homes, walking trails, parks, a wetlands garden and a pavilion, and based on the principles of Traditional Neighborhood Development, is a template in sustainable living.
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A Group Effort at Westminster
Through an aggressive team-based conservation initiative, Westminster Schools has taken the Governor's Energy Challenge and successfully reduced its annual electricity consumption by 15.1% over 2007 -- saving $100,000 in annual energy costs. They have recently completed a campus-wide energy and water audit, carbon footprint analysis, and strategic implementation plan. The audit results show that the school uses 22% less energy per square foot than its regional peers. And they won't stop there. Numerous conservation projects planned for this summer will enable Westminster to exceed the Governor's Energy Challenge for all energy sources as well as reduce campus water consumption by over 2 million gallons per year! Westminster attributes their success to active leadership and involvement by all students, faculty, and staff.
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Marietta Students Learn to “Save-A-Watt”
To help its elementary and secondary school students learn about energy conservation in a real-world setting, Marietta City Schools launched the “Save-A-Watt” contest in September 2009. Partners Marietta Power & Water and Apogee Interactive, Inc., tracked each school’s energy usage in real time and allowed students and teachers to check their performance on a dedicated website. First semester winner Sawyer Road Elementary reduced its energy usage 22% compared to the same period last year, with other schools averaging more than a 10% reduction.
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Darton College Exceeds the Challenge
Darton College in Albany was one of the first schools to take the Governor’s Energy Challenge. In its inaugural year, the college reduced its cost per square foot for utilities by 22%, even as it increased its total square footage. For its outstanding efforts, Darton College received Conserve Georgia’s 2009 Energy Conservation Award. “It’s a great honor for Darton College to be recognized for our efforts,” said Krista Robitz, communications director for the school. “[It] is the right thing to do for our environment and will save the college more than $500,000 in utility costs over the next three years.”
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