New E.P.A. Web Location Provides Tools to Cut Energy Costs and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Homes

WASHINGTON - Home owners, buyers and renters have a new resource for going green indoors and outdoors. EPA's new Green Homes Web location will help people make their homes greener with tips on reducing energy consumption, carbon footprints, waste generation and water usage, as well as improving indoor air quality.

The latest federal survey of American housing (2007) reported 128 million housing units across the U.S., accounting for nearly 54 percent of national energy use and nearly 31 percent of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, the most common greenhouse gas contributing to climate change.

Many green building practices and technologies have yet to make a dent in the existing residential market, in part because it is hard for people to find clear, consolidated, readily accessible, and credible information. The Green Homes Web location addresses that need by providing guidance on approaches to greening each room of the home as well as the surrounding yard. Information also is accessible on building new homes and finding an energy efficient mortgage, which takes into account the savings derived from energy efficient homes to enable the applicant to qualify for better terms. Renters will find information to help them identify a green property before moving in and tips for working with their landlord to add green features to an existing property. Users can also find references, such as a list of common green home terms, and links to dozens of E.P.A. Web sites with more specific information on a wide variety of green home topics.

For more information: http://www.epa.gov/greenhomes

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