A Weekly Note from Mayor Gary L. Graham
“Traditional Values, Progressive Thinking”
With the recent dramatic increase in AmerenIP’s electricity rates, many Metro East residents are actively seeking ways to conserve energy in their homes.
In my quest for energy saving tips, I came across the Home Energy Saver web site (http://hes.lbl.gov). The site is designed to help consumers identify the best ways to save energy in their homes and to find the resources to make the savings happen. The Home Energy Saver web site is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and was the first internet-based tool for calculating energy use in residential buildings.
The Home Energy Saver quickly computes a home’s energy use on-line. Users can estimate how much energy and money can be saved and how much emissions can be reduced by implementing energy-efficiency improvements. Heating, cooling, major appliances, lighting as well as miscellaneous energy uses are analyzed using the detailed description of the home that is provided by the user. Users can begin the process by simply entering their zip code, and in turn receive instant initial estimates. By providing more information about the home the user will receive increasingly customized results along with energy-saving upgrade recommendations. The printable results pages provide a list of recommendations that are ranked by payback time.
In addition to possibly saving you money on your monthly energy bill, certain energy-savings upgrades to your home will also quality you for a tax credit. A tax credit can provide significant savings as it will reduce the amount of income tax you are required to pay. Unlike a deduction, which reduces the amount of income subject to tax, a tax credit directly reduces the tax itself. More detailed information on this tax credit can be found at www.energystar.gov.
I hope you take advantage of the Home Energy Saver web site. It contains a wealth of information as well as links to additional energy-related resources. The strong working relationship between City Hall and the residents we serve is yet another example of why O’Fallon is such a great community in which to live.
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