WASHINGTON – Homeowners and home buyers have a new resource for going green. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) new Green Homes Website is designed to help people make their homes greener with tips on reducing energy consumption, carbon footprint, waste generation, and water usage, as well as improving indoor air quality.

EPA noted that 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 Website addresses that need by providing guidance on approaches to greening each room of the home, and HVAC contractors can refer customers to this independent third-party source. Subjects covered include heating and cooling, insulation, and more.

In addition to home improvements, the site provides information 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 also 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 EPA Websites with more specific information on a variety of green home topics.

For more information, visit www.epa.gov/greenhomes.

Publication date:11/30/2009