Category — contests & sweepstakes

A couple of months ago I wrote that Home Performance NC was selected to do an energy audit of a historic home as part of a contest sponsored by the Raleigh Historic Districts Commission, Preservation North Carolina, Sustainable Raleigh, and us! The end result is a video targeted towards people who own historic properties.

We were very excited to be part of this project because we are passionate about historic homes and believe that they can be made very energy efficient without destroying their historic elements. Our owners’ home is 95 years old and has been weatherized to current Energy Star standards! It can be done!

Here is a slideshow of pictures provided by Raleigh Historic Districts Commission. Enjoy!

Stonyfield Farm, the company that brings us delicious rBST-free, organic, and wholesome dairy products is running a sweepstakes in which the winner will get $15,000 worth of brand new Energy Star appliances!

All you have to do to enter the sweepstakes is to take a short quiz on energy-efficiency. Here are some hints so you can pass the quiz with flying colors:

Hint #1: The average house creates more greenhouse emissions that the average car. Learn how you can figure out where your house is losing energy by clicking here.

Hint #2: Energy Star appliances can save you up to 50% in energy costs. This includes computers. Learn about how a new Energy Star refrigerator can save you money by clicking here.

Hint #3: Despite recent innovations in wind, solar, and other alternative energy sources, in this country we still get a huge proportion of our energy from non-renewable fossil fuels.

Hint #4: Compact Fluorescent light bulbs last much longer than their traditional counterparts. To learn just how much longer, click here.

Hint #5: Appliances that are plugged in (like TVS, computers, and microwaves), keep using power even if they are turned off. They are considered “energy vampires.”
Hint #6: For an energy-efficient house, you need to consider your home’s performance. This means the home systems, like the HVAC system, need to be tuned up regularly. For more about your home’s performance and how to make sure it’s at its peak, click here.

Hint #7: An Energy Star professional can tell you reams about how best to make your home more safe, comfortable, and energy efficient. For more information about that, click here.

The contest runs through June 15, so enter quick!