Utility Tracking and Benchmarking Blog | WegoBlog

While rural areas by definition have fewer buildings, their energy use reduction potential at a national level should not be forgotten.  For logical reasons, most building energy efficiency improvement initiatives have targeted urban areas where buildings are concentrated. As part of our nation’s commitment to becoming more energy independent, supporting efforts to improve the efficiency of buildings in diverse rural areas represents an opportunity to achieve those goals holistically. The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) supports underserved rural small businesses and agricultural providers seeking to use renewable energy resources and cut energy waste in their operations. This program represents an important step in responding to the energy reduction challenges facing the US.

Nationwide, approximately 33% of all housing stock is rental units, and in Boulder, CO, rental units represent almost 50% of all housing.  With such a significant portion of its housing rented out to tenants, multifamily residential buildings represent a tremendous opportunity for building owners in the city to reduce their energy use and cut down on monthly bills.  We’ve written before about the opportunities lying untapped in multifamily energy efficiency, now let’s take a look at what the folks in CO have come up with.

Whether you're looking to become a more informed citizen, or just looking to kill some time before five on a Friday, WegoWise has got you covered.  So peruse our best links, learn something new, and be sure to leave us some feedback in the comments!

Today WegoWise is happy to announce that we’ve officially signed on to the Green Button initiative that has been inspired by the White House and implemented by forward thinking utilities across the country. We already import Green Button data from utilities that provide it, and our commitment today means we’ll soon be allowing our customers to download their data in the Green Button format.

I consider myself a pretty crafty guy, and as both a DIY-er and someone who cares about the impact I have on the environment,  “green DIY” is a term that I care about and identify with.  That’s why I get frustrated when, say, researching a blog post on green DIY leads me to post after post of can-tab bracelets and up-cycled mason jars.  While it’s true that up-cycled craft projects often make good use of post-consumer materials, true green DIY involves more than just a cute idea for reusing your old crocs. 

Green, Sustainable, Eco-Friendly?--How about Responsible? 
In the jumble of buzzwords that get tagged on to projects that incorporate elements of responsible design, what we should care about is just that: responsibility.   Truly green projects are those that, considering all aspects of a project, make design choices that prioritize the environment and human health along with form, function, and budget.  That’s why I encourage you to take a more holistic approach to your green crafting.  For inspiration, consider the case of green-building standards.

 
In a green-building rating system, such as the USGBC's LEED, project teams are awarded points for incorporating environmentally-conscious best practices into each aspect of their project.  Starting with the design of the final product, to the selection of raw materials, and continuing through the construction techniques and final finishes, project teams seeking certification points need to consider each element of their project to ensure that sustainable principles inform each stage of the project.  

This has been a tragic week for the Boston area. We would like to send our support to all of our readers and customers who live in the area. When we wrote this blog post, we were excited for the marathon; many of our team members went there to cheer people on. Fortunately, none of them were injured. Despite the unpleasant and dramatic events outside our doors, we're determined to continue doing the work we love.