Many improvements are best left to professionals who are certified, have the proper tools, conduct tests before and after renovation, and can obtain the right rebates and incentives. Home energy professionals can become your trusted partners in an energy efficiency renovation project, and helping their customers achieve long-term energy savings with their projects. Check out
Michigan Saves to find a qualified contractor.
Also check out the Washtenaw County's Weatherization Assistance Program, which provides free weatherization services to qualified Washtenaw County residents.
Home Energy Assessments
In many cases, the first step contractors will take is to perform a home energy assessment (or an energy audit), which will identify the top priorities for reducing your home's energy use. A certified energy auditor can examine your home's insulation, air tightness, heating/cooling systems, and other sources of energy consumption. This diagnostic testing can help determine the best ways to upgrade your home's energy performance and provide guidance on taking a whole-house approach. Some energy auditors are "independent," and do not also sell weatherization services. Others do both. Either should offer pre- and post- weatherization assessments.
Home energy assessment are an easy way to learn how you can save energy and money and create a healthy and comfortable home. During an energy audit, a professional energy analyst examines each room of your home to provide energy-saving recommendations tailored to you. They will identify which home projects can save you the most money and energy, and may offer to do some minor repairs or upgrades for you, such as changing light bulbs to LEDs.
According to the Department of Energy, implementing the energy upgrades recommended in a Home Energy Audit can save anywhere between 5%-30% on your monthly energy bill. These improvements will also lead to increased comfort — a warmer home in the winter and a cooler home in the summer. Finally, many of these improvements lead to improved air quality and a healthier, safer home.
Check out Michigan Saves or DTE to find details about getting an energy audit.
The following organization provides free energy audits for income-qualified families:
- The Washtenaw County Home Weatherization Assistance Program provides free weatherization services to qualified Washtenaw County residents. The program is implemented in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy and is designed to help residents lower their utility bills. They perform a free energy audit and from the results of that audit, and provide eligible repairs on the home for free, for eligible homeowners or renters.
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Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley provides critical home repairs, exterior projects, appliance replacements and other home improvements for families, individuals, seniors and veterans in Greater Washtenaw County who are of qualifying-income.
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DTE’s low-income programs allows you to schedule an appointment with a DTE Energy Specialist, who will come to your home for a basic walk-through. They will check windows and doors, ventilation and home energy use for adequate efficiency, and install free energy-efficient products.
Looking for even more ways to make your home maximally efficient? Check out the
Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency Home Design.
Water Efficiency
85% of our drinking water comes from the Huron River.
Ann Arbor's Water Treatment Plant treats and distributes 28 million gallons per day of local surface and groundwater for businesses and residents. All that water is then treated at the
Wastewater Plant and returned to the Huron River. The
urban forest and
stormwater conveyance systems play a critical role in managing stormwater and improving water quality.
What can you do?
In the Bathroom
- Take shorter showers.
- Draw less water for baths.
- Don't use the toilet as a trash can: tissues, cotton balls, etc., should be thrown in the garbage, not flushed.
- Turn off water while brushing teeth.
- Fix a leaky faucet.
In the Kitchen or Laundry
- Only run the dishwasher for full loads.
- Don't let the faucet run to get a cold drink, keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead.
- Only run the washing machine for a full load of clothes.
- Wash clothes in cold water (more of an energy saving tip).
Outdoors
- Only water the lawn and garden when it needs it. One inch of water every 10 days keeps lawns healthy and green. Water at cooler times like at night or early in the morning to prevent evaporation.
- Cut the grass at least 3 inches high to shade the roots, so that it will be more drought tolerant and won't need to be watered as often.
- When washing your car or your bicycle, use a bucket and a hose with a nozzle so that water isn't running all the time.
- Sweep the driveway and sidewalk with a broom rather than using a hose.
Need tools to measure Indoor Air Quality and Air Leakage
OSI is partnering with the Ann Arbor District Library (AADL) to help residents get access to some easy-to-use tools to lower energy costs, measure indoor air quality, maintain indoor health and comfort, and reduce energy waste. The A2ZERO Kit focusing on sustainability-related materials is available for check out from any AADL branch. The kit will include meters for measuring energy use, indoor air quality, air leakage and more.
A2ZERO Green Rental Housing
Over 50% of all housing units in Ann Arbor are rentals. This means that efforts to reduce our energy consumption and achieve carbon neutrality need to have a strong focus on improving the efficiency of our rental stock. That is why Ann Arbor is launching a Green Rental Efficiency Initiative. This program aims to add energy efficiency requirements into the existing City rental licensing process, thereby ensuring that every rental unit in Ann Arbor meets a minimum energy efficiency and safety performance standard. Trainings, rebates, and financing support are also being created to aid the transition to greater efficiency in our rental units.
Learn more about Green Rental Housing.
A2ZERO Home Energy Rating Disclosure
The Home Energy Rating Disclosure (HERD) Ordinance provides consumer protections for home buyers by helping them understand the energy efficiency of the homes on the market in Ann Arbor. This is accomplished by requiring a simple Home Energy Score (HES) assessment to be conducted before the home lists for sale. HERD makes a home's energy use easy to understand, like a miles-per-gallon/charge rating for a vehicle.
Learn more about HERD.
Aging in Place Efficiently
Interested in greening your yard and making your home more sustainable by planting a tree? Trees can improve your home's energy efficiency by providing shade in the hot summer months and by blocking wind in the cold winter months. Check out our
10,000 Trees Initiative to see how you can get trees for your property!
