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Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Earn while you learn! Students: apply for MDE's Enviromental Science Student Award & Internship!
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Elysian Energy Offers Home Energy Check-Up to Dominion VA Power Subscribers
How does it work?
Check out our video detailing the measures and benefits!
Getting Started
Have a Home Energy Check-Up completed and you’ll receive a personalized report showing the projected energy and potential cost savings you could earn resulting from the implementation of options identified during the check-up.
Once you provide documentation that some of the recommended energy efficiency improvements have been made, a portion of the check-up price will be refunded, up to the full price of the check-up for measures completed at the time of the check-up.
Program Details
This program can help reduce costs while improving the efficiency of your home. We make it easy to participate and customize the recommendations to maximize the benefits for you.
The Home Energy Check-Up provides you with:
- An on-site analysis of your energy use
- A report which contains cost-effective options and easy-to-follow recommendations to help you reduce your energy usage
- Financial incentives that cover approved measures
- Connection to prequalified contractors who can perform the work
- Equipment installation at your convenience
Dominion’s Home Energy Check-Up offers incentives for the installation of a variety of energy saving measures, including:
- compact florescent light bulbs,
- efficient faucet aerators and showerheads,
- replacement air filters for air conditioners,
- door weather-stripping, and
- smart outlet strips.
The Results
The average one-time incentive is approximately $230, based on the number of energy saving measures installed during the visit.
Note: One audit per location.Participate Now
Contact local, participating contractor at Elysian Energy or Operations Director, Whitney Cooper at 240-393-4495 or whitney@elysianenergy.com.
On the day of the Home Energy Check-Up the contractor will do the following:
- Perform a 2-3 hour walkthrough of your home
- Upon completion of the Home Energy Check-Up, the contractor will generate a personalized report that recommends certain direct install measures that can be completed the day of the check-up and are eligible for rebates as well as project more advanced savings opportunities you can also take advantage of.
- Ask for your information in order to complete the electronic rebate application for you
You will receive a confirmation email the day your rebate information is received. After you receive the initial confirmation email, you can check your rebate status using Manage Your Account or by calling 1-888-366-8280.
Your rebate check will be mailed directly to you. Customers may also assign their rebate directly to the contractor for instant savings on the cost of services. Not all contractors offer the instant rebate option. Contact your participating contractor for additional rebate details.
For more information, check out the program FAQs or call 1-888-366-8280.
Additional Information
Friday, February 13, 2015
Maryland's Tax Free Weekend for Certain Energy Star Products
Shop Maryland Energy
From the MD Comptroller Website
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| Maryland's Tax Free Weekend for Certain Energy Star Products Consumers will get a break from the state's 6 percent sales tax on qualifying Energy Star products from February 14-16, 2015. During Shop Maryland Energy weekend, the following Energy Star products are tax free:
From 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, February 14, through midnight on Monday, February 16, 2015, qualifying ENERGY STAR products will be exempt from Maryland’s six percent sales tax. A list of exempt and taxable items is available on the Comptroller’s Web site at www.marylandtaxes.com, or by calling the Taxpayer Service Section at 410-260-7980 in Central Maryland or toll-free 1-800-MD TAXES from elsewhere. More information on Shop Maryland Energy
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Links for Shop Maryland Energy |
| Agency Information |
| Office of the Comptroller |
| Comptroller Initiatives |
| Shop Maryland Energy |
Friday, November 21, 2014
A More Efficient Home This Thanksgiving
A More Efficient Home This Thanksgiving
Consumer home ownership site HouseLogic has a whole list of ways you and your clients can avoid gobbling up more energy than necessary this Thanksgiving. They've mapped out ways to save on energy before Turkey day as well as during the cooking and cleanup processes. Keep these tips in mind, and consider sending them to homeowners and clients who are concerned about the high energy costs of entertaining.
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| MXM for HouseLogic |
Before:
- Install a dimmer switches. Every time you dim a bulb’s brightness by 10 percent, you’ll double its lifespan.
- Plan side dishes that can cook simultaneously with the turkey. If you cook dishes at the same temperature at the same time, you’ll reduce the amount of time the oven has to be running.
During cook-time:
- The oven will keep your home cozy, so you can lower your house thermostat a few degrees.
- If you use your oven’s convection feature, you'll reduce the required temperature and cooking time and cut your energy use by about 20 percent.
- Use microwaves and slow cookers whenever possible, as they both use less energy than ovens overall.
After the meal:
- Scrape plates instead of rinsing. Then, use your dishwasher (on the air-dry setting) on whatever dishes you can, as it saves both energy and water.
- Compost your non-meat food waste.
Houselogic doesn't just dole out energy tips; they also have a separate piece all about how to clean up after thanksgiving in half the time. Cheers!
Source: "9 Ways to Avoid Gobbling Up Energy on Thanksgiving," Houselogic (Nov. 12, 2012)
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
GREENing Your Home in Maryland - Do it for a discount!!
Angel S.
Providing Monumental Results
Did you know that the state of Maryland, by way of the Maryland Energy Administration has been charged with the task to reduce energy consumption by 15% by the year 2015? Yes, that's right. Our Governor has enacted an EmPOWER Maryland initiative to help make the plan a reality.
What does this mean for you?
Free stuff, discounts, and rebates on energy saving measures for your home.
What do you need to do?
1st - Sign up with Elysian Energy to receive your Quick Home Energy Check Up (QHEC). This is a service that is already included in your utility bill so if you don't take advantage of it you are really missing an opportunity to use what you've already paid for and also an opportunity to save money on your utility bills with this service. You will receive a call from Elysian Energy to schedule your QHEC. There is, again, no additional cost. They will come to your home and provide CFL light bulbs, faucet aerators, low flow shower heads, power strips and pipe wrap for your hot water tank. This small step toward living GREEN can save you hundreds of dollars per year off of your utility bills! (Currently servicing Pepco and BGE customers)
Here is the Quick Home Energy Check-up link: Put your agent's name at the bottom and if you don't have one put my name Angel Brown.
Here is the Quick Home Energy Check-up link: Put your agent's name at the bottom and if you don't have one put my name Angel Brown.
2nd - The next level up would be to have an Energy Audit. This is the more comprehensive way to tell where your home is losing energy/money. There is a monetary cost to the audit. They are $400; however, the utility companies will subsidize $300 of that so you only pay $100! The intrinsic value of having this audit done however is priceless. In addition to energy findings your home will be tested for health and safety issues. Once you know how your home performs you can take steps to remedy any deficiencies. Plus, having this audit unlocks the rebates up to $3,800 offered by the Home Performance with Energy Star (HPwES) program when you get the recommended work done on your home by an approved contractor.
3rd - If you've been considering updating and/or improving your home and comfort we would suggest making GREEN choices on the work you do. Fact: there are Energy Efficient Mortgages to help you finance the improvements to your home. Fact: GREEN improvements add value to your home. Fact: There is increasing buyer demand for energy efficient homes. Fact: Some of our clients have been able to secure solar panels at no cost!
Winter is on its way. Why continue to shovel unnecessary money into the utility company? Listen out for that call from Elysian Energy to get your QHEC done and take the steps necessary to put money back into your pocket.
 | Keller Williams Preferred Properties |  |
| Licensed in Maryland | ||
| Copyright © 2000-2014 Keller Williams ® Realty. - a real estate franchise company. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties subject to prior sale or rental. Each brokerage is independently owned and operated. | ||
Site Last Updated On Wed, Oct 15, 2014 at 11:55:53 AM
Thursday, October 2, 2014
What To Talk About At The Water Cooler
Real estate has always been the number 1 hot topic in a business and social setting. Most would agree that even when the conversation doesn’t start there it naturally flows there at some point. So what is the 2nd hottest topic in a business and social setting that everyone is expected to be able to intelligently discuss? It is sustainability; or as you may know it, energy efficiency and going GREEN. So how do we link the two?
When talking real estate what is the first item on the list? Value. There are countless third party websites that estimate the value of a home. If you ask any real estate professional; however, they will tell you that 99% of the time those estimates are way off. They only take into account one thing; the other sales in the surrounding area, not the style home, size home, or improvements to the home. Energy efficient improvements are a smart way to help your home's value catch up with the inflated values on the world wide web.
Let's look at the facts:
Homes that have energy efficient improvements can gain a higher value for the upgrades in an official appraisal.
The Appraisal Institute has a specific certification program that instructs appraisers on how to recognize and valuate GREEN features siting it as a "specialized topic" that should be valued accurately.
The National Association of Realtors has encouraged the use of and developed a GREEN MLS Implementation Guide to help multi-listing service companies implement GREEN fields and search criteria in the MLS siting that "the demand for GREEN is growing."
The National Association of Realtors has a GREEN Designation that educates realtors specifically on consulting, marketing, and selling GREEN homes.
New home builders must build all homes to a certain energy standard and many new home builders opt to specialize in Energy Star and LEED building.
Mortgage lenders offer energy efficient mortgages so that homeowners in existing homes can make energy efficiency improvements which help them compete in the housing market.
Multi-listing services like, Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc., track trends in home buying and consumer wants and expectations on energy efficiency. Andrew Strauch, Vice President of Product Innovation and Marketing stated that “With higher energy costs and an overall concern for the environment, more homebuyers increasingly factor in environmental efficiency when searching for a new home.”
Utility companies are part of the movement to reduce energy consumption in Maryland and offer discounts and rebates to homeowners that take advantage of energy efficient improvements to their homes.
We've made our case for being educated in GREEN real estate talk so what's next? Use the programs that the State, County, City, and utility companies have put in place to make the improvements that will create a more sustainable lifestyle for you.
Angel S.
The Eco-Friendly Angel
about.me/angelic
angelsbrown.yourkwagent.com/home
240.34.ANGEL
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
WANTED: PROGRAMMERS, SCIENTISTS AND OTHER "CIVIC HACKERS"
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