Dominion's Energy Conservation Blog

1st and Green

2012-02-01T16:27:00.001-05:00

The biggest Sunday of the year, it’s time for the Big Game, a fierce rivalry between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots.

This year, the experience of the Big Game is going to be bigger than any other year: 30-second advertisements averaged $3.5 million, Madonna will be the halftime artist, and the game is becoming more ‘green’ than ever.

One of the newest endeavors of the Big Game is 1st and Green, a web-based program encouraging everyone to offset their carbon emissions and save water sponsored by the event’s host committee. On the 1st and Green website, there are numerous tips, videos, and resources on conserving energy.

1st and Green even has a contest where taking steps to become more energy efficient increases your ranks of the 1st and Green Leader Board. The teams that have the most points will be honored at the Super Bowl Village Stage.

And if you’re at the game, take notice of how green the stadium is:

Composting stations
Recycling stations
Leftover food being donated to the local food bank
Signs for the 15,000 MWh of Renewable Energy Certificates purchased on behalf of the game

If you’re like me, watching the game with a bunch of pals, you can still do your part to conserve energy:

Make your appetizers instead of going for take-out.
Fill up your growlers at the local pub and use reusable mugs
Watch the game at your buddy’s place, the one who has the LED TVs
And carpool to save gas

Have a great time this Sunday. Be safe.

100+ Ways to Improve your Electric Bill: Air Infiltration

2012-01-27T15:03:00.000-05:00

Over the next several months, we’re going to be telling you 100+ Ways to Improve your Electric Bill. Many of these are low cost and no cost tips, and easy to implement.

We’d like to thank our friends at the Edison Electric Institute for the quality list.

This week we’ll be referencing Air Infiltration. You might remember our post, Insulate on Saturday, Watch Football on Sunday, air infiltration (conditioned air leaking out and unconditioned air coming in) is a common problem that many people don’t see, but it can add up to big savings.

Here are a few tips:

The single most important step in residential energy conservation is the installation of thermal insulation. Check current insulation levels, and properly insulate a new or existing home according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) specifications for your geographic area. Insulate ceilings, walls, and floors over unconditioned crawl spaces.
Double-glazed windows (two panes of glass separated by a sealed air space) cut heat transfer by 40 to 50 percent. In extremely cold regions, triple glazing could be economically justified.
Single-glazed windows should have storm windows. A wood- or metal-framed storm window provides a second thickness of glass and a layer of still air that reduces heat transmission markedly.
Install storm doors at all entrances of your house. A storm door helps save energy because it reduces the air infiltration that occurs when the prime door is opened and also reduces the amount of heat transfer through the prime door when it is closed.
Weatherstrip and caulk around all entrance doors and windows to limit air leaks that could account for 15 to 30 percent of heating and cooling energy requirements.
In the winter, the air is normally dry inside your house. This is a disadvantage because, to be comfortable in dry air, people typically require a higher temperature than they would in a humid environment. Therefore, efficient humidifiers are a good investment for energy conservation.
Keep the overhead door of an attached garage closed to block cold winds from infiltrating the connecting door between the house and garage.
Find the obvious places where air can sneak into your home, then make repairs to plug the leaks by caulking, weatherstripping, and using plastic covers.
Some of the major air leakage areas for the average home are: air ducts; window sashes and frames; fireplaces; door sashes and frames; plumbing utilities and wall penetrations; furnace flues; attic entrances; wall outlets; and recessed light fixtures.
Fireplaces should have tightly fitting damp¬ers that can be closed when the fireplace is not in use. Open dampers allow the natural draft of chimneys to pull warm air out in winter and cool air out in summer.
Close fireplace doors when not in use to reduce air infiltration and heat loss.

We’ll be back in the next few weeks for more tips. But until then, you can read about all 100+ Ways to Improve your Electric Bill.

It’s a New Year… and a New Price!

2012-01-19T11:45:00.001-05:00

Did you make a New Year’s Resolution to be more environmentally-friendly? Well, Dominion has an inexpensive and easy way to contribute to the development of renewable energy with the Dominion Green Power® program…and as of January 1st, it’s even more affordable!

The Dominion Green Power program has reduced its price from 1.5 cents per kWh to 1.3 cents per kWh. That may not seem like much, but trust me, it adds up.

A customer enrolled in the program’s 100% Option (meaning they are purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates equal to their entire monthly electricity use) and using 1,000 kWh per month, can expect to pay $13 more per month on their bill compared to $15 using the old rate.

Customers can also enroll in the Block Option. Enrolling in the Block Option means the customer can purchase Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) in any $2 fixed increment. Each block represents 154 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of renewable energy and costs $2 (based on a rate of $0.013 per kWh).

Dominion Green Power’s rate is significantly below the national average price of 1.75 cents per kWh for similarly structured green pricing programs.

Your investment in Dominion Green Power is above and beyond Dominion’s renewable energy commitments. For additional program information, including how to enroll, visit www.dom.com/VAGreenPower.

Do You Revolve?

2012-01-12T11:22:00.002-05:00

Just the other day I was walking back to my office from the bank and saw a sign that I’m sure I’ve seen a million times before, but this time, it caught my attention. It was a sign that said:

Help Conserve Energy Please Use Revolving Door
No kidding! Why did I just now see this sign? Maybe because I’ve been seeing them pop up all over the Richmond area.

What’s the deal? Why are the standard doors getting passed up? And even more important, how does a gentleman hold open a revolving door for a lady?!

While doing some reading on Wikipedia, I found some information on revolving doors. The article says that “revolving doors are becoming favored because they can be used as an airlock to minimize a buildings heating and air losses.”

Even MIT did a study on these doors, they found that if everyone switched to using the revolving doors in one building, they would save nearly $7,500 in natural gas a year. That’s something to take notice. Looks like I’ll be using revolving doors wherever possible.

And for the men who believe chivalry isn’t dead and want to ‘hold the door open,’ I found the opinion of “Ask LaMont” of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

His response is clean and simple, I like it: “If the revolving door is moving, let her go first and enter the section after her, pushing enough to keep the door moving so that she doesn't have to. But if you're at a revolving door that isn't moving, enter first and push, taking care not too push so fast that you cause her difficulty.”

Be on the lookout for revolving doors to help conserve energy.

New Year’s Resolution: Win Thermostat Wars

2012-01-05T10:38:00.001-05:00

First of all, welcome to 2012!

To kick off this year, we wanted to start with a New Year’s Resolution. Ahhh….New Year’s resolutions….I have made many over the years, but never seem to stick with them. (I’m sure many of you have been in a similar boat.)

Simply put, I get lazy. That’s why I’m going with a convenient and easy resolution this year …one that will bring out my competitive side which is always good when I want to stick with something….did I mention it will save me money?!

As you all may recall from a previous post, I recently got married. Since I insist on practicing what I preach (and saving money!), I keep my thermostat at 68 degrees during the winter for maximum efficiency. We all know that heating/cooling accounts for about 45% of the bill! This seems like a no brainer….you adjust the thermostat…that’s it! No extra money spent.

But it seems some people (ahem, new husband) do not share my conservation enthusiasm.

There have been multiple mornings when I will say to myself, wow, it feels really warm for 68 degrees! False. Somehow the thermostat has magically set itself at 72 degrees. I of course put it back at 68 degrees.

We have continued this struggle without ever mentioning it for some time now. I have instead made it a habit to check the thermostat throughout the day to make sure it is at 68 degrees.

Now a marriage counselor may tell you that you need to compromise, but I’m going to tell you that for maximum savings, I must win the thermostat wars. If you find yourself in a similar situation but cave and compromise, just remember that every degree is a 1-3% savings on your bill. Good Luck!!

Throw a Green New Year’s Party!

2011-12-29T14:50:00.001-05:00

Start 2012 off right by greening your New Year’s Party!

With some minor adjustments, you can reduce the cost of throwing a party and prevent that awful wasteful feeling at the end of the night while still showing your friends and family a good time.

This is an easy one - Nix the paper invite and use an e-invite service or social media like Facebook to notify your invitees.
You don’t need to go overboard with the decorations. Either use small potted plants that you can give to guests at the end of the night, or look around your house and think of new ways to use what you already have.
Don’t purchase plastic throwaway cups, plates, napkins or utensils. There is nothing worse at the end of the party than seeing the giant landfill contribution you are about to make. Use your normal drinking glasses; borrow from friends if you need more. Prevent guests from losing their glass by using reusable (and removable) chalkboard labels to put their name on the glass. Use plates you already have and reusable cloth napkins. Make any food bite-size to avoid needing utensils. Don’t worry about everything matching; your party will have more character if it doesn’t.
You will likely want to have some sort of food available to your guests. Make your party later in the evening to avoid the expensive and complicated dinner party. Use local, seasonal ingredients when possible. Focus on bite-size appetizers and desserts to avoid needing utensils. Take it a step further by adopting my “don’t cook, just assemble” philosophy. Make appetizers and desserts that are no cook/bake to avoid using your stove and oven. There are tons of websites offering no bake/no cook recipes online.
Keep your thermostat on 68 degrees or lower. Take advantage of the body heat and save on your energy bill!
Use limited lighting. Guests will think you are setting a mood, but you will also be saving on energy.
Don’t throw away bottles at the end of the night. Any corks you accumulate can be made into a cool cork message board. The bottle itself can be used for many different crafts that would make great gifts for your friends. Check out these ideas to spark your creativity.
Lastly, don’t wait until tomorrow to clean your dishes. Save energy by running your dishwasher late at night.

Dominion GardenFest of Lights Opens at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

2011-12-21T14:47:00.000-05:00

So, have you been? Have you checked out what approximately 500,000 bulbs looks like? (That’s 40 miles of light strands!). How about the over-sized L-O-V-E letters in the Rose Garden? If you haven’t been yet, it’s time to get a move on!

It’s expected that over 50,000 folks will see the illuminated Lewis Ginter, an annual tradition for many.

And how does energy conservation tie into this? Well, they’re using more LED lights than before. And being energy gurus, you know that LEDs use less energy and still give a bright and stunning display.

GardenFest runs 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. daily except for Dec. 24 and 25 at the non-profit Garden located at 1800 Lakeside Ave., Richmond. The event includes family-friendly activities, dining opportunities, music and more.

Admission for Dominion GardenFest is $11 adults; $10 seniors; $7 children ages 3 – 12 and free for children under age 3. Admission for Garden members is $5; for children on a membership it is $4 (ages 3 – 18).

To learn more, call (804) 262-9887 or visit www.lewisginter.org.

Have fun!

Lighting Program Ends Dec. 31st!

2011-12-14T16:01:00.001-05:00

Looking for last minute stocking stuffer ideas? Give the gift that will not only save you money, but save your friends and family energy and money for years to come: compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). Dominion’s current lighting program provides $1-$6 instant savings per bulb on select products in participating stores in Virginia and North Carolina…but don’t wait too long! These discounts end December 31, 2011.

In September 2011, Dominion Virginia Power filed with the Virginia State Corporation Commission for a second phase of the program that promotes the switch to energy-saving CFL and LED light bulbs, which exceed minimum efficiency standards. If approved, the program is expected to launch June 2012. Dominion has not yet filed for a second phase of the program in North Carolina.

Replacing your light bulbs with CFLs is an easy and cost effective way to practice energy efficiency in your home. CFLs not only use approximately 75% less energy, they can last up to 10 times longer than the traditional incandescent bulb.

Calculations based on information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that purchases of approximately 7.8 million bulbs through Dominion’s discount programs since 2007 are projected to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by more than 1.7 million tons, or the equivalent of removing approximately 305,000 cars from the road for a year.

Check out www.dom.com/lightingprogram for a list of participating products and retailers to take advantage of the program before it ends on December 31, 2011!

NEST = The $500 Prized Thermostat?

2011-12-08T10:54:00.001-05:00

If you’re half as geeky as we are here, you’re probably aware of the NEST Thermostat. But to catch everyone up, it’s the newest techie item on the market for energy gurus.

The NEST is a learning thermostat that has a brain like no other. After you install the unit, it asks you a few questions, determines your maximum comfort level temperatures, and then begins to learn your lifestyle. Turn it up a few degrees when you have company, make a tweak lower when you’re too warm, and it won’t affect the learned schedule. But make the changes every day for a few days and it’ll start to change its settings to match your lifestyle.

And if your lifestyle includes significant travel, you can remotely adjust your NEST thermostat via the internet or your smart phone. Going on vacation?? The Auto-Away feature will automatically turn down the temperature when you’re gone.

The concept is from innovator, Tony Fadell, he’s one of the former brains behind the iPod, moving from toys to thermostats. And the NEST has that iPod feel. The round thermostat turns red when your home is heating, blue when it’s cooling, and the screen is a sleek LCD. Simple enough, right?

Interested in getting one of these swanky new age thermostats? Good luck! Released in October at a retail price of $249, it’s sold out through the end of this year. Don’t worry, you can get one on Ebay for ~~$400~~, ~~$450~~, ~~$500~~…or, whatever the winning bid is!

Green Gift Guide

2011-12-01T15:11:00.001-05:00

Although the weather hasn’t felt like it, I hear the winter holiday season is upon us. After sifting through the huge pile of ads on Thanksgiving just like the rest of America, I had a major realization: I was not going to be a crazy person out running around town scrounging for deals on Black Friday. It seems that many people had the same idea as online sales between Black Friday and Cyber Monday soared to a record high.

I am happy to report that thanks to my online shopping excursion over the weekend, I am almost finished with my shopping - and I only started on Friday! I highly recommend online shopping not only because you get to sit at home on your couch and keep your sanity, but it keeps more cars off the road. In addition, there are some awesome eco friendly gifts available on the web that you may not have considered. Here are a few of my favorites…

Reusable bags. Yes, yes I know this is not a new idea, but if you are anything like me, you often forget your reusable bags when going shopping which totally defeats the purpose of having them. Solution: Find reusable bags that pack up nice and small and fit in your pocket or purse. My personal favorite brand is Envirosax. Not only do they come in chic patterns, they roll up super small and are incredibly durable….did I mention they can hold up to 44 pounds each?!
There are lots of websites out there offering recycled products. One of the most interesting is the site uncommongoods. They have cool items like picture frames made out of old ceiling tiles, recycled tire flower pots and recycled wetsuit ipad covers.
In case you haven’t checked it out, I highly recommend going to Etsy for handmade one-of-a-kind gifts. There are many sellers on the site offering jewelry, clothing and home décor all made from 100% recycled materials.
Give bamboo kitchen supplies like spoons and cutting boards to the cooks in your family.
Buy credits for friends and family for sites like Amazon, Netflix, iTunes, etc.
Want to give your friends something charitable but useful? Buy products like 100% organic bags from FEED Projects. Not only will your purchase provide meals and job training to children in need from around the world, you will have a unique gift for your friend. It’s a win-win.
Visit the adoption center at the National Wildlife Federation to “adopt” your animal of choice (I adopted a baby giraffe for my niece). You will receive a certificate of adoption, and the funds will help protect wildlife.
Low on cash but still want to give something? Try plantable holiday cards from websites like Botanical Paperworks.

Have any original green gift ideas of your own?

Ditch the Old Strings, Get LED Lights

2011-11-23T14:53:00.001-05:00

I know you’re already racking your brain as to which neighbor you let borrow the ladder, but you need it back. You know that in just a few days, you’re going to be putting up the holiday lights around the house, in the trees, and wherever else you have a hook set up from last year.

And each year you hear us tell you the perks of ditching your old strings of lights, and to purchase LED lights. Each year the incentive gets better and better, including this year. The prices keep dropping, the varieties are growing, and you might have even caught The Home Depot coupon (they were giving you discounts on new LEDs for your old holiday lights – Expired 11/13).

In addition to those perks, you’ll save some money on your electric bill. Wonder how much you’ll save? We created a calculator (example in picture above) to break it down based on lighting type and hours per day that the lights stay on.

In 2010, if you used five 100-bulb strand icicle lights, five strands of the 25-bulb bigger lights, and four spotlights and you kept them all on from 4:30PM until 11:30PM, it would cost you around $32.01 for the month of December, just for the holiday lights.

This year, you can choose to go all out and use a whopping 15 strands of the 100-bulb LED lights and kept them on from 4:30PM until 11:30PM, and it would only cost you a mere $1.63!! That’s 5 cents per day to have your house shine brighter than ever!

Weatherization Tip

2011-11-10T14:19:00.001-05:00

Did you know that a 1/8th of an inch crack all the way around a doorway creates the same air loss as a 6 inch square hole in the middle of your door?

Properly sealing up your windows and doorways using weather-stripping eliminates drafts and keeps the heated or conditioned air you pay for from escaping. There are many options available for homeowners to do this yourself.

Check out the Department of Energy for more information on the different types and materials of weather-stripping.

Here’s a trick to test whether you need to invest in weather-stripping: close a sheet of paper in a door or window. If you can pull it out without ripping the paper, you are losing energy.

Energy Conservation Quiz Answers: Deconstructed

2011-11-04T14:14:00.002-04:00

1&2) Approximately 40% of your bill goes to heating and cooling your home. Save on your bill by setting the thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as high as is comfortable in the summer. We recommend 68° in the winter and 78° in the summer.

3) Only about 20% of homes built before 1980 are considered well insulated. One of the most cost-effective ways to make your home more comfortable year-round is to add insulation to your attic. Most U.S. homes should have between R-30 and R-60 insulation in the attic. Don’t forget the attic trap or access door.

4) Plant deciduous trees like oak, maple, gum, ash and dogwood. They lose their leaves in the winter, letting the sun through to warm your home. In summer, their leaves shade your home. Plant shade trees to the south, since that side gets the most sun. Evergreens are effective for blocking wind. Plant them in a staggered or double line to the northwest of your home. Smaller foundation plants can minimize the loss of cool air away from the house in summer and, in winter, provide additional wind protection.

5) The average person takes a 10 minute shower with roughly 2 gallons of water being used per minute. This equates to 20 gallons every time you shower!

6) Lower your water heating costs by adjusting the temperature to 120°. Reducing your water temperature to 120ºF also slows mineral buildup and corrosion in your water heater and pipes. This helps your water heater last longer and operate at its maximum efficiency.

7) Two words: heat loss. Insulating your hot water pipes will reduce losses as the hot water is flowing to your faucet and, more importantly, it will reduce standby losses when the tap is turned off and then back on within an hour or so. A great deal of energy and water is wasted waiting for the hot water to reach the tap. Even when pipes are insulated, the water in the pipes will eventually cool, but it stays warmer much longer than it would if the pipes weren’t insulated.

8) Check your filter every month, especially during heavy use months (winter and summer). If the filter looks dirty after a month, change it. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool - wasting energy. A clean filter will also prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system - leading to expensive maintenance and/or early system failure.

9) This is a bit of a trick question. Most sources report that showers use less water, but of course that depends on the length of time and the type of showerhead you have. For the sake of argument, we’ll go with the sources and say baths use more water than showers.

10) As reported in last week’s blog post, standby power (or energy vampires!) can account for about 10% of residential electricity use. The good news is that most of this percentage is preventable by just making some minor (mostly behavioral) changes. Use your power strips and flip the switch when you’re done…or just unplug your appliances/electronics!

Save Some Green This Halloween

2011-10-28T14:54:00.001-04:00

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. Dressing up in crazy outfits, eating candy until my stomach hurt, what could be better? I was always that random kid in an obscure costume that none of the other kids understood. Didn’t any other 5th graders watch “I Love Lucy”?

Anyways! I was just thinking about my very first Halloween in the Energy Conservation Department. I thought I had the best costume idea ever- wait for it- an energy vampire! I know…sweet idea.

As you may recall from our recent quiz, standby power - electricity used by appliances when “off” but not unplugged - accounts for up to 10% of residential energy use.

An energy vampire is just another name for standby power. Basically, many of your electronics/appliances are “sucking up” energy even when they’re in off mode. Knowing what to look for and getting in the habit of unplugging these electronics/appliances is the first step to taking control of your energy bill. Show that energy vampire who’s boss!

So how does one identify an energy vampire? In the “off” mode, is there still a glowing light of some sort and/or is it warm? Take your TV for example. You turn it off but it still has a red glowing light down by the power button. Guess what folks - that means it’s still using energy.

To completely cut off the power flow, simply unplug your TV, or plug it into a power strip and flip the switch when you’re done. Repeat this process with other energy vampires found in your home.

And now you know how to slay an energy vampire without a stake or sunlight. Happy Halloween!

Quiz Answers

2011-10-21T11:15:00.000-04:00

C - 40%
A - 68 degrees
D - 20%
True
D - 20 gallons
D - 120 degrees
True
C - monthly
False
A - 10%

Fueled on Electricity - Electric Vehicles on a Street Near You

2011-10-19T14:08:00.000-04:00

Today’s post is brought to you by one of our former bloggers, Alison. She’s been working on a neat project closely tied to EV’s, read below to get the scoop…

A new evolution of vehicles is a reality – the electric vehicle (EV). You may have chuckled at new TV commercials, seen them on the road in your neighborhood, or perhaps participated in National Plug-In Day last weekend.

At Dominion, we have an interest in helping our EV owners make the best decisions possible when it comes to charging their vehicle. That is why we have recently announced a new pilot program that offers EV owners the option to sign up for a pricing plan that encourages night-time charging.

Virginia has a relatively large amount of first-generation hybrid vehicles, therefore we believe that Virginia could be one of the hottest markets for plug-in electric vehicles. By 2020 there could be 86,000 EVs in Virginia – equal to 5% of all vehicle sales.

That is pretty exciting news, however what would happen if all those EV’s came home after work and plugged in to “re-fuel” while it was on-peak? The new electric load from EVs could increase the amount of peak-demand electricity by about 270 megawatts, equivalent of powering 67,500 homes.

As part of the new EV PricingPlans, customers can manage energy costs based on when they charge their EV. Pricing changes throughout the day and the price is as low as $0.05 per kWh for night time charging under either of the two new plans.

That means a nightly EV charge cost is between $0.51 and $0.54. Compare that to the standard residential rate of an anytime charge cost of $1.10. It should be known that the pricing is higher during on-peak times. We’ve developed an EVPricing Plan Calculator to help see pricing differences and decide which plan is best for you.

Learn more by visiting our website.

Thanks everyone.

Alison

Let’s Test Your Skills!

2011-10-13T14:49:00.001-04:00

Take the energy conservation quiz below to test your knowledge. Answers will be posted next week!

1)    On average, what percentage of your bill goes to heating/cooling your home?
a.    20%
b.    75%
c.    40%
d.    50%

2)    What temperature should you set your thermostat at during the winter for maximum efficiency?
a.    68°
b.    78°
c.    80°
d.    72°

3)    What percentage of homes built before 1980 are considered well insulated?
a.    80%
b.    5%
c.    45%
d.    20%

4)    True or False: Landscaping can impact your bill.

5)    The average person uses _________ of water when taking a shower.
a.    2 gallons
b.    10 gallons
c.    45 gallons
d.    20 gallons

6)    The proper temperature for your hot water heater (for maximum efficiency) is____.
a.    140°
b.    170°
c.    110°
d.    120°

7)    True or False: The distance between your shower and your hot water heater can impact your bill.

8)    How often should you replace your furnace/air conditioning filter?
a.    Every 6 months
b.    Annually
c.    Monthly
d.    Every 2 weeks

9)    True or false: On average, baths use less water than showers.

10)    On average, standby power- electricity used by appliances when “off” but not unplugged - is about _____% of residential electricity use.
a.    10%
b.    5%
c.    2%
d.    15%

Energy Star® Sales Tax Holiday Weekend

2011-10-05T15:31:00.000-04:00

I don’t know about you, but I’m still wondering where summer went. I was still wearing shorts and flip-flops until a week or so ago, and then bam! With a little nip in the air, Fall is definitely here…and as we all know, it will only get colder.

In addition to finding your winter coat, now is the time to prepare your home for what may be a very cold winter…at a reduced cost.

October is known around here as “Energy Awareness Month” and this weekend marks the annual sales tax holiday weekend on Energy Star and WaterSense products.

Beginning Friday, October 7, 2011 through Monday, October 10, 2011, purchases of certain Energy Star® and WaterSense qualified products will be exempt from sales tax. The exempt item must be for non-commercial use and cost $2,500 or less.

Eligible Energy Star® items include dishwashers, clothes washers, refrigerators, air conditioners, ceiling fans, compact fluorescent light bulbs, and programmable thermostats that carry the Energy Star® designation.

WaterSense products eligible for exemption include bathroom sink faucets, faucet accessories, and toilets.

Additional information for the sales tax holiday.

The Governor’s Conference on Energy

2011-09-28T14:04:00.002-04:00

Are you in? If so, I’ll see you there! If not, you might want to take a closer look…

The Governor’s Conference on Energy is an exciting event hosted here in Richmond to discuss the future of energy in Virginia. There will be people from all walks of life at the event learning, speaking, discussing, and collaborating on the future of energy in the Commonwealth.

The event consists of two full days of speakers and breakout sessions, and the last day will be a post-conference workshop. The event is hosted at the Richmond Convention Center in downtown Richmond, October 17-19.

Speakers at this year’s event include Thomas F. Farrell II, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dominion on Monday, October 17 and Virginia’s leader, Governor Bob McDonnell, who will deliver the keynote speech on the 18th at 7:00PM. There are many panel speakers throughout the sessions.

To participate in the conference which includes 6 Tracks and 24 Sessions, lunches, and receptions, the attendance fee ranges from $50 - $275. Price subject to change.

Last year was the inaugural event, hosting over 1,000 participants and 100 exhibitors in attendance, including keynote speaker: T Boone Pickens.

For details and to register, visit The Governor’s Conference on Energy website.

Insulate On Saturday, Watch Football On Sunday

2011-09-21T12:18:00.000-04:00

You’ve been putting it off for the past ~~6 months~~ 18 months and its quickly becoming the only noticeable project on the ‘honey do’ list.

It’s time to insulate.

I know what you’re thinking…getting under the crawlspace is such a pain, you have to borrow some tools from your brother-in-law, and sleeping in is much more appealing. While I can relate to you, I do know the payoff for adding insulation has huge perks.

And to motivate you, here’s my Top 5 Reasons You Should Insulate This Weekend:

First, the temperatures are perfect to be up in the attic and crawl space (better than being in the attic during the dog days of August or the crawl space in February).
Second, it’s going to save you money and make your home much more comfortable during the cold winter months and hot summer months.
Third, if you do it now, you won’t have to do it again next summer, or next winter, or the following summer, you get my drift.
Forth, you can get a federal tax credit (10% of the cost, up to $500).
And Fifth, if you insulate on Saturday, you have a free pass to watch football all day Sunday!

Now that you’re on board for insulation the house on Saturday…where do you start?

Well it can be a bit overwhelming, but nothing that you (the local Weekend Warrior) can’t tackle. From soup to nuts, all the information you need on how to insulate can be found here: A DO-IT-YOURSELF GUIDE TO SEALING AND INSULATING WITH ENERGY STAR. Guess the title says it all.

Also, you will need to determine the levels of insulation you need. Again, Energy Star is our go to source for information. For us Virginia residents, you’re in Zone 2. That means you need R30-R60 for an uninsulated attic, R25-R38 for areas with 3-4 inches of existing insulation, and R13-R19 for the floor.

And lastly, make sure you wear some appropriate long sleeved shirt, long pants, gloves, glasses, and an air mask if needed. Safety is key.

Have fun insulating (it’s not that bad!) and enjoy lounging on the couch watching some football on Sunday.

Ad Council PSA; Buy Energy-Saving Light Bulbs.

2011-09-14T15:57:00.000-04:00

Readers,

Thanks for your patience in regards to the lack of posts in the past few weeks. At Dominion, when storms like Irene hit, we go all hands on deck to get everyone’s power back on. We’re back to weekly Energy Conservation blog posts!

This week I would like to give a shout out to our friends at Bird On A Wire, the blog of Memphis Light Gas & Water. They are always coming up with creative and fun posts on conservation, efficiency, and other interesting energy information related to Memphis.

A post that recently caught my attention was one that featured a couple videos the Department of Energy, in collaboration with the Ad Council, released on energy conservation. The post from Bird On A Wire discusses the amount of money an average consumer spends on electricity as well as some tips they have on saving energy.

Thanks to MLGW, our readers can check out the same video.

And here’s a link to our residential lighting program and our commercial lighting program.

Thanks for the fun post MLGW!

Hurricane Irene

2011-08-30T13:23:00.001-04:00

Both our Virginia and North Carolina service territory have been heavily impacted by Hurricane Irene.

More than 6,000 people are helping restore power, including more than 2,000 workers from utilities in Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina and South Carolina.

We thank customers for being so patient while we work to safely restore service.

Follow us on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/DomVAPower. 'Like' us on our Facebook page by searching, keyword: Dominion Virginia Power for additional storm-related information.

Solar Idea House

2011-08-25T11:54:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, the Energy Conservation team was invited to the west end of Richmond to see a pretty cool green home. And it’s not just the color of the house that makes it green, it’s what’s inside.

Our friends at James River Air Conditioning have totally gutted and renovated a home at the corner of Staples Mill Road and Hungary Springs Road; the project is called the Solar Idea House.

When arriving at the home, the first thing you notice is the house is net metered with an impressive solar panel array. JRAC has set up a 2.5 kW Solar P.V. System (with Kyocera panels) on the side of the home. But these aren’t stationary panels - the system is set up to track with the sun.

So as the earth moves around the sun, the sensors in the panels track with it, maximizing the amount of sunlight it takes in, thus, creating more energy.

Throughout the inside of the house there are a number ‘truth windows’ where you can see through the interior wall via a windowpane, showcasing the insulation. The insulation is highly rated Icynene foam sprayed a few inches thick. This quality insulation helps keep the house at a comfortable temperature throughout the year. And as you know, insulation is key.

Other green home qualities include a very impressive 24 SEER rated Westinghouse heat pump system, LED lights throughout, whole-house phantom power drain kill switches, aggressive moisture control strategies, several rain water recovery systems for irrigation, and a number of other features.

The Solar Idea House also has a Google PowerMeter set up, linked to a TED Device, so you can watch the real time energy production and usage of the home on the energy efficient big screen TV in the living room.

If you haven’t picked up on it, JRAC did a fantastic job on this project and did it the right way, from start to finish. They have the badges of honor to boot:

This house is Richmond’s first LEED Certified Platinum home;
Earthcraft Virginia Certified Platinum;
EPA Energy Star Certified;
And there’s no wonder why they won the 2010 Earthcraft Single Family Project of the Year.

Nice job guys!

Check out more of the project at http://www.solarideahouse.com/

Dominion does not endorse any of the specified vendors or services.

Wait, I Don’t Need A High Heel-Shaped Tape Dispenser?

2011-08-17T15:51:00.003-04:00

Ok, so take one look at my picture to your right, and you will likely say that I look about 16 (that is so sweet of you - thanks mom for the good genes!), BUT I actually had my very first day of elementary school 21 years ago. Shocker, I know.

Believe it or not, I was one of those nerdy and awkward kids that loved school. Well actually, to be honest, I loved the cool new stuff I got for school. Sadly, I don’t think I have changed all that much - I love getting new school, errrr, office supplies. But seriously, who doesn’t need a high heel-shaped tape dispenser?

This time of year, I remember the list of school supplies I needed. My mom and I would go out and buy each item brand new.

Today I ask myself, why did I need a new backpack when my old one worked just fine? Why did I need new pencils when my mechanical pencils just needed lead? Why did I need new notebooks when my old ones still had paper left in them? Bottom line: I liked new things. I think many people can relate to that no matter what context it is in.

But now everyone’s going green! I am absolutely amazed by some of the eco-friendly school supplies they have on the market these days:

Backpacks made from plastic bottles
Soy crayons
Recycled paper and notebooks
Biodegradable pens
Recycled highlighters and markers
Bamboo clothing?!

I applaud and encourage others to move forward with this way of thinking, but if it’s not for you, that doesn’t mean you can’t make some adjustments.

As I’ve said in previous posts, I think it is possible, and still beneficial, to take on some eco-friendly habits even if they aren’t to the extreme. I’m sticking with my new shopping mantra: choose quality over quantity. It may not be recycled, but you are still choosing a product that will last longer than the traditional cheap products you have to replace each year.

For school, this can be as simple as:

Use a reusable lunch bag and containers instead of brown paper lunch bags and plastic sandwich bags. I must say, I am much more fashionable now that I have a zebra print lunch bag.
When I was in school I got a new backpack every year until I finally asked for an L.L. Bean backpack (to match my sister’s of course) for Christmas one year. I used that backpack from 4th grade to my senior year of high school. In fact, I think I still have it.
Use refillable pens and pencils instead of ones that run out leaving a useless plastic object you have to throw away.
Use a sturdy canvas binder instead of a plastic one that will likely break in a month or two.
Purchase clothes that are higher quality and ones that you can use for multiple seasons. Cardigans are a lifesaver.
Purchase used books for your classes. I bet you can find books that look brand new.

Think about alternatives that will last longer. Buy it if you can (it can be more expensive up front but save you money in the long run), or maybe you already have it and just need to take it off the shelf and dust it off. Oh yeah, and only purchase what you need. Not only are you saving money, you’re being eco-friendly!

University of Green

2011-08-10T11:50:00.006-04:00

Ahhhhhh, college - specifically James Madison University, the best 4 errrrrr, 5 years of my life.

I remember the day my parents dropped me off at my freshman dorm, waving goodbye while I stood in anticipation for what was about to come. While that was quite a while ago, there is a new crop of incoming students who are anxious and excited for the adventures they will encounter at college.

The first college experience many students will have is the mega shopping trip for everything they need before starting college. Things like extra long twin bed sheets, tweezers, and a few bags of coffee for those long nights of studying.

When you’re out and about, think about some of the products that are built with energy conservation in mind:

A laptop (versus a desktop)
Energy Star mini-fridges
A road bike
CFL bulbs for the study lamps (JMU will recycling your old CFL bulbs)
Organic body wash
Reusable coffee mugs

And those of you attending my alma mater, when you make it to Harrisonburg for 1787 Orientation, help JMU with its environmentally focused mission. You can help do things like:

The Big Event
Recycling your drink bottles
Ride the HDPT to campus and leave your car at home
Participate in No Drive Day

To all of the incoming students, have a great 4 (or 5) years! I’ll see you up there for Homecoming!