Green Home Upgrades That Pay You Back

REDUCE, REUSE, REMODEL ECO-FRIENDLY HOME UPGRADES THAT PAY YOU BACK With energy costs rising by an average of 6 percent every year, what's a homeowner to do? Green-ovate! After paying for themselves, many green home improvements have a return on investment that far outperforms CDs, savings accounts, and the stock market. If you're looking for a place to put your money, these home improvements have the highest rate of return. Note: The estimates below are a reflection of buying each upgrade system at full price. Homeowners can save even more by taking advantage of local or national tax incentives for certain upgrades or by leasing systems such as solar. Annual Savings Payback Time 20- Year Savings Added Cost GREEN ROOF $800 O $16,000 10 yrs O $8,000 SOLAR HOT WATER $280 O $5,600 Plant-filled flat rooftops limit water run-off and provide greater insulation that 8.9 yrs $2,500 Channeling water from rooftop panels to an existing tank limits the energy used saves energy. to heat water. SOLAR FOR ELECTRICITY SMART ROOF $300 $6,000 $1,200 $60,000 6.7 yrs O $2,000 10.8 yrs O $13,000 Converting sunlight into electricity can dramatically cut energy costs. Grants and tax incentives now "Smart" shingles or reflective or metal roofing limit the heat that's transferred in attics. make it more affordable for the average homeowner. PROGRAMMABLE SEAL DUCT LEAKS THERMOSTAT $300 $6,000 $180 O $3,600 0.6 yrs O $115 1.5 yrs Sealed and insulated ducts make Programmable thermostat can automatically lower or raise temperatures to levels that lower heating and cooling more efficient by limiting air lost as it travels. cost. HIGH-EFFICIENCY SHOWER HEADS INSULATED WALLS $300 $6,000 0.9 yrs O $180 O $300 O $6,000 2.5 yrs O $750 High-performance shower heads can save as much as 40 percent of the water used in Properly-insulated walls contain fewer gaps, saving energy and reducing utility costs. conventional showers. THERMAL MASS FLOORS $400 O $8,000 7.5 yrs O $3,000 Flooring materials that hold temperature better (such as ceramic tile) reduce demand on a furnace or A/C. RADIANT FLOORS LOW-EMIS WINDOWS $550 $11,000 O 7.3 yrs O $4,000 O $300 O $6,000 O 2.3 yrs O $700 Radiant systems apply heat directly to floors and can decrease heating costs by as much as 40 percent. Low-emissive windows help reduce energy costs because they alter the way windows transfer heat. LARGE-SCALE WATER RETENTION/ CONSERVATION O $216 O $4,320 10.2yrs WHOLE HOUSE WATER FILTERS $2,200 $312 $6,240 Rain water or grey-water collection systems recycle water of irrigation or toilets, decreasing water costs. 3.2 yrs $1,000 Filtration systems supply filtered water to every house faucet, cuttingthe cost of buying bottled water. FURNACE REPLACEMENT $300 O $6,000 3.8 yrs $1,145 High efficiency, variable speed, or two-stage system furnaces can cut heating and cooling costs. GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM $3,000 $6,000 10 yrs $30,000 Geothermal systems use the ground temperature to reduce the energy it takes to heat or cool a home.