DIY Energy Auditing

The DIY Energy Auditing Kit

The DIY Energy Auditing Kit is designed to give users the ability to conduct a novice home energy audit that will enable them to make informed decisions about energy-efficiency upgrades. We hope to empower the citizens of Greater New Orleans with the ability to grow sustainably.

Make an Improvement

• Utilize Passive Solar Design- Many of the older homes in New Orleans take advantage of the strong southern sun: deciduous trees planted in front of south facing windows help block sun in the summer but allow sun in during the fall; working shutters and reflective blinds help bounce sun back; more information can be found here.
• Promote Appropriate Ventilation and Insulation- New Orleans houses are varied in terms of design and functionality.  Some houses are designed to breath while others are meant to be tightly sealed; when investing in air leakage and insulation improvements, consult local resources and experts on what would be appropriate for your home.
• Use Efficient Light Technology and Appliances, Conserve When Possible- Make every low investment improvement you can with lighting or an appliance before thinking of purchasing a new, green one.  Sometimes, the way you use something can save more than buying into modern demands.  Also, Entergy is offering renewable energy buy-in's for its customers now: click here.
• Water: Heat Efficiently and Conserve- A number of tankless heaters, heat blankets, and pipe insulation are available now that may suit your investment demand; couple that with low-flow faucets and aerators, and it could save you much more.
• Promote and Support Greening Initiatives- Help promote green initiatives like the DIY Energy Auditing Kit and other New Orleans-based resources in your communities and homes to push New Orleans to the sustainability forefront!

Green Resources in NOLA

Village Green- Village Green at the New Orleans Public Library, is a great place to start learning more about what you can do to make your home energy efficient. Village Green partnered with Hands On New Orleans to develop the DIY Home Energy Auditing Kit, and can direct you to financial incentives for going green and additional local resources. You can find them at the Main Library branch or at www.villagegreenlibrary.org.

Carbon Calculators- Many of them are available to use online, two that are a bit more specific to our Gulf region are: Village Green's Carbon Calculator & Entergy's Online Home Energy Calculator.

History and Development

 This effort took place in 2010 through the collaborative efforts of many:

~) March 19th- HandsOn New Orleans and Village Green met for the first time, developing an informal relationship with the hope of promoting practical sustainability initiatives in the Greater New Orleans Area

~) March 26th- Submitted Crescent Fund Application to Market Umbrella
~~) April 6th- Voting began at the various farmer's markets around town as well as online
~~) April 12th- Voting closed

~) April 13th- Victory!  We won a Crescent Fund "cash-infusion"

~) April 15th- Meeting between HandsOn New Orleans, Village Green, and Alliance for Affordable Energy over what homeowners and renters can do
 
~) May- Numerous followup meetings between HandsOn and Village Green, and Global Green in New Orleans including a review of Global Green's "Build it Back Green" home energy checklist

~) June 2nd- HandsOn and Village Green discuss overall composition of kit and green resources around the city of new orleans; DIY items have all been ordered

~) June 18th- Preliminary tool assessment completed

~) June 30th- The HandsOn New Orleans Tool Lending Library releases the DIY Energy Auditing Kit to loan to members