As energy prices continue their never-ending climb, consumers are finding more ways to fight back. Proper home insulation, turning to highly efficient appliances, complete home weatherization—even things as seemingly small and simple as installing low-flow showerheads and compact fluorescent bulbs are tools in the energy tightwad’s arsenal. Now, a relatively new industry is springing up to support energy misers.

While home energy monitors are nothing new, the field is getting increasingly crowded. There are stores on the Internet devoted solely to the technology, which provides real-time feedback on energy consumption to homeowners so they can change their energy using behavior. A search of Amazon’s tools and home improvement section turns up close to 200 results for “home energy monitors.” The growth in the segment is justified. Various studies have shown a reduction in home energy use of up to 15 percent through use of a home energy display.

image via FutureDash

The segment just got a little more crowded with the release of the EnergyBuddy home energy monitoring system by California-based FutureDash. The EnergyBuddy collects energy usage data through a current sensor and transmitter installed at the electrical panel or direct from a compatible smart meter. The data is transferred to the EnergyBuddy gateway device. That device, which features a glowing, translucent top to give an intuitive indication of energy use, transmits data to any number of monitors, including smart phones, laptops, tablets, computers and even some compatible smart TVs.

image via FutureDash

The EnergyBuddy displays the data in what they call an easy to use dashboard that allows consumers to understand their true energy consumption and costs of running a home or small business. With this information users can modify energy usage to cut their costs, better manage an energy budget and lower environmental impacts. Individual appliances and circuits can be monitored and controlled from FutureDash provided or other compatible smart plugs.

image via FutureDash

The EnergyBuddy also has a number of customizable features including real time and historical data, charts and graphs of usage and costs. The device can also display things like cost per hour, kilowatt-hours per day, goals and budget comparisons. If that’s not enough to make you an absolutely obsessive power penny pincher, the EnergyBuddy also features around the clock alerts and alarms that can be sent to your devices, warning you if your using more than your pre-set level of power.

The basic EnergyBuddy kit sells for under $100 and includes the gateway, current sensor and transmitter. For a few bucks more, the company will throw in a couple wireless smart plugs.

The “Going Solar” workshop will feature experts who will answer questions about the rebate application process, technical and legal requirements, how to calculate energy and cost savings, choosing a vendor, types of solar panels and meters available, financing options and lease agreements. Solar generation and battery storage during emergency power outages will also be discussed.

Space is limited and reservations are required. Reserve your spot at www.cityofpasadena.net/solar.

Residents who install solar receive a tax credit from the federal government of up to 30 percent of the system cost through 2016 and are eligible for utility rebates.

PWP is urging customers to start their projects now to maximize incentives. Rebates from the Pasadena Solar Initiative are expected to decrease early this year.

The Pasadena Solar Initiative, which aims to help PWP customers install 14 megawatts of solar power by 2016, will advance the city’s renewable energy goals outlined in the Green City Action Plan as well as California’s goal of installing 3000 MW of solar statewide.

reDiscover Center, 12958 Washington Blvd, Mar Vista 90066 310-393-3636

The program “Neighborhood LIFT” is getting its start in Los Angeles and Atlanta, where the company will help each city combat its high inventory of unsold homes and attract prospective buyers.

In Los Angeles, Wells Fargo will allocate $10.5 billion over five years to mortgage purchase lending. They set a goal of $1.3 billion in Atlanta. They also plan to invest $15 million in down payment assistance and a program for homebuyer support.

Neighborhood LIFT kicks off with two-day events in Los Angeles (Feb. 3-4) and Atlanta (Feb. 10-11) that will offer access to down payment assistance, home and renovation financing, and resources for prospective homeowners, such as homebuyer education sessions and tours of residential properties that are available for sale. Prospective homebuyers can register to attend the events at “Neighborhood LIFT“.

The 2pm event on Saturday January 21st, 2012 will demonstrate the latest innovations in rooftop solar power and discuss the benefits of NO money down residential solar. Complimentary refreshments will be provided. Space is limited and advance registration is required.

RSVP at http://communitysolar.eventbrite.com.

Google recently announced $75 million in funding for up to 3,000 homeowners in key markets, including Los Angeles County, to go solar with a Clean Power Finance solar lease.

Rick Needham, director of Energy and Sustainability at Google said, “We’re proud to be among the first investors to partner with Clean Power Finance, and enable the company to continue forging strong relationships with the best brands in solar.”

Clean Power Finance provides an innovative online marketplace that connects installers with investors such as Google to provide affordable financing for solar power. The result is solar energy that can be significantly less expensive than purchasing electricity from local utilities.

Kristian Hanelt, senior vice president of renewable capital markets at Clean Power Finance, said, “Clean Power Finance believes making competitive finance products available to quality installers like PermaCity is key to advancing the residential solar market. Homeowners ought to be able to afford clean, renewable power at reasonable rates, and we are pleased to partner with Google, PermaCity and community organizers like Open Neighborhoods to offer solar finance products to make that possible.”

Open Neighborhoods co-founder James Brennan said, “We are pleased to see Google and Clean Power Finance helping Los Angeles County homeowners take full advantage of Open Neighborhoods group purchasing power to realize significant energy cost savings.”

Through the Open Neighborhoods Community Solar program in Los Angeles County, participating homeowners receive group discounts on solar panels, with up to 33 percent discount on a Clean Power Finance monthly payment. Discounted solar installations start at $4.40/Watt plus tax through the Open Neighborhoods program, and utility rebates and tax incentives reduce the cost further.

Los Angeles County homeowners can determine eligibility to participate in the program and learn more now by requesting a free rooftop assessment at www.openneighborhoods.net/gosolar.

A representative from Clean Power Finance will be at the January 21st event in Los Angeles to explain the new program and solar leasing experts will walk-through the pros and cons of various leasing, purchasing, and lease-to-own options.

WHAT: THE SOLAR LEASE: Free Solar Workshop and Open House
NO money down residential solar.

WHO: Homeowners, green builders, environmental advocates and community leaders in Los Angeles County.

WHEN: Saturday, January 21, 2012, 2pm – 4pm.

WHERE: PermaCity Solar Showroom 5570 West Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles, Calif.

RSVP: http://communitysolar.eventbrite.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION call (310) 893-3100.

RELATED

1. Occupy Rooftops: Nov. 20 Community Solar Action Day
2. Community Solar Reaches Grid Parity in Los Angeles
3. Join the Los Angeles County Solar Challenge!

VENICE—Planet Blue is moving their sale to their Venice location. Expect discounts on everything from denim shorts to floral dresses to swim. Racked readers that mention "Racked LA" at checkout will get an extra 20% off sale prices. [Racked Inbox]

NYC BY WAY OF LA—Cali girl and reality TV vet Whitney Port will be showing her collection, Whitney Eve, at NYC Fashion Week next month—her first-ever Fashion Week runway. According to Elle, "Port’s show will take place at 9AM on February 15th" at Lincoln Center. [Elle]

3rd St & 3rd St Prom, Santa Monica, CA

Though the holidays are now behind us, the gift-giving fortunately goes on. Tomorrow from 4:00-7:00 P.M., Southern Cali locations of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf are holding an "open house," finally loosening its draconian dress-code and members-only door policy. All jokes aside, the three-hour public invitational will find the chain's new caramel cream tea lattes and hot or iced caramel lattes offered for only a buck in their 12 oz. forms. [Facebook]

Read more posts by Hadley Tomicki

Filed Under: deals, coffee bean and tea leaf

The theme of the first workshop is how homeowners can go green with Energy Upgrade in their existing homes.  Topics will include:

• What are the energy, environmental and financial benefits of Energy Upgrade for…

With the stricter light bulb standards beginning their phase-in this month, consumers will find many illuminating ways to cut their electricity use.

LEDs (Photo: DOE)use.

The new, energy-saving bulbs are the result of a 2007 mandate passed by Congress and signed by George W. Bush that light bulbs be made 25 percent more efficient. That has resulted in a renaissance of new bulbs that meet and exceed this threshold, a technology change that was already underway in 2007 and welcomed by the lighting industry and energy conservationists.

It means that old-style incandescents, starting with the 100-Watt bulb this month, will be withdrawn from the market over the next three years. Consumers will have a choice of three main types of more efficient bulbs to replace outgoing models. They are:

• Efficient incandescents. These have been re-made with halogen technology to meet the new federal standards. These bulbs look a lot like your old familiar Edison-era light bulb, produce similar light and cost just a bit more. But few lighting experts are recommending that consumers dive in, unless keeping up-front costs down is paramount. That’s because other bulbs – CFLs and LEDs – are far better at conserving electricity.

• CFLs or Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs meet the new requirements, and have been improved in the last few years to produce warmer-spectrum light. They use about 75 percent less electricity than the old-guard incandescent bulb, and the mercury they contain has been greatly reduced from when they first appeared on the market. They still require recycling, however, because of that small amount of mercury, which facilitates their function.

• LEDs. The experts agree that LEDs are the future, and a solid way to go even now, if you can handle the $30-$45 per bulb cost. These bulbs represent a virtual lifetime purchase that will keep your lamp or chandelier lit for decades, or 18 to 46 years, depending on the bulb, according to Consumer Reports. (That’s based on operating the bulb for 3 hours a day.)

Consumer Reports recently tested 10 LED lights and 26 types of CFLs. It looked at 60-watt equivalent bulbs, because that is the type most commonly used, finding that the majority of these bulbs performed well.

And all of the new types of bulbs represent long-term electricity savings. The cost of CFLs can be recouped in about a year, on average, after which they save a user about $52 in electricity costs over the life of each 60-watt/equivalent bulb.

LEDs take longer to pay for themselves – four to 10 years — because they cost between $20 and $60 per bulb. But after that, that they will save a consumer $65 to $400 over the bulb’s lifetime, Consumer Reports found.

It’s too soon to confirm that the new LEDs will last as long as promised, but two Cree LEDs that were flipped on more than a year ago have been burning for 9,000 hours continuously, which represents more than 8 years of  the consumer watchdog group reports.

CR staffers who tested six varieties of LEDs (of 10 types reviewed by CR) at home were pleased with the light produced, but said they wouldn’t buy them until prices dropped.

Testing of the CFLs confirmed that the mercury they contain has dropped by 60-75 percent, and they still worked well.

After the testing, Consumer Reports concluded:

“Contrary to what you might have heard, you can still buy most incandescent light bulbs. But we’ve found few reasons you should. Our tests of 26 compact fluorescents and 10 light-emitting diodes [LEDs] found that though the newest bulbs might not be perfect, they last longer and use less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs, and many of the problems of earlier versions have been overcome.”

So the path forward for consumers will be exceedingly well-lit. Still, running to the store for a replacement bulb will never be the same.

Light bulb shoppers will need to keep up with the technology and matters like the Kelvin scale, which defines the quality of light output.

Fail to understand the Kelvin scale and you could end up aging your dining guests with “natural” light or making your kitchen so cozy that stir-fry night becomes a nightmare of chopping accidents.

A short course:

• “Natural” or “daylight” bulbs are rated 5000 to 6000 Kelvin. This can be good for reading, but it can be clinically bright in a lamp that used to host a warm, incandescent bulb.

• “Cool” or bright light falls in the middle of the spectrum, from 3500 to 4100 Kelvin. This is recommended for kitchen and work areas.

• “Warm” or “soft” light falls at the other end of the Kelvin scale. Look for bulbs rated 2700 to 3000 range if you want to keep it friendly and flattering in living areas.

As for getting the intensity of the bulb right, you’ll be looking at bulb’s watts and watt-equivalency, and the federal government has required clear labeling.

Sylvania Oshram recommends that you:

• Replace a 100 Watt A19 bulb with either a 72 Watt Halogen or a 23 Watt micro mini CFL.

• Replace a 60 Watt A19 bulb with either a 43 Watt Halogen, or a 13 Watt micro mini CFL or a 12 Watt LED. (60 Watt bulbs will fall under the new federal standards starting in 2014.)

• Replace a 50W PAR20 Flood lamp or “directional bulb” – also known as a ceiling “can light” – with a 40Watt PAR20 or a 14 Watt compact fluorescent or an 8 Watt LED.

Welcoming in 2012 The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® way, the SoCal coffee retailer will hold an Open House on January 4 from 4-7 p.m. at its retail stores.

During that three-hour window, customers will be able to purchase the new caramel cream tea latte or caramel latte (hot or iced), for just $1.

The offer is valid at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf retail locations but not at the stands that are set up inside Ralphs supermarkets or inside airports.

The participating Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf closest to Culver City is at 10401 Venice Blvd. on the corner of Motor Avenue. Tel: 310-842-9330.

To find other Coffee Bean locations, visit www.coffeebean.com.

Be sure to like Culver City Patch on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. 

from Solar Santa Monica for 

Taking the First Step!

To receive your free Smart Strip, Solar Santa Monica requires you to call an Energy Upgrade California Participating Contractor, schedule a home assessment and show Solar Santa Monica your post-assessment report.  For more information on this offer, email solarsantamonica@gmail.com.

Act soon because this offer is only good while supplies last!

VENICE—Heist sent out an email to its customers today alerting them to new discounts in store. It reads in part: "Today we marked down our entire Fall inventory up to 60% off and believe me it's all really good stuff. Take a spin on the website for a sampling, but as always we have much more in the shop." [Racked Inbox]

BEVERLY GROVE—Fashion photographer Terry Richardson was in LA over the holidays and blogged about his trip. His favorite local spot? Beverly Hills Juice Club at 8382 Beverly Boulevard. [Terry's Diary]

It was just another day at the office for Sue Kim, co-owner of Z Newstand at the Westfield Culver City Mall even though on Monday she sold a winning lottery ticket worth $7000. Apparently it's not the first time customers have bought winning tickets from her stand.

Culver City resident Steve Hartley told Patch he purchases lottery tickets several times a week from Z Newstand.

"This place just seems to have the right vibe" he said, "I win here all the time, although I have never been close to winning $7000."

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Residents who sustained at least $10,000 in damages to their properties during last week’s wind storms could qualify for tax relief from the government.

Under California law, homeowners are entitled to a temporary reduction in the assessed value of their homes, which could reduce their tax bills until the damage is repaired.

Applications are available online or at the Los Angeles County Assessor’s office in Norwalk.

The form must be submitted within one year to qualify.

NCJW Thrift Store, 12120 Venice Blvd., Mar Vista 90066