One of the things that I try to do, particularly when helping someone find a home to buy, is to help them determine what things they mayt be able to do to make the home more energy efficient. Recently, I've had more and more people find me purely because of the EcoBroker designation, which is really terrific, for a number of reasons. First of all, it shows that more and more people are becoming aware of what's out there, and that there are so many ways that they can not only reduce their impact on the earth, but also create better air quality, reduced energy bills, and streamline their home. (Even if it's older). Secondly, it has enabled me to help more people do that, and learn more from them as well.

During the course of these conversations, even if someone has had, or is planning to have, an energy audit done on their home, I'm often asked how they can tell if something is worth doing. Considering that the average homeowner stays in a house for just 3-7 years, this is a really valid concern. There are plenty of things that are pretty simple that can be done to make your home more energy efficient- keep your hvac filters changed regularly, don't overheat or overcool your home, add weatherstripping to doors, etc. It's the big ticket items that often have people stumped. "If I put in a tankless water heater, how long will it take me to get my money back? Will it make a difference in resale?"

Sometimes these answers are easy, and sometimes not so much. Now there is a really cool site that can help take some of the guesswork out of those questions- especially when it comes to the bigger ticket items. If you're thinking of doing any sort of remodeling project, check out www.greenandsave.com, and get some answers. It takes you through the steps of "tuning up,""remodeling," or "transforming" your home and what the costs and returns are. There are message boards, and general faqs like "how does a tankless water heater work?" It's definitely worthwhile if you plan on doing something to the home you are buying, selling, or currently living in.