With high gas prices, Americans are naturally focused on the cost of driving, but high energy prices also hurt homeowners. Homes account for nearly 20 percent of the United States' global warming emissions, according to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. At the same time, a recent report funded by the Environmental Protection Agency shows that "green" or eco-friendly homes can reduce utility bills by 50 percent and cut global warming emissions nearly in half.

"Homeowners can do a lot to save energy and fight climate change, and they can save money in the process," says Fred Maas, president and CEO of Black Mountain Ranch LLC, the developer of Del Sur - a new green 1,800-acre master-planned residential community in San Diego, Calif. "For example, tankless water heaters are as much as 50 percent more efficient than conventional water heaters and last twice as long. Experts estimate that homeowners can save as much as $4,000 over the life of the system."

Installing a tankless water heater is one of the most cost-effective measures Americans can take to save energy, lower utility bills and reduce emissions, according to a recent report by the McKinsey Global Institute. Heating hot water is second only to heating and cooling in terms of residential energy use. If every household in the United States converted to high-efficiency, tankless water heaters, America could save the equivalent of 300 million barrels of oil a year and reduce annual global warming emissions by up to 150 million tons.

Not everyone is ready to go out and buy a new water heater, but anyone can change a light bulb. Compact fluorescent bulbs are up to five times more energy efficient than traditional bulbs and last as much as 10 times longer. They generate 70 percent less heat and thus save on air conditioning during the warmer months.

"If you want to do something about global warming, change your light bulbs," says Maas. "The good news is that you'll see immediate results in lower utility bills. It's a win-win situation."

If every American household replaced five bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, it would reduce energy demand enough to close 21 power plants and cut global warming emissions by 5 billion tons over the lifetime of the bulbs, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.

"Homeowners start saving money from day one with compact fluorescent bulbs," says Maas. "These bulbs are so much better than they used to be even just a few years ago."

Del Sur residents are learning first hand the advantages of saving energy at home. Del Sur negotiated lower prices for solar, tankless hot water and weather-based irrigation systems, making these energy-saving, environmentally friendly features more affordable for homebuyers.

By providing homebuyers with green features at lower cost, homebuilders can help to reduce global warming emissions and preserve the environment without placing undue burden on the homeowner. By taking advantage of available tax credits and incentives, for example, it is possible to equip homes with solar photovoltaic technology to generate pollution-free electricity at a reasonable cost, greatly reducing homeowners' electric bills.

"Our vision of sustainability is to integrate a core set of 'attainable' green elements into our homes that are environmentally friendly without sacrificing affordability or livability," says Maas. "It's a model that builders and developers all over the country can follow. Del Sur's homeowners are fighting global warming here in San Diego and they aren't paying a fortune to do it. It's something everyone can afford to do."

Courtesy of ARAcontent