Florida Green Homes

Being friendly to the environment is no longer a fad or something a select few should do. People in Florida can do their share in saving the planet by building Florida green homes. You can also benefit from making your home energy efficient because you will spend less for energy bills. You can do your part in small ways by changing your home lighting system. Instead of using incandescent lighting fixtures, you should consider using energy efficient fluorescent lighting fixtures. You can find these lights in any store. They also do not cost a lot and can significantly reduce your power usage at home. Trees around your house can prevent sunlight from warming up your home during warm months. Place deciduous foliage around your property that will protect you home from the hot sun. The leaves will fall off during autumn and let sunlight heat your home naturally. You can reduce the times you need to use the air conditioner and heater. Install low-flow shower heads in your bathrooms to save water and lower your water bills. Most shower heads spray more water than what you need to take a shower. Much of the water produced by standard shower heads literally goes down the drain unused. Low cost shower heads are cheap and are easy to screw on. Skylights are also good for the environment because you can use your light bulbs less frequently. Skylights let sunlight in to provide light and warmth. You will end up using the heater less. Double pane windows on the other hand prevent heat from warming up your house by trapping hot air between the window panes. Solar power can also offer a free source of energy to heat your water and light up your house. If Florida green homes could place more solar panels on their roofs, the state would need less energy from power plants reducing carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. Read more about: Green Home in Florida

In an effort to limit the impacts of global warming and environmental pollution while conserving energy and water, the government of Florida, in cooperation with the U.S. federal government and local governments and utilities, has created a broad range of loans, grants, rebates and tax incentives to encourage the building of energy-efficient green homes. Similar programs exist to retrofit existing homes and commercial properties.

The Energy Efficient Mortgages Program (EEM) is a partnership between mortgage companies, the state of Florida and the federal government. The program considers the amount of savings on utility bills when determining the size of a mortgage an individual or family can afford. Among other things, the program can make $25,000 in home improvement loans available to new home buyers with no equity in the home in order to improve the energy efficiency of the home. EEM is available through FHA-approved lenders.

Millions of gallons of water are wasted on a daily basis when people flush the toilet. Most toilets sold in the United States prior to 1994 used far more water than was necessary. In cooperation with local water utilities, Florida has programs in place to rebate consumers part of the cost of installing a more efficient toilet. These programs can rebate consumers from $80 to $150 per toilet, depending on the type purchased. In order to qualify, consumers must purchase and install a qualifying “high efficiency toilet” (HET), which uses 1.28 gallons of water per flush or less, and dispose of the old toilet in such a way that it can not be re-used. Each household can qualify for up to three toilets.

The state of Florida and many of its local authorities have made a priority of encouraging more responsible use of energy. Throughout Florida, “green” energy and energy efficiency are the goals of many grants, loans, rebates, tax credits and other programs. Among these programs are several intended to motivate homeowners to purchase and install “green” energy systems, and to repair or replace old, inefficient ones.

Orange’s County solar hot water incentive program offers a $200 incentive for systems installed after April 2008 in both homes and businesses. Properties must be located within Orange County, and the property owner must apply within six months of installation. Applicants are required to provide proof of a completed energy audit, which can be performed by a third-party contractor, or by the property owner using U.S. Department of Energy guidelines. This audit helps to determine current energy usage, and possible improvements to efficiency.

Businesses can receive tax credits and incentives for their participation in clean energy initiatives. The Capital Investment Tax Credit for Clean Energy is a state-wide incentive meant to attract clean energy companies to do business in Florida. In addition, there is no sales tax on solar energy systems in Florida for either homeowners or commercial operations.

Like many states, Florida has implemented a number of incentives to promote the development of a greener economy, and these incentives include grants for green energy. Grants come in the form of tax credits, low interest loans and rebates, and are intended to provide more opportunities for organizations to pursue the green energy projects they are interested in.

Florida’s green energy grants target a variety of potential recipients. Utility grants are awarded in Talahasee and Orlando. Talahasee’s grants are provided to low income residents who could not otherwise afford energy efficiency upgrades. Orlando’s initiatve is also targeted at low income households and awards grants up to $2,000. Larger commercial clean energy projects are supported by the Florida Renewable Energy Technologies Grants Program.

More about Green Home in Florida

LEED Rating System in Florida Green Homes