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Money and Comfort
Great Results for Our Building & Our Customers
|  We have already reported about all the energy improvement work we've been doing on our own 1870's rowhouse (see the end of this article for links to photos of these projects.) Now we're starting to see and feel the results!
Even during one of the hottest summers ever, our office was VERY comfortable, and our new mini-split system was so quiet we had to look for the power light to know it was on. In addition, for 3 high use summer months, we used 62% less KWH of electiricty than in the summer of 2008 (data for '09 was not available).
And for last month's first real heating bill of the season, we used 29% fewer therms/day of gas than last year even though the average monthly temperature was 1 degree cooler. And we were warmer!! These reductions translate into major savings on our utility bills!
Our customers have been giving us equally great feedback. Here are some quotes:
- "We cut our energy bills between 1/3 and 1/2. WE ARE DELIGHTED," from a Gibson Island resident
- "My comfort level in the house is 100% better since the upgrades. Despite the hottest summer I can remember, I didn't use my ceiling fan all season." "It really was a simple decision. Not only am I helping the planet; I'm also helping my pocketbook." from an Arnold resident
- "[Your crew] did a fantastic job! The guys were very professional and obviously conscientious about the work they were completing." from a Gambrills resident
- "I compared the past winter, October 2009 - March 2010 to October 2008 - March 2009 and found the following results: Home heating oil change: - 39%; KWH use change: -18%. These are compelling numbers, and I was thrilled to have achieved such a savings." from a Pikesville resident
The Home Performance with ENERGY STAR process really works. To cost-effectively lower your home energy bills AND make your home more comfortable and healthy, start by signing-up for your Home Energy Audit here.
Click here to read more detailed customer quotes.
Click here for case studies and customers' stories.
For photos of our energy improvement projects, click these links:
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Get Your Share
Incentives & Free Energy Saving Products
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We've got serious goals. The EmPower Maryland legislation of 2008 mandates that we reduce our use of electricity in the state 15% by 2015. This makes MD one of the national leaders in our effort to transition to a clean energy economy.
Since mid-2009, all rate payers in the state have been paying a little extra on each month's utility bill to fund this effort. The money goes to support the wide variety of excellent energy efficiency programs that are available, including rebates on Energy Star appliances, small commercial lighting and, our favorite, home energy improvements. And MANY more.
It's Your Money
Since you have been paying for these programs, why not take advantage of them? To encourage more homeowners to invest in the most sensible energy improvement projects, Maryland utilities are offering new or increased incentives to take the proven path of Home Performance with ENERGY STAR.
BGE, Pepco and SMECO customers can qualify for discounted energy audits. With these new incentives, a complete TerraLogos Home Performance Energy Audit, that regularly costs $495, is now $200 after rebates. Yes, $200** Audits!
Click here for the details.
Save $Money$ 3 ways - Access the Home Performance Incentives from BGE, Pepco & SMECO to receive up to $2,000 towards qualified improvements.
- Save 20-50% on your energy bills after performing your recommended improvements.
- NEW!! - Plus have up to $325 worth of energy saving products installed for FREE upon completion of a qualifying energy improvement project.
Customers who have completed their recommended energy improvement projects have shared their stories with us, indicating up to 50% savings on energy bills. Plus, their homes are more comfortable and healthy for their families. Read their success stories here and in the related article on Feeling the Results in the newsletter.
Utility Audit Discount: TerraLogos Home Performance
Energy Audit
regular $495 - After Rebates $200**
to schedule your Energy Audit.
Trust TerraLogos as your partner for improving
the energy efficiency of all types of buildings.
**Prices are designed for all types of homes up to
approximately 3,000 sq. ft. and within 40 miles of
Baltimore City. Additional charges may apply for
larger homes and greater distances.
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One Step/One Home at a Time
1,000th Audit Customer & 4th Anniversary
Plus a Local Leader in Restaurant Sustainability
|  If you just keep putting one foot in front of the other, it's amazing how far you can go. We past another couple of milestones recently - our 4th anniversary in early November, and our 1,000th Home Energy Audit for Linda of Baltimore in early October.
We thought Linda's auspicious number deserved a little fanfare, so we sent her a gift certificate to one of our favorite sustainable businesses, Woodberry Kitchen. Our friends at Woodberry, Spike and Amy Gjerde, are local and national leaders in the field of "green" restaurants, a category that too often doesn't have enough substance behind it.
In Woodberry's case, they are pushing the limits on what a restaurant can do to be sustainable. They started by reusing an old Clipper Mill building in the Woodberry neighborhood of Baltimore. However, their creative and groundbreaking efforts to source food locally really get our attention. They don't just source locally in the growing season when it's relatively easy. They do it year round.
But, how can a restaurant offer local food in the winter? Most restaurants give up and buy whatever is available, no matter where it's from. At Woodberry, they freeze, can and preserve at harvest time to fill every available space with goodies to savor through the winter months. Due to their efforts, patrons can enjoy regionally sourced food year round from their Kitchen.
On a recent visit, Spike was making 700 pounds of sauerkraut from local cabbages, filling the freezer to the max with a wide variety of local beans and had just finished canning truckloads of Maryland tomatoes. He also showed off his charcuterie where they make all their own dried meats, like hams, salamis and pepperoni, from locally raised animals. No wonder their flatbread pizzas taste so good!
When we told Linda of her gift certificate, she said that Woodberry Kitchen is her favorite restaurant (our customers DO know what's good!). We hope she has another great time there on us, and we urge our readers to make the trip to Woodberry Kitchen real soon to treat themselves to our local bounty.
We know we can count on the Gjerde's to keep putting one foot in front of the other as we travel together on the path to sustainability.
Woodberry Kitchen, 2010 Clipper Park Road, Baltimore Call (410) 464-8000 for reservations. |
Got Wind?
Power Your Home or Business with 100% Wind
|  TerraLogos has been buying Green Tags all along to offset our carbon emissions and operate as a carbon neutral company.
But we just took the next very easy step and started purchasing 100% wind power for all our electrical needs. Clean Currents made it so easy, we kick ourselves that we didn't do it ages ago.
If you make the change, you won't notice ANY difference in service, because there is none. You are simply taking advantage of our State's deregulation rules to buy your electricity from a company other than your local utility. Your utility company still delivers the power to your door on their transmission lines, but you buy the energy from someone else. Like Clean Currents.
And Clean Currents has great prices. They offer 100% wind at about the same or even a little less than your utilities' regular rates. So why not buy clean wind energy and support our Country's transition to a clean energy economy? It sure feels better to us than buying from the utilities, whose electricity comes almost exclusively from coal, one of the dirtiest and most environmental costly fuels there is.
Homeowners:
Click here to sign up for wind power.
Business Owners:
Click here to sign up for wind power.
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Honored
TerraLogos Wins 3 Awards
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We feel very honored and accomplished when we receive recognition and praise from our peers in the business community. It makes the hard work easier to take. We have had a great fall in this regard, and we are thankful for these honors.
At Maryland's first Clean Energy Summit on Oct. 4, we received an award for Industry Leadership for our work with Efficiency First, the national trade organization for the Home Performance Industry. Presented by Kathy Magruder of the MD Clean Energy Center, this award acknowledges the dedicated efforts of a businessperson who has made an exemplary commitment of time and resources to encourage the success of the industry as a whole. Read more here.
At the 2010 Baltimore Regional Workforce Innovations Awards on November 10, TerraLogos received honorable mention in the Small Business, Big Ideas category. We take great satisfaction in our work with the Mayor's Office of Economic Development, which is pushing hard to create a vibrant and green economy that employs and benefits all our region's residents.
Lastly, in their December issue, SmartCEO magazine will be honoring us as an EcoCEO along with 19 other local sustainable businesses. We are proud to be in such fine company. There is a whole lot of work to be done as we transition to a sustainable clean energy economy. We welcome all business to join us on this path.
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| What We Do
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TerraLogos provides energy improvement contracting to find and fix the hidden energy leaks that cause high energy bills and make buildings uncomfortable.
Our process begins with a BPI Certified Energy Audit. The resulting report targets energy use reduction. But it's a 5-step process:
- We accurately diagnose the energy issues of your home or building;
- We create a cost-effective, prioritized treatment plan specific to your property;
- We properly perform your recommended improvements using our trained Building Performance contractors;
- We perform follow-up testing to ensure that the work was performed safely and completely;
- We assist you with filing for available incentives.
The TerraLogos process provides Maryland property owners with cost-effective solutions to simultaneously
- save money on utility bills,
- make homes and buildings more comfortable and healthy, and
- reduce our impact on the environment.
TerraLogos Energy Group
Your partner in energy efficiency
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| Join the TerraLogos Team
| We are looking for dedicated individuals with positive attitudes who can provide top level customer service. You can make a difference!
Positions Available:
Building Analyst
Contracting Coordinator
Marketing Intern
Click here for more details.
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| Energy Tip
Winter Warm-Ups
| The simple NO COST things really do make a difference.
Here's our list of FREE ways to save energy and be more comfortable.
1) Latch all your windows;
2) Drop all your storm windows;
3) Close your fireplace damper;
4) Close your garage door;
5) Drop your shades at night and let the sun in during the day;
6) Wear turtle-necks and wool sweaters -
it's winter!
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| Green Events
Expo & Classes
| Save these dates in the New Year!
Sunday, Jan. 30 we will be at Beth El Congregation, 8101 Park Heights Ave. Baltimore for their first
Green Expo. Please join us for the fun.
Saturday, Feb 26 we will be presenting a class on Home Energy Efficiency at the Irvine Nature Center in Owings Mills. That's a trail through their beautiful woods above.
Details on our Events Calendar here.
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| Sierra Club's
Top 100 Cool Schools
| Intercollegiate rivalry is a long and hallowed tradition. Sierra Club Magazine used that premise to launch their fourth annual Coolest Schools survey. They sent out an 11-page questionnaire to 900 colleges and universities across the United States, asking them to detail their sustainability efforts.
Check out who's the coolest here.
We were pleased to see Dickinson College in the #2 slot, as this is TerraLogos Building Analyst Rebecca Arnold's alma mater. We knew she earned her cool credentials honestly.
In addition, Peter Van Buren's school, Hampshire College, captured the respectable #10 spot.
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| World Energy Use
| Another cool tool from Google - here's an interactive graph that uses data from the World Bank to chart per capita energy use in different countries.
Check out the big and small dogs in world energy use. Gosh, I wonder who's #1?
See graph here.
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Follow Us |
We are now on Facebook and Twitter. Please click the "f" above to become a fan of TerraLogos on Facebook.
And click the "t" below to follow us on Twitter.
We will feature the latest information on energy efficiency both locally and nationally.
Look for our Blog on energy efficiency topics to start shortly.
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