A new energy calculator on tep.com provides a custom analysis of home electricity use and recommends ways to save energy and money.
Tucson Electric Power’s Home Energy Calculator, developed in partnership with Apogee Interactive Inc., begins with a few quick questions about the customer’s home size, construction type, appliances and number of household occupants. It factors in local weather and energy costs to provide a breakdown of energy usage, energy efficiency recommendations and correlating dollar-savings estimates. The analysis optimizes each user’s savings predictions, providing information specific to each particular customer.
“It’s simple for customers to use and gives them useful details about their energy consumption,” said Ray Martinez, TEP Program Manager for Residential Energy Efficiency Programs & Services. “We’re taking an effortless approach with this calculator. You don’t have to be an energy professional. It’s geared toward our everyday customers.”
The data is based on customer input and not actual metered usage. Accuracy when entering data will lead to the best results. “Apogee tools are the most accurate available on the market today,” Martinez said.
Customers considering the purchase of new heating or cooling systems can evaluate various options to see which provides the greatest energy efficiency and savings. Or they can see a breakdown of what energy they can save over time with more efficient lighting. TEP offers savings for purchasing LED and CFL bulbs from local retailers.
“Once they run the calculator, they can see month-by-month breakdowns of their simulated data of energy consumption through the seasons,” Martinez said.
The Home Energy Calculator might identify rebates available through TEP’s Efficient Home Program, which provides incentives for qualifying heating and cooling units and duct sealing. “We want to point customers to rebate programs that can help them save energy and money,” Martinez said.
TEP also offers rebates for qualifying variable-speed pool pumps.
For more information about TEP’s residential home energy efficiency programs and to identify participating contractors, visit www.tep.com/efficiency/home/efficienthome.
