ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, helps consumers save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices. The ENERGY STAR Web site has resources for both homeowners and businesses to choose products and to make improvements. One section, Save Energy this Winter with Help from ENERGY STAR, offers detailed guides for sealing air leaks in your home, evaluating efficient heating and cooling systems, sealing ductwork and evaluating your home’s energy performance. Other sections provide highly useful information, such as the recommended levels of insulation for your home.

American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
ACEEE presents a range of topics about energy efficiency and public policy on its Web site. The site includes the Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings: Condensed Online Version and an order form for the full guide at http://www.aceee.org/consumerguide/. The site also has a checklist of actions you can take, frequently asked questions about energy efficiency, and suggestions about choosing a contractor to install improvements at your home.

U.S. Department of Energy
DOE publishes a wealth of information about saving energy. Its Web site includes rules and regulations that appliance manufacturers must comply with as well as the latest information on rulemakings, standards, and test procedures for specific products. Although it may be more information than many people might need, the data can help you understand how products should perform. Go to http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/. DOE’s site also has a collection of publications about building technology.

Energy Savers
Energy Savers, a Department of Energy program, offers information to help you save energy in your home, business, vehicle or industrial plant. You can download the handy booklet Energy $avers: Tips on Saving Energy & Money at Home. You’ll also find information on the Energy Savers site about the federal Partnerships for Home Energy Efficiency (PHEE).

Urban Options
Urban Options is a Michigan-based nonprofit community agency that provides energy and environmental information and services. Urban Options seeks to improve urban environmental quality through educational programs and demonstrations of practical and healthful home and yard improvements. Its site contains a number of do-it-yourself checklists and guides. In particular, see the well-illustrated weatherization guide.

Energy Outreach Colorado
Energy Outreach Colorado, which helps Coloradans afford home energy, has a helpful tips booklet called No Cost, Low Cost & Home Improvement Projects that Save Energy and Money at Home. You will also find a list of Certified Energy Raters that have the expertise to help Colorado homeowners, builders and others determine a home’s energy efficiency and the steps necessary to improve it.

RESNET
RESNET, the Residential Energy Services Network, provides lists by state of Certified Energy Rates. Home energy ratings offer a standard measurement of a home’s energy efficiency. Ratings are used for both new and existing homes. In new homes, ratings often verify energy performance for the ENERGY STAR homes program, energy-efficient mortgages and energy code compliance. After making improvements to existing homes, the rating can verify a home for the federal tax credit for energy efficient homes.

Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service has published regulations governing energy tax credits that were authorized by Congress in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. A tax credit can provide significant savings. It reduces the amount of income tax you have to pay. Unlike a deduction, which reduces the amount of income subject to tax, a tax credit directly reduces the tax itself. You can learn more about the available energy tax credits at the ENERGY STAR Web site. However, you or your tax adviser should consult the final IRS rules to determine what qualifies for the tax credit.

The Rocky Mountain Institute
The Rocky Mountain Institute, established by well-known energy-efficiency advocates Amory B. and L. Hunter Lovins, has grown from its focus on energy policy into a broad-based institution studying global resource issues. RMI’s Web site offers a wide array of information about conserving resources. Particularly useful are the pages about household energy efficiency.

Consumer Federation of America
The Consumer Federation of America offers A Consumer Guide to Buying Energy Efficient Products for the Home.

PATH
PATH, the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing, is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Housing and private housing developers and material manufacturers. It offers information about technologies to radically improve the quality, durability, energy efficiency, environmental performance and affordability of America’s housing. Information is available for homeowners, builders, remodelers, designers, real estate agents and others.

Energy and Environmental Building Association
The Energy and Environmental Building Association provides information mainly for professional home builders and contractors. It sponsors the Houses that Work educational series for professional builders. The program is based on research jointly conducted with the Department of Energy’s Building America program.

Efficient Windows Collaborative
The Efficient Windows Collaborative helps consumers control one of the biggest points of energy loss in a home. The group’s comprehensive Web site offers a selector tool for energy-efficient windows, discusses types of efficient windows and lists utility programs with incentives and rebates for installing more-efficient windows. The project was jointly developed by the University of Minnesota, Alliance to Save Energy and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, part of the U.S. Department of Energy, sponsors a building-envelope research program to find better ways to build and insulate homes and buildings. The laboratory’s finding about radiant barriers can reduce heating and cooling bills.

GAMA
GAMA, the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association, is a national trade association of manufacturers of residential, commercial and industrial appliances and equipment, components and related products. GAMA’s Web site contains consumers’ directories of certified efficiency ratings for heating and water heater equipment. It also has information about tax-eligible furnaces, boilers, water heaters and other equipment.

CEE
CEE, the Consortium for Energy Efficiency, develops initiatives to promote the manufacture and purchase of energy-efficient products and services. Its goal is to induce lasting structural and behavioral changes in the marketplace, resulting in the increased adoption of energy-efficient technologies. CEE has a number of natural-gas initatives.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has information about ventilation for homes. Ventilation for air quality is an important health concern. Proper ventilation also can minimize air leakage to control energy loss, improve comfort and minimize the buildup of moisture and pollutants.

Energy Information Administration
The Energy Information Administration, part of the Department of Energy, issues current data about the production and price of natural gas and other fuels. EIA has a detailed explanation of trends in natural gas costs paid by residential users. EIA also publishes extensive data about energy consumption by residential, commercial and industrial sectors.

Texas State Energy Conservation Office
The Texas State Energy Conservation Office helps Texans make the most of domestic energy, reduce state and local government energy costs and promote cost-effective clean energy technologies.

Energy Efficiency Resource Gateway
Energy Efficiency Resource Gateway offers helpful information about energy efficiency for residents of Louisiana.