CAN FLORIDA HELP SAVE THE PLANET WITHOUT BREAKING A SWEAT THIS SUMMER?
FLORIDIANS CAN BENEFIT FROM GREEN SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE TODAY, BUT ARE THESE SOLUTIONS WORTHY?
The green HVAC market in Florida is getting boosted in particular from federal and state support; and new manufacturing developments impacting the heating and cooling industry. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (D.O.E.), " on average, depending on size and consumption, Floridian households spend $2,000 a year on their electric bills, with the average home’s “carbon footprint” coming in at about twice the size of the average automobile.” Heating and cooling accounts for as much as half of a home's energy use. When dealing with humid and hot summers, Floridians know it is fun, but not all the time.
HOW FLORIDIANS WILL LOWER THEIR UTILITY BILLS BY PURCHASING HIGH EFFICIENCY UNITS
The D.O. E. estimates that Floridian homeowners can reduce energy bills by up to 20% merely by replacing old thermostats, central air conditioners and heat pumps with more efficient models. For example, Floridians can save up to $150 a year just by installing and properly setting a programmable thermostat. Typically, the Bryant Evolution® Heat Pump — a top of the line ultra-high efficient unit that has a dual function by heating and cooling homes — can cut utility bills by 20% to 30% because it offers a 19 SEER cooling and heating efficiency. The higher the SEER number, the more efficiently a product will produce cool air compared to a product with a lower number. For a unit to have the special Energy Star certification, its SEER rating must be at least 14. The Evolution® Heat Pump’s year-round value has earned a Consumer Digest Best Buy recommendation as one of the best most efficient heating and cooling methods available today. That’s one more reason how Florida Bryant Dealers are committed to do “whatever it takes” to live up to Bryant’s products reputation for reliability and long-lasting performance.
WHAT DOES PHASING OUT OF OZONE-DEPLETING REFRIGERANTS MEAN TO FLORIDIANS?
Another green development that benefits Floridians is the phasing out of ozone-depleting used as refrigerants in older conditioners. The United States began phasing out the use of the R-22 refrigerant to replace the hydro-chloro-fluoro-carbon (HCFC) refrigerant as of January 1, 2010. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "Companies are required to use R-22 refrigerants and alternative refrigerants for future HVAC equipment.” As companies worldwide race to upgrade chlorine-free refrigerants, Florida Bryant Dealers are proud to offer cooling products depleting chemicals such as CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) and HCFCs (Hydrochlorofluorocarbons) for the past 14 years. An air conditioner unit with Puron® refrigerant, for instance, is up to 6 percent more efficient than a comparable R-22 system recently mandated by the government in 2010.
FLORIDA HOME BUILDERS APPLY NEW BUILDING BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT
Further support for more efficient HVAC equipment comes from the DOE's Builder Challenge, which supports the construction of cost-effective, net-zero homes throughout the United States. The BTP — Building Technology Program's Builder's Challenge — was developed by the Department of Energy with the goal of offering "affordable net-zero energy homes by 2020 and net-zero energy commercial buildings by 2025." The Department of Energy claims that homes that have already been built with the BTP's Building America best practices "can use 40 percent less energy than comparable new homes." The ultimate goal of the program is to offer homebuyers the choice of buying a "cost-neutral, net-zero energy home (NZEH) anywhere in the United States" by 2030.
In fact, Florida’s dog days of summer can be “fun” (for lack of a better word). Summer in Florida is good as Floridians count with few years of great deals designed to help them help the Planet without terribly breaking a sweat . . . or the bank.