Austin Texas Real Estate Blog

As the cost of oil rises into the record books, businesses, regardless of size, are looking for ways to reduce consumption, and thereby improve the bottom line. Managing energy costs has become a new industry as companies such as LPB Energy Management in Abilene, Texas, come into being and carve out a niche for themselves, advising businesses on lowering energy consumption.

Construction comes into play first and foremost, with details such as which way the building faces, how air and sunlight moves throughout the day, and how best to take advantage of existing topography. In Abilene, costly alternative energy sources are not as in demand as the consumer doesn’t have the benefit of selling extra power back to the utility grid. So, innovations in design and construction are needed to meet the desire for greener, more environmentally friendly buildings.

LPB has provided advice in energy management to the Abilene Independent School District. As a result, more efficient lighting systems – those that incorporate motion detectors – were installed in AISD’s newest building, Craig Middle School. Motion detectors are an easy, low cost way to realize an immediate savings in energy costs. The motion detectors have an added bonus of being a security feature.

The heating and cooling system at Craig is monitored and controlled at the central maintenance office, meaning the system can be powered down at a specified time to save on energy when no-one is occupying or using the building. Eventually, all systems within the AISD buildings will be monitored and controlled in this way.

LPB monitors electricity, water, and natural gas usage for its clients and plays a large part in negotiating the best rates possible from regional providers, and saves its customers the headache of wading through contracts and rate negotiation.

There’s no question that most states, particularly Texas, want their residents to build and reside in environmentally friendly homes. Statewide incentives are heavily advertised, and local builders are openly praised. Thus you are well aware of the regional benefits of building green. But are you also aware of the incentives outside of the state for eco-conscious construction? Have you, for example, looked into what the federal government is offering you?

There are numerous federal incentives for building and living in a “green home.” For instance, installing energy conservation measures to reduce the electricity or gas that you use daily warrants a tax break. Your gross income, come next April, will not include the value of the solar paneling or whichever device you chose to use. And if you think you can’t afford this step, think again. The federal government offers loans and grants to a variety of individuals and businesses for installing environmentally safe devices.

If you are starting from scratch, building a completely new home rather than simply installing an energy saving device, you have even more to gain. Depending on the methods you employ and materials you use, you could garner a $2,000 tax credit. At the very least, you’ll get a $1,000 credit; as far as minimums are concerned, that’s not bad at all.

So you see, it’s not just the state providing you with reasons to build green; it’s the country, too. There are numerous federal incentives waiting to be taken advantage of by you and your eco-conscious plans. All you have to do is know that they exist. To do that, visit the Green Building Initiative at thegbi.org. It has a database of benefits just waiting to be acknowledged by you.

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