For people searching for information on energy conservation, the World Wide Web is a gold mine.
The Web is an ever-growing storehouse of facts and figures, however, and it can be a wily animal to tame. Finding the right information on the Web can be a truly frustrating experience, so we thought we would offer a little help for people seeking information on the Internet about energy efficiency and the home environment.
Here is just a handful of sites on the Web that specialize in information on energy efficiency. These sites are constantly evolving and being updated. And new sites are showing up everyday. The sites listed here are just the tip of the iceberg.
– Energy Crossroads (http://eande.lbl.gov/CBS/eXroads/EnergyXroad.html) is a web site produced by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory that directs users to more than 400 different energy efficiency links on the Web.
The links are organized by categories such as Businesses, Products and Services, Energy Software, Global Climate Change, Home Energy Rating Systems, Industry and Professional Organizations and government resources.
Each category then features several links. For example, under the heading of U.S. Federal Government Resources, links reach several U.S. Department of Energy sites, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other government resources.
For first-time or unexperienced Web browsers, this is a great starting place for tracking down information.
– The Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN) Web page (http://www.eren.doe.gov/links/links.html) is one of the more extensive sites when it comes to downloadable information.
A subdivision of the Department of Energy, the site has literally thousands of reports and publications that can be accessed via the Web.
For example, fact sheets focus on topics ranging from advances in glazing materials for windows to landscaping for energy efficiency. In addition to consumer-oriented information, the fact sheets also include organizations that can provide additional information as well as recommended reading lists on a topic.
In addition, the site has a search engine that allows you to plug in a keyword, such as “fireplaces,” and receive a list of citations of dozens of EREN documents.
There are also links to other energy sites, news and topics, and a section for children.
– The U.S. Department of Energy’s Web page (http://www.doe.gov/) is also a comprehensive site, offering access to departmental resources, department news and topics and listings of people and organizations connected to the department.
– EnergyNet (http://teaparty.terc.edu/energy/energy.html) is a science project that allows students from across the country to conduct energy efficiency tests–such as analyzing their school’s lighting and heating systems–and then post the results of those tests on the Internet.
There are also options for discussion groups and resources.
– The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (http://www.nrel.gov/) is another comprehensive clearing house of information that’s perfect for exploring.
For example, under the category of Clean Energy Basics, you can investigate information about such topics as drawing energy from the sun, the wind, plant life, water and the Earth’s heat. You can also read about energy resources for consumers, small business and industries.
There are also categories on Science & Technology, News & Events, Global & Local Partnerships and Data & Documents.
– Energy Ideas Clearinghouse (http://Web01.energy.wsu.edu/ep/eic/) is the home page of a Washington state-based organization that offers pages of data related to energy efficiency as well as numerous links to other Internet-based energy efficiency groups.
A highlight of this site is downloadable software, such as a program that analyzes BTUs, a lighting design demonstration program and a window design and selection demonstration program.
– The Rocky Mountain Institute’s Web site (http://www.rmi.org/) offers a number of FAQs (frequently asked questions) about energy efficiency issues such as making a new or existing home more energy efficient, keeping a home’s indoor environment healthy and non-toxic, and using solar energy and other forms of renewable energy. It also provides information on energy- and water-efficient appliances for the home.
The organization, a nonprofit research and educational foundation, also offers a number of its publications online as well as information about its research activities.
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Got a question about home energy or home environmental issues? Write to Energy Q&A, Chicago Tribune, Your Place section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 4th Floor, Chicago, Ill. 60611. Or you can e-mail energy qa@aol.com. Questions will be answered only through the column.
