Virginia Energy Sense Invites Homeowners to Show Off Their Energy Efficiency for Statewide Showcase

RICHMOND, Va., May 8, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Virginia Energy Sense, the Commonwealth's consumer energy education program, has launched its new website featuring a Showcase of homes across Virginia highlighting the many ways residents can save energy and improve their home's comfort. 

Virginia homeowners are invited to submit their own residences for consideration in the Showcase at www.VirginiaEnergySense.org/Showcase/ and tweet to share how they're saving energy with friends and neighbors.

The Virginia Energy Sense program encourages all residents to "Value Your Power." It was created to help all Virginians understand their energy use and, more importantly, how to save energy easily and cost effectively. 

Virginia has set a goal to reduce energy consumption 10 percent below 2006 levels by 2022. Reaching this goal will help Virginians save money, and also help the state's economy and clean our air, land and water. That's why saving energy just makes good sense. 

According to a survey conducted by Virginia Energy Sense, 98 percent of Virginians say that saving energy is important, and 89 percent said homes with energy efficient upgrades are more valuable. But only 27 percent of Virginians feel they are highly knowledgeable about how to reduce electricity use, the survey found. 

"We're giving Virginians all the resources they need in a fun, interactive and easy-to-understand way so that our citizens can see the variety of ways they can make their homes more energy efficient and save money," says Andy Farmer, the Education Resources Manager for the State Corporation Commission, which manages the Virginia Energy Sense program. 

In addition to the Showcase, the Virginia Energy Sense website, www.VirginiaEnergySense.org, offers a host of resources for homeowners, businesses and schools, including:

• Tips for reducing energy use at home, school and work
• A customized Home Energy Test to help people understand how they can cut down on energy use and save money
• A step-by-step Do-It-Yourself home improvement guide
• A database of available financial incentives
• Local partners and energy efficiency resources 
• Education materials and activities for children and schools

Virginia Energy Sense will be at fairs, festivals and community events this spring and summer to provide information, answer questions and share energy-saving gadgets. For kids, there will be posters with easy tips and temporary tattoos of the "Energy Monster" featured on the program's Facebook game.

Families can visit the Virginia Energy Sense booth at upcoming events in their community, including the Powhatan County Fair on May 17-19 and Celebrate Fairfax festival on June 7-10.

About Virginia Energy Sense

Virginia Energy Sense is the Commonwealth's statewide consumer education and outreach program under the guidance of the State Corporation Commission. It was created by the General Assembly to help Virginia residents understand how to save energy at home, work and school in support of the state's goal to reduce energy consumption by 10%. Saving energy just makes good sense and Virginia Energy Sense encourages all Virginians to "value your power." The program provides tools and information to help consumers understand their energy bill and take action to reduce it. Visit us at www.virginiaenergysense.org or follow us on Twitter (Twitter.com/@VAEnergySense), Facebook (Facebook.com/VirginiaEnergySense), and Tumblr (VirginiaEnergySense.tumblr.com).

SOURCE Virginia Energy Sense