July 2006 Click HERE for Past Issues Click HERE to Unsubscribe	Do you know someone who might enjoy receiving the Energy Quarterly?Enter email address below and click Submit		We've Changed Our Address! With the start of 2006, a number of state email and web site addresses changed. Dollar and Energy Saving Loans Nebraska Energy Statistics • Home • Energy Savers • Ask a Question Call 1-877-337-3463 Conservation Update A newsletter of energy efficient projects around the U.S.
A Click Away... State and Local Energy Building Codes for Nebraska Are Now On-line To help Nebraskans learn about the new Energy Building Code, the Energy Office created a new codes section at its web site. The site includes a database of state energy code requirements and more than 70 local codes, information on training opportunities and ways to purchase copies of the new energy building code. The adoption of a new Nebraska Energy Code — the 2003 International Energy Conservation Code — by the Legislature in 2004 created an opportunity to establish a database of all energy building codes used in local and county jurisdictions across the state. The Hows and Whys... Using Less Water On average, North American cities use twice as much water per person as Western European cities and seven times that used in developing countries. In the United States, five billion gallons of water are flushed down toilets each day. Use of low flow toilets would cut use to 1.5 billion gallons. Replacing standard 3.5 gallon toilets with 1.6 gallon toilets would save an average household 12,000 gallons of water per year. Up or Down... Where Are Gasoline and Diesel Prices Headed? In mid-June 2006, the Energy Information Administration and other analysts expected gasoline prices to fall somewhat over the course of the summer. One of the main factors supporting this view is that average wholesale gasoline margins have been significantly higher than in recent years beginning mid-March 2006. A $338,000 Grant... Nebraska Energy Office Receives U.S. Department of Energy's State Energy Program Grant In June 2006, the U.S. Department of Energy announced a grant award of $338,000 to the Nebraska Energy Office for work performed under the State Energy Program. The Nebraska Energy Office matches this grant with state funds from oil and natural gas severance taxes. These funds are used to provide energy efficiency services to consumers and other small energy users, and include the publication of the Nebraska Energy Office Annual Report and the Nebraska Energy Quarterly newsletter as well as... More News on Tax Credits... IRS Information on Commercial Building Tax Deductions In June 2006, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service issued an advance copy of a notice on how commercial building owners or leaseholders can qualify for a federal tax deduction by making their buildings more energy efficient. The commercial building deduction, which was enacted in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, allows taxpayers to deduct the cost of energy-efficient improvements... Summer Savings Ideas from the Environmental Protection Agency... Businesses Can Save Energy this Cooling Season with Help from ENERGY STAR With businesses and organizations facing high energy prices this summer, it's a great time to think about how you can reduce use and cut expenses. Taking several simple steps can help identify commonly overlooked areas for energy savings, and help establish an energy management strategy that saves money year after year. Some common opportunities for energy savings include: Not being aware of the efficiency of the facility and the opportunity for cost saving improvements ... Lots of Facts... Reporting to the Legislature Who could have guessed that since 1979, more than 57,000 homes in Nebraska have received free weatherization services? That’s just one of the information nuggets found in the 11 pages of the 2005 Nebraska Energy Office’s Annual Report to the Nebraska Legislature. Getting the Most from Your Energy Dollar... Energy Use on Farms and Ranches Energy is one of the more expensive components of raising crops and livestock. In fact, United States Department of Agriculture economists found nearly half the cost of production was being spent for energy because of rising energy costs. In this issue, the Quarterly profiles the ups and downs of using cow power... Questions and Answers... 5% Dollar and Energy Saving Loans Q: I plan to apply for a Dollar and Energy Saving Loan to replace the windows in my house. I also want to replace the propane hot water heater and propane radiant heat system with a corn furnace that would heat the water and circulate it through the radiant system & water system. Would these improvements qualify for the loan? News Bytes The Industrial Technologies Program E-Bulletin The monthly E-Bulletin provides news and resources from the U.S. Department Energy's Industrial Technologies Program. Each edition includes the latest industrial news highlights, announcements about new tools and resources, training events, and project opportunities. Energy 2006: Energy Management Workshop and Exhibition The federal government’s premier annual energy efficiency event of the year, Energy 2006 is scheduled August 6-9, 2006 in Chicago. The 3-day event includes topic sessions on: Planning, design and engineering strategies... USDA Loan Program Encourages Energy Efficient Homes In June 2006, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it will loosen its requirements for low- and moderate-income families buying energy efficient homes in rural areas through the Rural Development Section 502 homeownership loan program. The program, called Home Energy Advantage, has different qualifying ratios for home loans for up to two percentage points more... West Point Man Gets Utility Award Tom Goulette, city administrator and utility superintendent for West Point, Nebraska was selected in June 2006 by the American Public Power Association as one of four managers to receive this year’s Seven Hats Award. The award recognizes managers who perform a variety of duties in communities of 2,500 or fewer electric meters. Goulette has served as West Point’s utility superintendent since 1993... The Nebraska Energy Quarterly is funded, in part, by the U.S. Department of Energy through the State Energy Program. Ask The Energy Wiz! Answers to Your Questions In this issue, the Wiz answers a question about natural gas tankless water heaters versus standard tank water heaters... Send a Question

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