Last fall, we published a long piece about how to make different types of Bay Area homes more energy efficient (download the free e-book here). This month, we’ve distilled the wisdom offered in that post and added a few more Green tips in honor of March, the greenest of months. Enjoy!

1. Implement a whole-house solution
Richard Hiteshew of A-1 Guaranteed Heating & Air, Inc. says people who want to “Green up” their homes should “reduce before they produce.” Read more

This article originally appeared on the blog of Sungevity, a Diamond Certified company.

Guest post by Leslye Penticoff

In April, California’s Governor Jerry Brown imposed mandatory restrictions on the state’s water use for the first time in history. The announcement coincides with the end of another disappointing winter season for local skiers, who looked on enviously as snowfall set records in New England. The evidence is clear: the drought in California is serious, and it’s getting worse. So, why is solar energy making us hopeful? Because solar energy requires little to no water to generate electricity, Read more

For more information on water conservation, visit our drought resource page here.

We’ve been encouraged to cut back on our water use for many months now, yet we’re still not conserving enough. So now the governor is ordering mandatory water use reductions with the specifics yet to be worked out by the individual water agencies.

Why have we been so slow to make changes in our water consumption habits? They say, “Replace your lawn with drought-resistant plants. Take shorter showers. Only do full loads of laundry. Get a rebate for a water-efficient toilet.” At some point, you wonder if we won’t change our behavior until our water bills skyrocket. Read more

Plumbing has been part of human civilization for a long time—even ancient Rome had sophisticated systems to facilitate water delivery and waste disposal. And while plumbing technology has continuously advanced over the years, development has never occurred more rapidly than in recent decades. Modern innovations have brought improvements in terms of energy efficiency and water usage, which in turn have created solutions to age-old problems. We asked four Diamond Certified Expert Contributors to talk about some of these plumbing innovations and how they can benefit today’s consumers. Read more

Water conservation is always a priority in California, but it’s even more important during times of drought, which is why now is a great time for Bay Area residents to focus on minimizing their usage and waste. Here are some helpful tips from three Diamond Certified Expert Contributors on how to maximize water conservation in your home and on your property.

1. Go low-flow. According to Jamie Rogers, president of Rogers Remodel Inc., one of the simplest ways to conserve water in your home is to replace faucet aerators, shower heads and toilets with low-flow models. Read more

Some of the most substantial water wastage in the home occurs while waiting for hot water to reach a sink or shower. Researchers estimate that in an average single-family household, 5 to 10 gallons of water go down the drain in this manner on a daily basis—a figure that has implications for both water conservation and water bills.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to reduce water loss in your home. One way is to install an ancillary device to improve the efficiency of your hot water delivery system. A recirculation pump, for example, keeps hot water flowing throughout the home’s plumbing system on a continuous loop, making it available with almost no delay. Read more

Being more efficient with your home water usage is often as simple as making a few modifications to your water-using appliances. Low-flow showerheads, faucets and toilets can save thousands of gallons and hundreds of dollars a year without sacrificing water pressure. Aerators can cut faucet water flow from three or four gallons per minute to as little as a half-gallon per minute.

Your plumbing contractor can also help you use your water more efficiently by suggesting ways to lessen your carbon footprint at a minimal cost. Ask your plumber to evaluate your whole plumbing system to see if there are any areas where water conservation could be improved. Read more