Going Green With a Social Energy App

It seems like there is an app for pretty much everything these days, and residential energy usage is no exception. A new Facebook app allows consumers to monitor their home's energy use while also providing a social media twist.

This social energy app was created with a combined effort from Facebook, software provider Opower, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and 16 different utility companies. App capabilities include benchmarking home energy usage against similar homes, comparing energy usage among friends, and sharing tips on how to be more energy efficient. This app is available to more than 20 million households within the 16 participating utility companies' territories.

This app is part of a larger movement towards building green and increasing energy efficiency across the nation. the Natural Resources Defense Council attorney, Brandi Colander, said, "If every household in the U.S. cut back electricity use by a mere 1%, that alone would cut more than $1.6 billion off of American's annual energy bills. That's the same as taking more than 1.2 million homes off the grid all together."Monitoring energy usage is simple and fun with the new app.

With new apps for just about everything coming out all the time, home owners are sure to see increasing number of ways they can improve their homes and lifestyles using social media. 

Look for more information on ways to maintain a green home in my online newsletter, Atlanta Home Magazine.