The food pyramid is the familiar triangle with grains at the bottom, fats and sugars at the top. Modeled on the food pyramid, the conservation pyramid is a guide for home improvements that will conserve energy and save you money. Like the food pyramid, the conservation pyramid reads from the bottom up, so start at the lowest level and work your way up because the improvements at the bottom of the pyramid are far more cost-effective than those at the top. Don’t proceed to a higher level until you’ve made the simpler improvements below that level. You will save money by starting at the bottom rung because the measures at the top of the pyramid include the most expensive improvements. Remember that the rules of the energy conservation pyramid are flexible — they are not set in stone because every house is different. Different climates, for example, call for different strategies in energy conservation. Here are the ten steps to the basic hierarchy of the conservation pyramid, with number 1 being the bottom:1. Denver home energy audit
The information you need is best obtained through a certified home energy audit. This determines your current energy usage. It then figures your energy waste with state-of-the-art technology for blower-door testing, combustion area zone testing and