Energy Saving ROI’s

Nest Thermostat
$249 at Amazon

A couple of weeks ago I discussed the Nest Thermostat.  (See that article here.)  One of the questions I have when I see something like this is whether there is return on investment (ROI) or in the case of green technology, is it Green That Saves Green?

According to Remodeling Magazine a programmable thermostat has a payoff in 1-10 years depending on the thermostat installed and the situation in which it will be used.  I’ve included some bare bones excerpts here, but for the complete article, check out page 40 in the November 2012 issue of Remodeling Magazine here.

Programmable Thermostat – Materials: $50-$350, Labor: 1-3 hrs, Estimated ROI: <1yr – 10yr

Low Flow Faucets & Fixtures – Materials: $1-$500+, Labor: 15 min – 4 hrs, Estimated ROI: <1yr – 5yr

Tankless Water Heater – Materials: $1,500-$3.500, Labor: 4-8 hr, Estimated ROI: 5yr – 15yr

Air Sealing – Materials: $50-$6,000, Labor: 4-40 hrs, Estimated ROI: <1yr – 8yr

Insulation – Materials: $200-$10,000, Labor: 4-100 hrs, Estmated ROI: 5yr – 15yr

On Demand Circulation Pump – Materials: $50-$150, Labor: 4-6hrs, Estimated ROI: 1yr – 2yr+

* The labor estimates above do not include travel time.