Santa Barbara Home Site - Home Design and Decor, Garden and Landscapes, Real Estate

Green Living

Explore Sunstone Winery & Villa SunTerra

When Linda and Fred Rice set out to build Villa SunTerra on the hillside above Sunstone Winery in the Santa Ynez Valley, they intended it to be an extension of the principles upon which they'd built their life together... environmental preservation, organic growing, the celebration of food, family and friends and a commitment to... Read more

Solar Energy

Ten steps: Get Started with Solar 1. LEARN ABOUT SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES For general information about the different solar technologies, visit the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy office of the U.S. Department of Energy at www.eere.energy.gov/solar or visit the California Energy&nb... Read more

Solar Financing

Your financing options UPFRONT PAYMENT If you have the capital to purchase a solar system by paying cash up-front, this option will give you the fastest return on investment because you will not be paying interest. HOME EQUITY LOANS Solar projects have traditionally been financed through a home equity line... Read more

Better Transportation

Ten steps: Get Started with Better Transportation 1. SHARE A RIDE Ridesharing is the easiest way to quickly double or triple your gas mileage. It’s easy with Traffic Solution’s online ride matching! Find someone with a similar commute pattern. www.trafficsolutions.info/c... Read more

Efficient Water Heating

Five Steps: Get Started with Water Heating 1. LOWER THE WATER TEMPERATURE Reduce your water heater thermostat to 120 degrees—or to the low to medium setting. Each 10 degree reduction will save three to five percent on your water heating costs. 2. INSTALL LOW-FLOW FIXTUR... Read more

Home Performance

Five Steps: Get Started with Home Performance 1. GET TO KNOW YOUR HOME By looking at your home’s performance, you’ll be evaluating the weakest links in your home and setting priorities to get the most bang for your buck. Start by looking for any problems or concern... Read more

Home Conservation

Ten steps: Get Started with Home Conservation 1. FIND THE ENERGY VAMPIRES (PHANTOM LOADS) Look into how much energy your appliances waste while in standby mode. One way to do this is to use a Kill A Watt meter, which helps you identify what appliances are using the most el... Read more

Rebates and Incentives

Around the home Home renovations are now more affordable with rebates from Energy Upgrade California (EUC), a program offered by the state of California and investor owned utilities. The Basic Upgrade Package includes seven required measures that together can reduce your energy consumption by an average ... Read more

Better Lighting

Five Steps: Get Started with Better Lighting 1. TURN OFF THE LIGHTS IN UNOCCUPIED AREASTurn incandescent bulbs off when they aren’t being used. With compact fluorescent bulbs, turn them off if the room is unoccupied for more than 10 or 20 minutes. Consider posting signs by switches in rooms that are unoccupied for long pe... Read more