home energy audit: online software

You may use some free online software to audit your home’s energy efficiency. That software will help you to identify problems and misuses, and to know some measures to make your home more energy-efficient.

Data

The amount of data required by the online software varies with programs. Typically you must enter data involving your utility bills (12 month-summary), and basic information about your home: zip code (to determine the climate zone), number of occupants, age, square footage… That's the minimum.

Using Online Home Audit Software in non-USA states

The existing online (free) software is American and to assist American homeowners, but with a small trick you may use and apply it to your case, even if you live elsewhere.

To accomplish it, you just have to identify an American state or location with a climate similar to yours, and know its zip code, and use the software as if your home is located in that particular American state and location…

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Home Energy Saver

The best online energy audit software tool we know is the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Home Energy Saver. This tool estimates your total energy uses, and will give you the savings you will get for several recommended options.

As said above, this software reflects the American reality, and their several climates zones, but you can use it in other countries, as long as you choose the American state that most corresponds to your climate zone. You just have to know the zip code of an american region with a climate as close to yours as possible.

This tool is sophisticated and demands a lot of time and the entering of a large set of data concerning your home, and its particularities.

You can use it in Energy Audit Saver.

Energy Star energy auditing tool

Another interesting tool is the Energy Star Home Energy Yardstick.

This software is much more simple and less demanding in terms of data than the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s tool, but it’s also more limited. It just allows you to compare your home's energy efficiency to similar homes across US and get some recommendations.