Cities across Illinois are lending residents a helping hand–and a calculator–to help control energy costs and conserve energy resources. Members of the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency are able to gain access to Home Energy Calculator software provided by Atlanta-based Apogee Interactive. The calculators are presented as part of the city website, allowing users to click on and get various estimates of energy costs.

The user inputs data based on energy use in the home, and the calculator outputs annual and monthly estimates while reminding users that “the results are not intended to be extremely accurate, but rather to provide a comparison platform to give you the differences between the energy your home is currently using (the “Base House”) vs. various ‘Scenario’ variations.” The user can then view the annual and monthly costs of the different scenarios.

The program, called the HomeEnergySuite® on the website, can answer many questions for consumers, from how much energy it takes to watch television to how much money can be saved by possibly replacing the windows in your home with more energy-efficient models. Users enter information in up to 22 categories about their homes, including type, square footage and lighting. The calculator uses weather measurements that are representative of the city where the user lives, which are then used in calculating electricity and fuel costs on a monthly basis.

City officials who have placed the Home Energy Calculator on their websites generally encourage residents to try the calculator as a way to save money or help determine if a purchase, such as new windows, can save money over a long period of time. An interactive house illustration is used to give users various energy-saving tips throughout a household.Cities that incorporate the calculator are promoting the common sense of saving money in a down economy, while also conserving energy, which should become a lifelong habit for everyone.