Recycling Directory
For recycling in your area contact Michigan Recycling Coalition (517) 485-9746.
Material Preparation
Commonly recycled items are glass, metal, newspaper and plastic bottles. Recyclables should be clean and free of contaminations.
Aluminum, Brass & Copper
Foil, trays, pie pans, no-deposit cans, patio furniture, window frames, siding, pipes, and fixtures. Clean all items. Removed labels and flatten cans. Remove any non-metal pieces, clean and break into manageable sizes. Keep separate from other types of metals.
Brown Paper Bags
Fold flat, bag or bundle. No plastic-coated or plastic bags.
Corrugated Cardboard
Flatten and bundle with twine. No waxed boxes.
Glass
Clear, green and brown glass containers. Rinse clean, remove lids (recycle with steel/tin cans) and separate by color. Window glass must be free of wood or metal framing. Please consult vendor for additional requirements of types of glass products accepted.
Magazines/Catalogs
With glossy, high quality paper. Bag or bundle in manageable 6-8" bundles. Do not mix with newspaper inserts or junk mail.
Office Paper
Letterhead, stationery, copy paper, etc. with any color ink. No thermal fax paper, tissue, or carbon paper. No adhesives, rubber cement, or rubber bands. Collect envelopes; manila folders; and dark, bright, or pastel colored paper separately.
Newspaper
All inserts that come with newspapers may be recycled with newspapers. Stack flat in brown paper or bundle with twine. Do not fold or crumple.
Steel (Tin)
Attracts a magnet. Clean, remove labels and flatten cans.
Resources for Energy Efficient Construction
This fact sheet is one in a series published by the National Association of Home Builders, with a grant from the United States Department of Energy. This and other fact sheets, available through NAHB's fax-on-demand line (800-329-6242) are intended to inform homeowners and builders about the opportunities, options, and benefits associated with making energy efficiency improvements during home construction projects.
There are hundreds of resources that can help you make an informed decision when purchasing an energy efficiency product or system. The following resources are just a few that can assist you in making wise purchases and may be available for purchase or library use at Urban Options in East Lansing, Michigan.
Books:
Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Retrofit information and guide to efficient appliances, lighting. 510-549-9914.
Cost Effective Home Building, NAHB Research Center. Guide to material saving techniques in home building. 800-638-8556.
Guide to Resource Efficient Building Elements, Center for Resourceful Building Technology. 406-549-7678
Resource efficiency publications, National Association of Home Builders. Constructed and maintains the Resource Conservation Research House. 301-249-4000
The Sourcebook for Sustainable Design, produced by the "Boston Society of Architects". A reference guide for building materials, products and systems.
Clearinghouses/Hotlines:
Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Clearinghouse (EREC). Operated by the U.S. Department of Energy. EREC provides free general and technical information to the public on the many topics and technologies pertaining to energy efficiency and renewable energy. See internet web sites listed below. 800-363-3732.
Energy-Star Buildings. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This EPA program encourages construction of energy efficient new homes. 888-STAR YES.
Michigan Businesses for Energy Efficiency. c/o Urban Options
(517) 337-0422.
NAHB Research Center Home Base Hotline. Provides assistance with technical questions about home building, including energy efficiency. 800-898-2842.
Computer Software:
Energy 10. Passive Solar Industries Council. 202-628-7400.
HOT2000. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). 613-947-3156.
Magazines/Newsletters:
Current and back issues available at the Urban Options library, 405 Grove St. East Lansing, MI
Energy Design Update. Arlington, MA. 800-964-5118.
Environmental Building News. Brattleboro, VT. 802-257-7300.
Fine Homebuilding. Newtown, CT. 800-888-8286.
Home Energy. Berkeley, CA. 510-524-5405.
Journal of Light Construction. Richmond, VT. 800-375-5981.
Organizations:
Alternative Energy Corporation. Research Triangle Park, NC. Training programs on air infiltration, duct sealing; information on efficient products. Publishes "Exemplary Home Builder’s Field Guide." 919-361-8000.
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Provides general and technical information on energy efficiency including a publication titled "Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings." They also publish an annual directory of the most efficient appliances. 510-549-9914.
American Home Lighting Institute. 312-644-0828.
Center for Resourceful Building Technology. Missoula, MT. Sustainable building consulting, information. 406-549-7678.
Energy Efficient Building Association (EEBA). 612-871-0413.
Florida Solar Energy Center. 407-638-1000.
Home Ventilating Institute. 708-394-0150.
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Offers a Michigan recycled materials market directory and information clearinghouse. 800-662-9278
Michigan Recycling Coalition. Coordinates a waste exchange program; also workshops and conferences. 517-327-9207
National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center. 800-638-8556.
National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC). 301-589-6372.
Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA). 413-774-6051.
Passive Solar Industries Council. 202-628-7400.
Rocky Mountain Institute. 303-927-3851.
Small Homes Council, University of Illinois. 217-333-1801.
Solar Energy Research and Education Foundation (SEREF). 2022890049.
Southface Energy Institute, Atlanta, GA. Building sciences and energy training, publications, consulting and research. 404-525-7657.
Urban Options. East Lansing, MI. Maintains Energy & Environmental Demonstration House. Offers publications, research services, educational programs. 517-337-0422
Product Directories:
Alternative Energy Sourcebook. Real Goods Trading Corp. 800-762-7325.
Consumers’ Directory of Certified Efficiency Ratings for Residential Heating and Water Heating Equipment. Gas Appliance Manufacturers Assoc. (GAMA). 607-753-6711.
Directory of Certified Refrigerators and Freezers. Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM). 312-984-5800.
Directory of Certified Unitary Equipment. Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute. This directory lists available air conditioners and heat pumps and includes efficiency ratings. 703-524-8800.
Efficient House Sourcebook. Rocky Mountain Institute. 303-927-3851.
Guide to Resource Efficient Building Elements (GREBE). Center for Resourceful Building Technology. 406-549-7678.
The Most Energy Efficient Appliances (annual). American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. 510-549-9914.
REDI Guide, Iris Communications. Directory of energy efficient and sustainable building materials. 800-346-0104.
Internet Sites:
MICHIGAN
Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry/Energy Division. Information on State services including home energy ratings and financial incentives
www.cis.state.mi.us/opla/erd/home.htm
Industrial Assessment Services
Industrial Assessment Center
http://www.engin.umich.edu/prog/pim/iac.html
Industrial Technology Institute
http://www.iti.org/
Information Services
Guide to Michigan’s Energy Product & Service Providers
http://urbanoptions.org/MBEE/guide/index.htm
Urban Options
http://urbanoptions.org/
Electric Utility Restructuring
Michigan Public Service Commission
http://www.commerce.state.mi.us/mpsc
Other State Offices
Department of Environmental Quality
http://www.deq.state.mi.us/
NATIONAL
Federal
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
http://www.eren.doe.gov/
Energy Information Adminstration
http://www.eia.doe.gov
National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC)
http://www.nfrc.org
U.S. EPA Energy Star Program
http://www.epa.gov/energystar.html
Non-Profit
Alliance to Save Energy
http://www.ase.org/index.htm
American Gas Association
http://www.aga.com.
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
http://www.aceee.org
Center for the Analysis & Dissemination of Demonstrated Energy Technologies
http://caddet-ee.org/
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
http://www.epri.com
National Energy Conservation Assoc.
http://www.mbnet.mb.ca/~neca/
Lawrence Berkeley - Environmental Energy Technologies Division
http://eande.lbl.gov/
Motors
DOE Motor Challenge Program
http://www.eren.doe.gov Search for "Motor Challenge Program"
Lighting
Energy Efficient Lighting Association
http://www.eela.com
Green Lights Program
http://www.epa.gov/greenlights.html/
The Lighting Resource
http://www.lightresource.com/index.html
Buildings/Construction
Energy Efficient Builders Association
http://www.eeba.org/
Environmental Building News
http://www.ebuild.com/
National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center
http://www.nahbrc.com
Oikos Green Buildings
http://www.oikos.com/
Sustainable Buildings Industry Council
http://www.sbicouncil.org/
U.S. Green Building Council
http://www.usgbc.org/
Residential Buildings
The Home Energy Saver
http://hes.lbl.gov/
Home Owners Guide to Energy Savings
www.its-canada.com/reed/savings/index.htm
RESNET
http://www.natresnet.org/
Lawrence Berkeley Labs, Center for Building Science. Has links to many other energy-related web sites. On-line computer modeling for houses available
http://eande.lbl.gov/CBS/eXroads/EnergyXroads.html
Alternative Fuels
Alternative Fuel Vehicles
http://www.natresnet.org/
Renewable Resources
The Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology (CREST)
http://www.crest.org/
Midwest Renewable Energy Assoc.
http://www.the-mrea.org
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
http://www.nrel.gov/
Sustainable Development
Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development
http://www.sustainable.doe.gov/
Energy Education
Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology (part of the Solar Energy Research and Education Foundation)
http://solstice.crest.org
Energy Quest
http://www.energy.ca.gov/education/
Florida Solar Energy Center
http://www.fsec.ucf.edu
The Sun’s Joules
http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/SJ/info.html
Urban Options Energy & Environmental Demonstration House.
Energy product and service directory, tour, fact sheets, and hot links
http://urbanoptions.org
U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse (EREC). Has energy efficiency information including fact sheets
http://www.eren.doe.gov/consumerinfo/
Utilities
The Utility Connection
http://www.magicnet.net/~metzler/
Energy Web Site Indexes ‘Jumping-Off-Points’
Energy Crossroads
http://www.eande.lbl.gov/CBS/eXroads/EnergyXroads.html
Global Energy Marketplace
http://gem.crest.org/
Gridwise Power Guide
http://www.gridwatch.com
Trade Associations:
Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA). ACCA publishes handbooks covering the design and installation of heating and cooling equipment and ductwork that are standards in the industry. 202-483-9370.
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI). ARI answers written inquiries about heat pumps, air conditioners, and refrigerators and publishes directory of available air conditioners and heat pumps and their efficiency ratings.
Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) Information Center. AHAM provides energy efficiency information for major appliances and runs a certification program for certain types of appliances. 312-984-5800 ext. 315.
Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association, Inc. (GAMA). 703-525-729565. The Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association answers questions on residential gas appliances and equipment, electric and oil-fired water heaters, and oil-fired warm air furnaces. Also publishes directory for water heaters.
Insulation Contractors of America. Can provide a list of member contractors for specific areas of the United States.
This directory identifies World Wide Web sites that were created by other organizations. Urban Options does not necessarily endorse the views of these web sites, nor do we guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information on these web sites.
