Downtown Condominiums - Living in a Greener Urban Condo Category: Life

As a resident of Downtown Norfolk, many facets of the city elicit a classic urban appeal that follows Norfolk's historical roots from a small settlement into a major industry center in Southeastern Virginia. While, the grimy, metropolitan sprawl does well to preserve the original architectural forms of centuries past, many of the condo buildings in Downtown Norfolk could use some modern updates to create a greener, and thus more cost-effective living space.

If you are like many Americans, saving money on your energy bills is probably a top priority. The "green" movement that has swept the nation within the past few years is no more prominent than in the domicile. Many condos in Downtown Norfolk that were built several years ago lack the modern technology that could turn your condo into a money-saving, eco-friendly residence. Here are a few things you can do to your Virginia condo to help your energy bill and the planet.

• Install a programmable thermostat. This can help to vastly reduce energy costs by managing the temperature of your condo while you are away or not using certain areas of the condominium.
• Use LED light bulbs to decrease energy used in lighting fixtures by over 75%.
• Plug in your appliances and electronics into intelligent surge protectors. Regular surge protectors suck energy out of you outlets even when the electronics plugged into them are not on. New surge protectors have motion detection capabilities to turn the outlet off, and thus save energy, when nobody is in the room.
• If remodeling the bathroom, consider a dual-flush toilet to decrease the amount of water used in the home by several gallons a day.
• Consider installing eco-friendly air filters to reduce particulates in the air system and increase the quality of the air.

By combining these fixes with a keen awareness for how energy is being used, your condo in Downtown Norfolk will become "green" in no time.