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Reviews written by registered user
|2083 reviews in total
I was really excited for EX3 for some reason. I didn't care much about
the PG-13 rating -- based on the trailer and the inclusion of fresh
talent behind the lens, I thought Stallone was trying to take the
franchise toward a Fast&Furious action film route, and I didn't
necessarily have a problem with that if it turned out well enough.
Plus, I miss Mel Gibson (if we judged actors on their personal lives
there wouldn't be many fanclubs left) so the idea of seeing him chew up
scenery as a villain sounded fun.
But the movie...just sucks. The editing is bad. Patrick Hughes perhaps was overwhelmed with the $100 mil budget and didn't know how to handle the action sequences, or perhaps they were just toned down for the PG-13 rating, but they're often so quickly and chaotically chopped up that you can't even tell what's going on. The stunts have become self-parody (just witness Terry Crews flying through the air like he can fly during that car chase early on), and the movie lacks a fun narrative. It also lacks suspense.
The introductions of the actors are so poorly handled. Arnold appears just randomly standing around in the back of a shot in a hospital. Huh? His appearance in EX2 was great. The sense of build-up is similarly lacking when Mel Gibson just stumbles into frame along with a bunch of other bad guys, or when Harrison Ford just shows up to grumble some Bruce Willis disses and then disappears for the rest of the movie... or when Jet Li just randomly appears next to Arnie for a single scene before peacing out.
Wesley Snipes fares the best but that's not saying much. Gibson does the villain routine well enough but the role and the story background for his character just isn't fresh or deep enough to care too much about, so the big showdown between he and Stallone lacks even the dramatic weight of the surprisingly effective and dramatic Jean Claude Van Damme fight in EX2.
Look, ultimately none of these movies have been great. Expendables 1 looked like a straight-to-DVD movie with horrible, bleak cinematography and lighting, but it scored a couple cool moments, like the church scene and that otherwise out-of-place epic Mickey Rourke monologue. (Speaking of which, Rourke is sorely missed.)
EX2 went more for the comedy route which worked well enough, and it was a fun one-time viewing. Neither movies were particularly memorable, but they had memorable moments.
EX3 had the opportunity to take the franchise in a new direction, but instead, it comes across as totally cold, cynical and calculated. It's also just not any fun. When Kelsey Grammar shows up to start bringing in the younger 'tech-savvy' recruits, I found myself surprised by how utterly bored I was. Guys like Kellen Lutz are black holes of charisma with little acting talent, so for them to take up a good portion of the movie's runtime is a crying shame.
Ultimately, the PG-13 rating has nothing to do with the movie's faults, apart perhaps from the choppy action scene editing. Where the movie truly fails is that it is a giant moot point. The entire point of the Expendables is bringing back '80s action icons and having them go to war. By relegating them to supporting characters and bringing in younger recruits? That undermines the entire point of the franchise, and makes it seem like a very cynical attempt at moving forward with a younger cast to take over the reigns in the future. But that's not why people are paying to see these movies, as evidenced by its dwindling box office returns.
"Sabotage" looked amazing on paper, and at one point early on in
production, it was one of my most highly-anticipated action films.
First of all, you've got David Ayer coming fresh off the critical and
commercial success of "End of Watch," one of the best cop films in
recent memory; then you've got a pretty good supporting cast
(Worthington, Howard and Manganiello are fine enough for the kinds of
roles they're playing here). But mostly you've got Arnold playing his
least quintessential role -- what I mean by this is that, over the
years, even in his more dramatic fare, Arnold has always enjoyed self-
posturing and falling back on his reputation when he plays characters.
There's nothing wrong with that, but at a certain point, the wink-wink,
nudge-nudge stuff gets a bit repetitive; I thought "Last Stand" was a
fun spaghetti western, but it was Arnold playing an older Arnold,
complete with the "I'll be back" puns and jokey homages to older films.
What excited me about "Sabotage" was that it appeared Arnold had taken a decidedly un-Arnold role, which is to say that most any other aging, dry actor could have taken this on. From the haircut to the makeup (grizzled and riddled with tattoos), this was NOT Arnold playing Arnold. Apart from one throwaway line about a character's "48 percent body fat," this is the first time - maybe since the original Terminator - that Arnold has attempted to play someone other than himself, really, unless you count failures like End of Days, but even then he had a bit of the tongue-in-cheek stuff going on (and the film was crap to boot).
But what made it even more interesting was that, at the same time, the movie shared the whole Agatha Christie and-then-there-was-one plot device that "Predator" made use of. So it was kind of an interesting thing -- we've got a similar set up (an elite gang of mercenaries being picked off one-by-one by an unseen foe, with Arnold left trying to defend himself and his men) but a completely different approach in both tone and character.
With that in mind, I'm very sorry to say that Sabotage not only is a crushing disappointment, but ranks with some of Arnold's worst movies. I mean, I don't know how to describe it other than... this film left a really bad taste in my mouth.
As for Arnold? I love the guy, but maybe this is why it was best for him not to have attempted to play characters much beyond his own image. He tries, but his more earnest line readings are often pretty stiff and unnatural, and it must be said: he's just not really that believable in the role. Chalk it up to the accent, the mediocre line delivery, or the lack of chemistry with his cast members, but there's just something missing here, and as the film drags on you begin to realize how awkwardly cast it is with him in the lead. That pains me to say because I'm a fan of the guy and I was really excited to see him play a more unusual role, and thought it was a wise career move on his part to move beyond the wink-wink roles like Expendables and Escape Plan, but... maybe I was wrong.
But maybe it's not just Arnold. There's ultimately something very crass and callow about this film, and it's not just because it's overly violent, but rather, I think, because of how gleefully it tends to display the violence. It's not that strong violence bothers me, but compare how it was used in Predator to how it is used in Sabotage. Part of it may be the contrast between the ultra-realistic violence (think End of Days with the gritty hand-held style camera work and realistic- looking bullet wounds) and the absolutely ridiculous action sequences in the film (the movie's car chases are pretty poorly executed and unbelievable).
I don't know. I wanted to love this movie. It ended up being so distasteful to me that I couldn't even enjoy it as a guilty pleasure, and it lacks the goofy retro charm of something like Escape Plan so ultimately it just comes across as a forgettable attempt at a modern action thriller with a bungled approach both in front of and behind the camera. Given the talent involved this is definitely one of the biggest "What went wrong?" head-scratchers in recent memory. A shame, because if you look at this film on paper it reads like it could have been one of the Austrian Oak's finest rather than one of his worst.
Matthew McConaughey has truly been on a roll lately. After scene-
stealing roles in Killer Joe, Bernie and Magic Mike, he followed up
with a brilliant lead performance in Jeff Nichols' Mud, another scene-
stealing cameo in Scorsese's Wolf of Wall Street, and a potentially
Oscar-winning lead role in Dallas Buyers Club, one of the best films of
Somewhere in among all those projects he managed to film this HBO miniseries with old pal Woody Harrelson. The result is revolutionary and gripping: an eight-episode miniseries with two huge actors, with a relatively small cast and crew behind it. This is essentially a movie split up into a mini-series but with the concept that each 'season' will feature two new A-list actors. HBO continues to set the bar high for cable programming and storytelling in general.
True Detective just finished up its fourth episode, the strongest yet, which featured an epic six-minute-long one-shot camera take (they may have used some clever editing a la Children of Men but the end result is impressively seamless). This is a great mix of wonderful acting, solid script-writing, and impressive technical direction. The tone of the show is hauntingly eerie and makes good use of its southern locale.
All in all, this could easily go down as one of HBO's premier programs and two of the best performances of its lead actors' respective careers. Who would have ever thought McConaughey would have been in this position a few years ago? Talk about a career revival.
I enjoyed "Pitch Black" when it came out in 2000 but admittedly never
got around to seeing the higher-budgeted sequel, which was both a
commercial and critical under-performer in 2004. There probably never
would have been another sequel if the Fast and Furious franchise hadn't
reinvigorated Vin Diesel's star power -- he is if nothing else quite a
wry businessman, and, as a producer of the 'Fast' series, which has
been hugely successful for Universal, part of his contract stipulation
for signing on to films six, seven and eight was that the studio would
fund a third Riddick movie.
Thus, after many years, we have another film featuring the character Riddick. Listening to fans who were underwhelmed by the PG-13 wannabe- franchise over-reaching of the second movie, Riddick apparently returns to the roots of Pitch Black, with plenty of foul language, ultra- violence and full-frontal female nudity within the first 20 minutes, all basically just to titillate fanboys who cried afoul of the PG-13 rated first sequel.
The beginning of the movie is quite good, as it features Riddick (Diesel) trying to survive on an alien planet. This extended sequence eventually comes to an end, which is a shame, because it's the best part of the movie.
Then we get a very fan-oriented you-won't-understand-it-if-you-are-a- casual-fan storytelling device that thrusts Riddick into a man-vs-team- of-mercenaries scenario reminiscent of the original movie. Problem is, it's never quite as thrilling or fun as the first movie, and the glaringly poor CGI (it was funded on a relatively low budget with plenty of obvious green-screening) really detracts from the experience.
Riddick is by definition a vanity project for its star, as he literally demanded the studio fund it in order to star in another one of their pictures, and it's clear that both Diesel and director/writer Twohy love Riddick and attempt to truly mythologize the character, framing him stoically and often displaying his actions in a kind of prophetic slow- motion glory. At a certain point it becomes increasingly laughable and kind of awkward and it's clear that Diesel and Twohy were both surrounded by too many yes-men (in fact, they probably were each other's yes men) and someone should have intervened to bring them down to earth a little bit.
The action isn't particularly great, the effects are atrocious, and it's never as simplistically fun as the original Pitch Black because it tries to tie in waaay too many mythologies and story lines within its own universe.
What this all means is that, for the minority of die-hard fans of the franchise/character, "Riddick" the movie will be exactly what they want. But for casual fans like myself and the majority of movie-goers -- who perhaps saw the first one or two films in the series but don't recall every minute detail of the franchise's universe -- it will prove to be a frustratingly alienating experience, akin to a non-Trekkie watching one of the lesser "Star Trek" movies from 15 - 20 years ago, when they were so self-reliant upon their own closed world that they completely failed to connect with the mainstream.
I'm not bashing Riddick for being fan-serving -- it is, after all, a vanity project made almost exclusively for fans, and I'm happy for them if this is the movie they waited 10 years for. I will say, however, that for casual filmgoers, it will prove to be a frustrating experience, and many recent sci-fi series (like the "Trek" reboot) have proved that it's possible to make great entertainment that panders to die-hard fans while still pleasing the casual movie-goer. "Riddick" may have done better financially and critically if it had attempted the latter.
Alan Partridge has been through a very interesting evolution, both as a
character and in terms of the comedic format he is presented in. He
began as a kind of sleazy talk-show host on radio program The Day
Today, which carried over into the extremely funny (and uncomfortable)
talk show parody "Knowing Me Knowing You" on TV, before transferring to
a sitcom format for a 30-minute scripted series following him after the
cancellation of his TV show. "I'm Alan Partridge" tweaked the character
a bit, presenting him less as a young and greasy talk host and as more
of an older, failed dimwit, retaining his trademark narcissism but
making subtle changes to his attire. This was, for my money, the
pinnacle of Partridge, as those two series -- the first in '97, the
second in '02 -- were comedy masterpieces. Coogan has failed to ever
create another character as unforgettable as Partridge, despite the
underrated Saxondale.
But something interesting happened within the past few years: Armando Iannucci, reeling from the success of his political comedies The Thick of It and Veep, changed the format for Partridge again. Alan re-emerged in the format of an online radio podcast for Folgers beer, which was called Mid Morning Matters. Lacking the laugh track or the typical broad strokes of Alan's humour, this could have been a huge backfire -- but it actually presented a very interesting new side to Alan, a dryer, more subtle side.
The shift in tone may be jarring to some viewers who are coming to the movie fresh from the old TV show, but rest assured, Alan is still very funny. The movie is a smashing success. Hilarious from start to finish, it's framed in a way that assures -- as it parodies action film tropes - - it will be very funny even to casual audiences...but particularly more-so to longtime Alan fans (how refreshing it was to see Lynn and Michael back again!).
I hope this spawns another film or at least another series. I haven't quite gotten my fix of Alan.
For fans of the movie looking for more, check out Alan's audiobook (read by Coogan in character) which was released a year or two ago. Very funny stuff, and a great companion piece to the movie.
I'm confused by the reviewer (whose comment was featured on the IMDb
page just now) who seemingly despised this program and wrote it off,
apparently, because he or she felt Andre Braugher deserved better.
I find this review odd, because "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" - if nothing else - comes across as a very likable show.
Thankfully spared of talking-head interview segments that have dominated the American comedy scene since The Office, this show also thankfully features no laugh track. Thus, it both has the feel of an old-fashioned sitcom without the dated quality of one. It's actually quite a clever premise: it's a "cop show" but set in the workplace environment. This is a clever move as the show is able to subvert some of the stereotypical police procedural elements while also keeping stuff grounded and relatable by keeping the majority of the antics constrained to the police station.
The cast is talented all across the board. One thing you might find as the show grows is that Andy Samberg will become more subdued in his approach. I say this because as of now he is clearly the "star" of the show and, as such, he's often given a lot of LOUD dialogue -- but this also happened to the Leslie Knope character in "Parks and Recreation," and she ended up organically evolving into a much smarter and more likable character. I think once Brooklyn Nine-Nine finds its own footing and more firmly establishes its characters, things will settle into place. It's still a bit shaky but it's just the freshman season flaws. Very few comedy shows are at their best in their first seasons.
I'm enjoying this quite a lot so far - it's not must-see-TV or anything of the sort, but it's likable, entertaining and shows a lot of promise. The talented cast really elevates the material and the show manages to subvert cop show clichés and workplace TV comedy tropes without seeming overly cynical or snide about it. That's really the best word I can think of summing it up with: likable.
When I saw ads for "Hello Ladies" in a men's magazine, I was pretty
excited. I have a love-hate relationship with Ricky Gervais and Stephen
Merchant: I think "The Office" is brilliant, "Extras" unfairly
maligned, and am most of all a fan of their podcast series with Karl
Pilkington. But they can also be off-putting: Gervais at times seems
like he has transformed into his egotistical character David Brent, and
Merchant has seemed suspiciously detached from their last few outings
together (I'm not into rumor-mongering, but I'd be remiss to mention he
was absent from the last series of An Idiot Abroad altogether, as well
as the "Learn English with Ricky Gervais and Karl Pilkington" web
series -- not to mention they haven't released any new podcasts in a
few years now, all signs pointing to a desire on his part to leave the
past behind).
Merchant seems like he's struggling to break free of the Gervais association, and so this HBO series (which is co-produced, incidentally, by Eisenberg and Stupinsky, the guys behind the American adaptation of The Office) finds him running solo. Merchant, like Gervais, excels at awkward situational humor. This series at times is extremely cringe-worthy, just like the greatest moments of The Office and Extras.
Here are some problems, though:
Merchant's character, as many critics have noted, is fairly unlikeable. This worked for Gervais as Brent because he was first and foremost a supporting character in the larger picture -- Tim and Dawn's relationship was what gave the series a backbone and a heart, and Brent was allowed to kind of seep into the program through the corners and find his own emotional core. But if The Office had just been about Brent being a miserable boss every episode, I do think the show wouldn't have resonated quite as strongly. Brent was also unaware of his own horrible actions, whereas Merchant's character in Hello Ladies seems happily self-aware.
The key to making a series like this is to have the main character be relatable to audiences. As a single 20-something young professional, I can relate to the single club scene and the frustrations of a bachelor lifestyle. Merchant wisely exaggerates the pathetic underbelly of the Los Angeles nightlife, with aspiring actresses and sleazy guys trying to work their way up the social ladder.
But instead of allowing his character to find himself lost in this haze, Merchant actually makes his character even more unlikeable than many of the people he's ostensibly doing social battle with.
This produces a stream of inconsistency in the character which is hard to shake. An example: in the first episode of the show, Merchant's character, creepily trying to hit on a beautiful woman way out of his league, inadvertently spends hundreds of dollars ordering drinks at a swanky nightclub. This is played for laughs, but never for a moment does he hesitate the way a normal person might: he puts the drinks on his tab and keeps trying to hit on her.
But in episode three, he takes a really cute girl out on a date (a girl many might say is out of his league, mind) who keeps trying to initiate conversation with him. But he can't focus on the conversation because he's too distracted by the high price of the wine bottle (he frequently excuses himself to privately tell the waiter that the $70 bottle is too expensive).
OK, let's consider this for a moment. Is it funny? At face value, yes, because all of us can relate to a situation where we've been casually forced into spending way more than we want to, especially during something like a first date. But it doesn't jibe with the character, because just two episodes earlier, he was willing to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on a girl who he had far less of a chance of sleeping with.
In another episode, Merchant's character is doing yoga and cockily hits on a beautiful woman next to him. But in other episodes, his ineptitude and shyness around women is played for laughs. So which is he? An arrogant jerk or a timid geek?
Merchant is so overly focused on making situations awkward that, as a result, his character doesn't ring true, and often the comedy feels quite contrived.
Having said all that, I do enjoy it, and I think there's room for improvement. The leading co-star, played by Christine Woods, really steals the show from Merchant with her easy charm. She's essentially the "straight man" from a comedy perspective and, honestly, her character and her plights are waaay more interesting (and consistent, and realistic) than Merchant's. I like Merchant, but the roles should be swapped if he's not going to develop his character further or make him more likable. I'm four episodes in, and at this point I care way more about Woods' character than Merchant's.
The show is entertaining, though. It's just not anywhere near the level of perfection of The Office or really even quite as funny as The Office. I think Merchant is simply trying too hard and needs to re-evaluate both his character, and where he wants to take the show. If it's just a sleazy, opportunistic guy trying to pick up women every episode (and being cruel and sadistic to his friends in the process), then it'll get old really fast. He needs to give his central character a more empathetic core, and a greater consistency in tone, and allow the awkward situations to evolve organically rather than force them to happen.
I could see these improvements taking place, and hopefully by the end of its first season the show will have evolved into something greater than just a reasonably entertaining program.
Man, what happened to Rourke? After "The Wrestler," he had a second act
career resurgence that appeared to be another great Hollywood comeback
story. He had a string of high-profile blockbuster films --
"Expendables," "Iron Man 2" among them -- and a whole list of films on
IMDb that were slated in pre-production, many with large casts and
He swore in all his cover story interviews around the release of The Wrestler that he'd "learned his lesson" the hard way by bad-mouthing Hollywood in the '80s and '90s, and that he wouldn't allow his career to become ruined again, as he had resorted to straight-to-video flicks in the late '90s and early '00s when his career was in truly dire straits. (He claims a narrative that he was out of work entirely for a decade, but the truth is, he was just appearing in really crap films.)
But he didn't heed his own words of wisdom. Within a couple years, these things had happened: he publicly dissed The Expendables 2, claiming he wouldn't return unless they paid him more. He was never cast in the film, and the plot was re-written to involve a younger character in his place. After the worldwide success of EX2, which could have been another franchise for Rourke, a producer on the film was asked whether he'd be back for round three. "Maybe if he doesn't act so crazy," was the reply from the producer. As of September 29th, the third film is in production, and Rourke's name is absent from the cast.
He also publicly bad-mouthed writer/director Martin McDonaugh (In Bruges), claiming he wasn't being paid enough by the "creep" to star in the film Seven Psychopaths; he dropped out, and was replaced by Woody Harrelson. The film wasn't a big hit financially, but critics loved it, and it had a huge ensemble cast. Instead of starring in that film, he starred in a straight-to-video movie with Kellen Lutz...if you don't know who that guy is, it's because he was one of the shirtless vampires in Twilight.
Then he bad-mouthed Marvel Studios, claiming they butchered Iron Man 2. Not a huge deal since his character had no chance of coming back anyway, but it's more burnt bridges. He also annoyed the crap out of Robert Downey Jr on the set of the film (RDJ went out on a limb for him and fought to have him cast in the film after Rourke's pay demands were deemed too high by Marvel, btw); apparently his Method Acting routine was hugely obnoxious to cast and crew, as he demanded odd flourishes such as blaring Gnarls Barkley's song "Crazy" at full volume before filming every one of his scenes.
My point of this long-winded rant is that Mickey Rourke has essentially ruined what could have been a golden opportunity comeback to fulfill his early potential as one of the great actors of all time, and now he has resorted to starring in utter dreck like this film, which is an absolutely abysmal production and something that any actor should be embarrassed to list on their resume.
It's a standard revenge flick, set in a western atmosphere. It is poorly made (the low budget stands out at every turn), poorly acted (Anthony Michael Hall is the villain - enough said), and poorly shot (the lighting is atrocious at times). Danny Trejo has experienced some kind of grindhouse-type career revival thanks to Robert Rodriguez, but he's best buried as a minor character in ensemble films, and he does not have the charm or charisma to carry a full-length picture.
The only remotely interesting thing about this film? Rourke plays the devil incarnate. Which, if you've ever seen his 1987 psychological thriller "Angel Heart," is an interesting twist. Unfortunately this film isn't remotely similar to Angel Heart in any other regard, which was one of the best films of the 1980s in this humble critic's opinion; Dead in Tombstone, by contrast, is Dead On Arrival (har, har) and a truly bad film.
Rourke, you only have yourself to blame for this.
"The Michael J. Fox Show" is about as generic a sitcom as its title. It
sucks to admit this, since Michael J. Fox is such a likable talent, and
solely on the basis of his returning to television, I *wanted* to like
this new show -- but it just isn't that great, and barring a huge
revamp of its approach, I doubt there will be much room for
It is a modern sitcom, which is to say it has been inspired by Modern Family with its talking head interviews, which don't flow very naturally with the procession of the storyline.
Obviously there's no dismissing the elephant in the room, which is Fox's battle with Parkinson's Disease, but...the show goes the opposite route, by embracing it and poking fun at it a little too much. We're supposed to feel comfortable with the sitcom put-downs and quips at his expense because he's cool with it, but that doesn't make them any less uncomfortable, to be totally honest. Honestly, they'd have been better having a couple jokes in the beginning of the episode, then moving on. Instead, they've worked the entire NARRATIVE of the show around his disease -- his character, Mike Henry, is a hugely famous broadcaster who had to quit at the peak of his career due to his Parkinson's struggles. Sound familiar?
The show keeps beating you over the head with this, which, I guess, I could put up with more, if the supporting cast - and writing - compensated. Neither does. From the promiscuous aunt character to the precocious teenager, these are all tired caricatures and none of them quite feel real.
Perhaps most disappointing is that in struggling to overcome all these obstacles he's faced with, Michael J. Fox isn't even given much to work with. He carried Spin City with his easy charm, but with this program he's basically the brunt of a lot of jokes about his physical ailment and playing an exasperated dad whose family is constantly ribbing him -- it's just not that funny or amusing.
I hope it improves, but frankly, they'd have to revamp the whole show and its format, I think, to overcome these problems. I'd be very surprised if this lasts beyond a single season.
"The World's End" is receiving rave reviews from fans of the Simon
Pegg/Nick Frost/Edgar Wright trilogy, but I have to wonder how much of
that is based on fondness for the other two and what the overall arc of
the series represents.
You see, I loved the first half of The World's End almost as much as the other two, Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. But halfway through it begins to fall apart; the over-the-top comic violence (involving Stepford Wives-style robots infiltrating a small town) gets tiresome, and the big preachy moral message at the end is nailed in with a huge hammer, something the other two films (both of which also had moral messages about friendship, among other things) managed to avoid.
I feel like this is, for lack of a better description, the 'geekiest' of the trilogy and the one most likely to be salivated over by the die-hard fans of programs like Doctor Who...which isn't to say Doctor Who is a bad thing by any means, but it breeds a certain sort of fanatical blind love at times, devotees of sci-fi who are so engaged in their own little world that it can be difficult for them to accept anything other than what they are accustomed to. And I feel like The World's End falls victim to indulgence and excess at the end, as well as a lack of subtlety, that perhaps some of those die-hard sci-fi fans are willing to ignore in favor or the film. I also say that it is the geekiest of the trilogy for the simple fact that, well, Shaun tackled horror and Hot Fuzz tackled action/cop-buddy genres; sci-fi inherently courts a more fanatical breed of viewer. (Just look how many people are hating on the new Star Trek movie because - gasp! - it dared to attempt to connect with mainstream viewers.) Anyway, I don't want to turn this into a rant. So let me get back on track:
Honestly? I think I would have preferred the story if it placed less emphasis on the big action sequences, CGI robot battles and focused more on the pub tour shenanigans. When the story is at its most human, it is most involving; when Pegg, Frost, and others (including Martin Freeman, whom I adore as an actor) are playing characters reconvening for the first time in many years, and Pegg is for the first time possibly playing a true jerk of a character, the story zips along and is very engrossing.
They should have spread that part of the film out before moving on to the comic mayhem. I think instead of the entire second half being dominated by robotic mishaps, the first 3/4 should have been more focused on the characters, and the last quarter would have been a FAR more emotional - and convincing - payoff.
I won't ruin anything for those who haven't seen the picture, but the existential (borderline-monologue) discussions Pegg and Frost each have at the end of the film with another entity was where I really felt my interest waning.
Ultimately this is a fair, but frustrating conclusion to the Cornetto Trilogy. I loved the first half but wish they hadn't let the higher budget they'd been afforded this go-round affect the quality of the second half and thrown their engaging character-arc narrative out the window, no matter whether it was intentionally done so to parody sci-fi invasion flicks or not. It just didn't work as well as the other two movies.
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Casa Romero
- Address:
30 Gloucester St
Boston, MA 02115Neighborhood:
Back Bay
- Cuisine:
MexicanPrice: $30 and under
Casa Romero
- Dining Style: Casual Dining
- Website: http://www.casaromero.com/
- Phone: (617) 536-4341
- Hours of Operation:
Sunday: 10:30am-9pm Brunch/Lunch/Dinner
Monday - Thursday: 5:00pm - 10:00pm
Friday & Saturday: 5:00pm - 11:00pm
- Payment Options: Discover,MasterCard,Visa
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Executive Chef: Leo Romero
- Dress Code: Casual Dress
- Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
- Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Menu, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
- Private Party Facilities: We have a very cozy private dining room that has a capacity to seat 23 people. We also offer a smaller private space that accommodates private parties from 6-8 people. Our restaurant is also open to private functions daily to celebrate birthday parties, bridal or baby showers or whatever it is you would like to celebrate.
- Private Party Contact: Nicole Monis 6175364341x
Getting there
- Cross Street: between Newbury st and Commonwealth Ave.
- Public Transit: Hynes Convention Center Station (Green)
Prudential Station (Green)
Copley Station (Green)
- Parking: Street Parking
- Parking Details: Meter parking is available on Newbury Street and there is also parking lots at the Prudential Center and on Newbury street
A word from Casa Romero
After 40 years, my customers still tell me what a delightful discovery it is to step out of a Boston alley and into the heart of Mexico. That is exactly what I had envisioned when I decorated the coffered door and walls of my restaurant with the bright Talavera tiles from Puebla, Mexico. Casa Romero is located in the midst of glamorous Back Bay at 30 Gloucester and offers the best traditional Mexican food in Boston.Continued
Foodspotting photosSee all photos
Casa Romero reviews from OpenTable diners
97 reviews since July 29, 2014
- Food4.3Service4.1
- Ambiance4.1Noise LevelModerate
neighborhood gem (64)good for groups (40)fit for foodies (39)special occasion (21)romantic (17)great for outdoor dining (13)great for lunch (10)hot spot (7)late-night find (7)kid-friendly (7)vibrant bar scene (5)great for brunch (4)notable wine list (2)Show More
- Wonderful Mexican food in Backbay!OpenTable Diner Since 2009VIPDined on 11/22/2014This was our first visit to Cafe Romero and we will definitely return. The food was wonderful and the service was extremely friendly and attentive. A great find!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Wonderful family dinnerNonnaDined on 11/16/2014We came here for a family dinner/birthday party one Sunday. They accommodated 8 of us easily and the food and drinks were all delicious. Everyone enjoyed their meals, nice appetizers and the cucumber margaritas were a surprise treat. The place was packed by the time we left but the noise level was fine. It's a lively place. We will return.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- One to discover...MMacBVIPDined on 11/15/2014This is one of those restaurants where I love taking visiting friends because I know they're in for a treat. The food is awesome. The atmosphere is charming. The service is attentive. Casa Romero is a Back Bay gem.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Mexican Delight!EasterbruncherDined on 11/11/2014Casa Romera has been one of Boston's top Mexican restaurants for decades. We come here occasionally for old favorites: puerco adobado and enchiladas verde. Relative to the pricing of other good restaurants, Casa Romero has become a better value over the years.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Casa Romero!!!!TavoDined on 11/8/2014I was great to go back to Casa Romero with friends who have never been there, and everyone had nothing but praises about it after. While the place is a bit tight it didn't take anything away from the nice experience. Mr. Romero was there as always receiving the guests, we had a brief conversation with him on our way out and he was as gracious as always. I don't have any single negative about event. Very courteous and prompt service, great Margaritas, Guacamole, fish ceviche, Tilapia al Mojo de Ajo, (Cooked on Garlic) flan, Café de Olla (Mexican coffe), great value.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- TasteDined on 11/8/2014With a discrete entrance in a public alley off Gloucester street, the restaurant could easily be overlooked by passers by, but clearly the word has gotten out as the multiple rooms in the below ground dining area were completely full. The food is traditional, and so is the bar, and the service very friendly. It seemed to this diner that the flavor and quality of the food were special. Perhaps it was attention to the ingredients or very careful seasoning, but the overall, the meals we had were surprisingly tasty.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Delicious and lots of funJLO18Dined on 11/7/2014Amazing margaritas and delicious food. Great spot for a fun group of people.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Wait and you'll seePorsiemprekarenlyDined on 11/4/2014The mystery behind making a reservation for a 5pm onwards restaurant is definitely a thrill. It's like visiting another country for a while, in this case Mexico. The staff is really friendly and have high expectations of what you're gonna order. They want you to really try everything and look happy with your choices of "out of the box" plates. The food isn't served hot which was a bit of a turn-off for me. They have a great Piña Colada and you should find the server named Alexander. He was really considerate and asked if it was okay to put certain ingredients in the plates that we ordered. I'm gonna go back to try the "Early Bird" special which features a fixed price for an appetizer, entrée and dessert. Try it!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Excellent experience!FroggyVIPDined on 11/2/2014The shrimp with tomatillos and cilantro sauce was delicious! As was the shrimp with mushrooms!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Somewhat Hidden GemKatyDined on 10/25/2014The entrance to this great Mexican restaurant is in a public alley, just off Gloucester St. Open the door and head down the steps into a lively dining room. Even though we weren't all in attendance they sat us anyway. There is lots to choose from and the food is well flavored and nothing like a chain. They were great about checking on Gluten Free options. Our server went back to confer with the kitchen and was quite gracious about it. Nice margaritas, good choices of tequila and made from scratch drinks (no sour mix in the drinks!) Salsa and guacamole was great. Sorry I can't remember the name of the dish i had (a enchilada versa) but it was yummy & nicely spiced. My dinner guests seemed happy too!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Still Great After All These YearsPfd1234VIPDined on 10/25/2014I have been coming here for almost 30 years, and it never disappoints. Slip into the basement of the brownstone and feel like you are transported to another replace and time. These are authentic mexican dishes-so ask for a chimichanga and you will get a blank stare. But if you want some of the best mexican food in the USA, visit Señor Romero's time tested spot.Special Features:
- Fantastic Food; Fantastic PeopleCARIBDIVADined on 10/25/2014Wait staff friendly, service oriented and you get your money's worthSpecial Features:
- ILoveFoodDined on 10/24/2014The food and drinks were excellent! Definitely coming back!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- would NOT recommendMyKazanDined on 10/23/2014Would NOT recommend this place: we were waiting for our food for 1h 45 mins!!! the quality of the food we had is low and not presentable.
- Hidden GemOpenTable Diner Since 2006Dined on 10/18/2014We have been dining here for over 30 years and it never disappoints. The food, ambiance and service have made us return year after year. This past time we dined on the outside patio, another charming area. Lingering to talk with our dining guests, we were never rushed. Find this hidden gem down an ally off Gloucester St.Special Features:
- attentive staffOpenTable Diner Since 2013Dined on 10/17/2014delicious margaritas, great sangria. food was very filling, don't order too much.Special Features:
- Authentic and Muy RicoDsiejkaDined on 10/16/2014The only truly Mexican Resturant in Back Bay. I travel to Mexico to visit family a few times a year and Casa Romero is like being back home. The michelada is made perfectly, as well as the tamales, Pozole, and the enchiladas verde. My wife's is from MTY and this is her favorite place for dinner in Boston.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- They're Back and Worth the WaitSammieDined on 10/12/2014Casa Romero has always been a favorite destination for me and my family for celebrating. We tried several times to return to Casa as they were renovating. It was worth the wait. Casa has returned with the same warmth and excellent food - refreshed and rejuvenated. The menu has some subtle new enhancements and all four of our dinners were excellently executed and scrumptious. And - the perfect Margarita is still appropriately named.Special Features:
- AuthenticDelishDined on 10/4/2014One of the few authentic Mexican restaurants in Boston.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Mr. T. BladeTBladesayDined on 10/3/2014Had not been to Casa Romero in many years - happy to say and report it was terriffic - as good as memory told me. Food was delicious - great service - loud in there - great vibe. Recommended.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Can't get over the terrible serviceAlmostDrJDined on 9/21/2014After being away for a year, we recently returned to a former favorite: Casa Romero. We were excited to get a last minute reservation and to see that it wasn't crowded. However, we sat at our table for more than 10 minutes before being offered water, we had to remind the waiter about the appetizer we had ordered, and the entrees were served to the wrong people--mixing up chicken enchilada verde and vegetarian enchilada verde was not a big deal since neither of us is vegetarian, but was representative of the overall sloppy service we received. In this light, the mediocre food and stale ambience suggest this place needs major changes or it will soon go the way of the Cactus Club: broke / out of business.
- Great ethnic food, casual diningMrKlankyDined on 9/20/2014Tucked away in the northern end of the Back Bay, this restaurant prepares fine Mexican food. There are many choices; some standard fare like enchiladas, and a number of dishes that you would not find at a typical Mexican restaurant. The seating area is small, and can be loud: this is a popular restaurant. There is a small courtyard seating area that is nice when the weather allows. Definitely recommended if you like Mexican food!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Back Bay Hidden GembackbayresiDined on 9/19/2014Great food and the staff is very nice. Do yourself a favor if you want some great Mexican food and visit Casa Romero.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- newinbostonDined on 9/14/2014Enjoyed the guacamole, fish taco platter, and enchiladas verdes. However, server was hard to track down, even on a Sunday night. Also felt rushed to finish dinner.
- DisappointedOpenTable Diner Since 2009Dined on 9/13/2014Food was served cool to like-warm, service was poor, management was rude when we complained about the temperature of food. The bachelorette party in the main room made it impossible to rate the noise level. Cacophonous comes to mind.
- Good food, poor serviceluv2dineVIPDined on 9/13/2014I've been here many times and was excited to introduce it to some of my friends. Unfortunately, we had the worst service I've ever experienced. Towards the end of our meal, one of the servers accidentally spilled a drink that got on my friends food. He was very apologetic and we were given some free drinks as a result. A short while later, a different server spilled salsa all over that same friend (on her blouse, pants, shoes). Instead of offering her meal free or at a discounted rate, our server offered baking soda for the possible stains. The worst part though was when our server already had our cards to pay for the meal and the host came over and told us we had been there too long and needed to leave!! It was humiliating and rude.Special Features:
- Casa RomeroNimisDined on 9/13/2014Drinks and foods were good, I just felt that the service lacked a little.For example I didn't take another round of drinks but was not offered more water so I didn't have anything to drink for the rest of the meal.Special Features:
- Casa Romero continues to deliverOpenTable Diner Since 2004VIPDined on 9/12/2014Once again a soid meal at Casa Romero. Patron Margarita's were very good. Ordered my go to dish, the chicken stuffed with cheese and cactus and covered in mole sauce. I just love this dish, the uniqueness of the cactus, the well executed mole and the kicker, the sauteed plantains on the side. I'll be back again soon as I can't go too long without enjoying this tasty dish....Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- DineOutOftenVIPDined on 9/9/2014Great restaurant overall. Service was terrific, food was tasty and served in a reasonable time, even though the restaurant was full. But it was too noisy. We could not talk across the table and be heard.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Casa RomerofoodieDined on 8/16/2014We had a nice dinner but from what I had heard about this place I expected more. I got their signature dish which was pork sautéed with oranges. The meat was a little tough and the orange sauce overwhelmed it. Not bad but nothing great. My partner ordered the calamari which was overcooked. I wouldn't go out of my way to return there.Special Features:
- Charming outside; deliciousG222Dined on 8/14/2014Neighborhood gem in the alley - the outdoor patio is a cozy and pleasant spot, decor overshadowed by an ivy tower next door. Margaritas are strong, quality ingredients and well-made. Food goes above and beyond, without much flash on paper but very well executed.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Great findMissyzim1Dined on 8/9/2014We were looking for a Mexican restaurant in the Newbury area and read about this one in Open Table. It sounded great and it didn't disappoint us. The atmosphere fit the genre and the food was delicious. Loved the guacamole! We will definitely come back again.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Cozy and enjoyableadaminbostonDined on 8/8/2014Really enjoyed dining outside on the small patio. Only one nitpick was that there was a couple of ants that were on the fence next to our table.Special Features:
- Excellent FoodRichDined on 8/3/2014Great meal and a awesome birthday song! Waiter was attentive and in addition to the food being great the drinks were even better.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Great service and food!HbuniottoDined on 8/2/2014This is one of the best Mexican restaurants in Boston. The food is amazing and the service and awesome.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Celebrations aboundAll605Dined on 8/2/2014We had a lovely celebration for a special birthday with a group of 12 recently. Have not been to Casa Romero in many years since we left the area, but the ambience is just as charming as ever. They seemed to have a quite a few large groups celebrating birthdays and bachelorette parties amog other things, and yet our service never suffered. The quality of the food was not as high as I remembered, but again it has been a long time! A lovely evening had by all.Special Features:
- The following 70 reviews are from the Casa Romero reviews archive.
- LizzieDined on 7/28/2014Fabulous food and ambience. Have eaten there 3 times. Not crowded last time, but service not great. Had to chase down waiter several times for drinks, check, etc.Special Features:
- Excellent brunch!MCsquaredVIPDined on 7/27/2014My husband and I went here for Sunday brunch and everything was absolutely phenomenal. 100% authentic Mexican food, on par with what you you would get in the homeland. Being a Mexican who cooks, I am extremely picky about Mexican food, but have always found Casa Romero to have the most authentic, perfectly balanced dishes with vibrant flavors. Also, the service was top notch from beginning to end! We sat outside (even though we expected rain) on the adorable little patio nestled in between the Boston brownstones. Once it started raining our server quickly lowered the awning to make sure we were covered. He gave just the right amount of attention without being too smothering. Highly recommended for any meal!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Very good for inviting friendsOmideIranDined on 7/26/2014I invited a group of 10 friends and family to Casa Romero. Although the door of the restaurant was opening towards an small alley and I did not expect it, the atmosphere inside the restaurant and their food and services were excellent. We enjoyed the environment and the food and all of my guests were very happy with everything there.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- LOVE Casa Romero!LTC123Dined on 7/17/2014This is a Boston institution - and deserves to be. Such a great spot, delicious food and all around good service and ambience. Such a gem. I just wish they would take reservations for outside!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.

subset: commoncrawl


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Monster Sounds releases Heavyweight Funk Bass
Monster Sounds has released Heavyweight Funk Bass, a sample pack featuring 390 bass loops played on a Fender P bass and a 60's Gretsch hollow body bass guitar. A great bass player is a rare … read more
Monster Sounds has released Heavyweight Funk Bass, a sample pack featuring 390 bass loops played on a Fender P bass and a 60's Gretsch hollow body bass guitar. A great bass player is a rare … read more
Loopbased has introduced Premier Neuro Bass Volume 2, a collection of 100 bass samples and loops by Premier Sound Bank. After the release of the Premier Neuro Bass Volume 1 sample pack, we decided to … read more
Cr2 Records has announced Bass Music, its fifth production toolkit from the new sample pack label – Sample Tools by Cr2. Inspired by the sounds of artists such as DJ Zinc, Gorgon City and labels … read more
Rattly And Raw has launched The Cassamplerette – Pack 1, an expansion pack for the Cassamplerette library for Native Instruments Kontakt. A collection of 10 basses, keyboards and a guitar to fill out the original … read more
Famous Audio has launched Big Fat Bass, a sample pack featuring a collection of 100 crunchy, dirty and tweaked out bass loops & samples. Each one has been expertly sculpted and processed to offer maximum … read more
Multiples Pro has announced the launch of its new web store. After many years of providing you with the very best in free sample libraries and Reaktor Ensembles, Multiples Pro releases it's new Web Store … read more
5Pin Media has launched Bass Line – The Sequel, a sound pack featuring over 350 bassline MIDI files. The popularity of various styles comes and goes, however there is one vital ingredient that remains forever … read more
Singomakers has launched Essential Bass House, a new sample library featuring bass, drums, synths, and fx sounds. All samples were created using Moog Voyager, Virus TI2, Korg Radias, Andromeda, best VST synths and analog hardware … read more
Navi Retlav has announced the release of Dirty Transistor Bass, a sample pack featuring 280 WAV loops of the Roland TB-303 bassline synthesizer. For the first time ever, Navi Retlav Studio jumped out of the … read more
Sample Anatomy has announced the release of Hybrid Bassline Tech Vol 1, a collection of 100 bassline loops and MIDI files. Bass lines are arguably one of the hardest elements of a track to produce. … read more
Loopmasters has released Bowl & Below Subbass, a new "Deep Down And Certain" series sample pack by Particular Audio. In the third installment of our minimal intervention bass series we focus on the deepest level … read more
The Loop Loft has announced the Artist Series Bundle, a collection of 21 "Artist Series" sample libraries. The World's Best Musicians. Instantly have them in your studio. And save 50%. With over 8 GB of … read more
Samplecraze has announced the release of Low End, a new eBook covering everything you need to know about the bass end in pop, dance & urban genres. While a great bass end may not guarantee … read more
Akai Professional has announced Rhythm Wolf, an analog drum machine and bass synthesizer module with built-in sequencing. The Rhythm Wolf is an authentic analog instrument that combines the coveted sounds of early electronic and hip-hop … read more
The Loop Loft has announced Mark Kelley Bass Loops Vol 1, a collection of bass loops from The Roots bassist, Mark Kelley. As a member of The Legendary Roots Crew (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy … read more
Psychic Modulation has announced the release of Dubtron2, a bass synthesizer instrument for Windows. Dubtron2 takes Dubtron's modulation-based concept into new territory, exploring quirky analogue basses, modern rhythmic soundscapes, chilly dub techno and experimental ambient … read more
Zenhiser has launched Massive Dubstep Basslines 3, a sample pack featuring a collection of bassline loops and Massive bass patches. 'Massive Dubstep Basslines 3' contains 50 bassline loops and 51 bass presets, giving you the … read more
ADSR Sounds has released BASSIC, a bass synthesizer instrument for Native Instruments Reaktor, made with the modern electronic producer in mind. Stripped of all the things that can distract or confuse when designing killer bass … read more
Prime Loops has announced Indie Dance Live Bass, a collection of 41 brand new live bass guitar loops & live bassline samples. From Friendly Fires to LCD Soundsystem via Gossip and Cut Copy, there's plenty … read more
ADSR Sounds has launched Neuro Bass Sound Design, a tutorial course comprising 54 videos on how to create Neuro Basses in Native Instruments Massive. In this course from BassGorilla you'll see not one or two, … read more


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Village at Delray
- Click to Talk
View property, WalkScore, and Driving Directions
Fax: (561) 243-0228
Now under new ownership and management, Village at Delray is a perfect place to call home. Community amenities include a pool, three playgrounds, soccer field, basketball court and media center. Comfortable living does not have to be high dollar. Village at Delray Apartments participates in an affordable housing program.
Floorplans and Pricing
1 Bedroom
|1 Bathroom
|Room Planner
|Check Availability
2 Bedrooms
|2 Bathrooms
|Room Planner
|Check Availability
3 Bedrooms
|2 Bathrooms
|Room Planner
|Check Availability
|2 Bathrooms
|Room Planner
|Check Availability
Features and AmenitiesBack to Top
Special Features
- Washer & Dryer Included in Rent in select units
- Swimming Pool
- Media Center
- Soccer Field
- Basketball Court
- 3 Tot Lot Playgrounds
- Ceramic Tile Flooring in Livingroom, kitchen, bath
Community Features
- Apartment
- Bilingual
- Business Center Onsite
- Club House
- Controlled Access
- Courtyard
- Freeway Access
- Laundry Facility
- New Construction
- Playground
- Pool
- Public Transportation
- Standard
Apartment Amenities
- Air Conditioning
- Carpet
- Ceiling Fan
- Dishwasher
- Garbage Disposal
- Tile Floors
- Walk In Closets
- Washer Dryer Hookup
- Washer Dryer In Unit
- Water Sewer and Trash
- Window Covering
Additional Information
Year Built: 2011
Apartments in Community: 144
Pet Policy
No pets accepted
Local Schools
- Atlantic Community High School
- Carver Middle School
- Orchard View Elementary School
We believe school data to be accurate, but do not guarantee that. Please be sure to verify where your children will attend school before making your housing decision.
As you search for your perfect apartment, please keep in mind that rental rates (including specials and discounts) and availability are very fluid in the apartment industry. Based on many factors, the rental rates (including specials and discounts) and availability can actually change not just daily, but hourly, if not even more quickly. While our advertisers do take steps to keep their information current, the rental rates or availability you may find here now at ForRent.com may not be the same as when you contact the communities.


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Each year there are a variety of events across the state designed to allow you to enjoy a full Idaho wine experience often while supporting a good cause. Browse the list below for details on event times and locations. See you there!
Whether you are planning a solo holiday weekend or looking for a unique way to show off Idaho to family and friends, Thanksgiving wine-related events are always a great way to experience this thriving Idaho industry.
Member area
Contributing Photographers


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Bad karma: we can't find that page!
You asked for http://seotrainingdojo.com/anniversary-show-2-bill-slawski-and-the-future-of-search.html, but despite our computers looking very hard, we could not find it. What happened ?
- the link you clicked to arrive here has a typo in it
- or somehow we removed that page, or gave it another name
- or, quite unlikely for sure, maybe you typed it yourself and there was a little mistake ?
It's not the end of everything though : you may be interested in the following pages on our site:
- Blog/the-seo-dojo-is-3-years-old-come-see-all-the-new-changes.html
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Editing of Bulbapedia is currently restricted. Please see this message for more details.
Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire have arrived!
Check BNN and Bulbanews for up-to-date Pokémon news and discuss it on the forums or in our IRC channel.
From Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia.
Fight has several referrals:
- An abbreviation for Fighting (type)
- For the command in the battle menu, see Pokémon battle#Fight
- In Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow, "Pokémon fight" was sometimes used in place of Pokémon battle.


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P2v DC - I have done this many many times and not had any problems, I am actually backing up all my DC's each week like this. You can always do the conversion turn off the old server fire up the new vitual server and if you have a problem fire up you old server.
If you have the time I would do a full install simply to keep things nice and tidy.
Just my 2ps worth
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In our last seal and insulate blog post, ENERGY STAR Product Manager Doug Anderson gave advice on how to identify problems that may be keeping your home from achieving energy efficient comfort during the hot days of summer. Now that those issues have been identified, today's post shows you how to select a contractor to fix any problems.
By: Doug Anderson
Unless you enjoy working in hot, cramped attics, it's best to just pour yourself a cool drink and call a contractor to properly seal air leaks and add insulation to your attic during the summer. Insulation contractors have all the equipment and experience to do the job right and do it much quicker than you can. Let them do the hard work. Your job is to find a good contractor.
Shop Around – Selecting a Contractor
As with any home improvement project, you want to make sure you're getting a good price and that the work will be done right:
– Check with your electric utility or state energy office to see if they offer incentives for improvements or have pre-screened program contractors. (See www.dsireusa.org or www.energystar.gov/dime for lists of incentives)
– Get several estimates from contractors (know the square footage of your attic).
– Make sure the contractor is licensed and insured in your state.
– Ask if the crew chief is certified to do insulation work.
– Ask how the contractor will keep your house clean during the work.
– Make sure the contractor understands you want attic holes and gaps sealed before any insulation is added. If they do not agree to "seal before insulating," call another contractor.
Some locations in the U.S. have pre-screened, trained and certified contractors available through the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program. These programs are run by local utilities or State Energy Offices and are a great place to start looking for contractors to help you with your project. To find out if a program exists in your area, click here.
Make Sure the Job's Done Right – What to Look For
When hiring a contractor, make sure that you clearly understand the work they'll be doing. Don't hesitate to ask questions before the contractor starts, and stay involved throughout the process. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
– Contractors should seal air leaks in the attic floor before adding insulation. It's much easier to seal first to ensure you get the full performance out of your insulation.
– If you have air ducts in the attic, make sure contractors do not step on or damage them.
– Burying any ducts on the floor in insulation is OK to do – it can even improve efficiency. Just make sure the ducts are well sealed first.
– Unless your old insulation is wet, moldy, smelly, or contains animal waste, contractors can just add new insulation on top. It is usually not necessary to remove existing insulation.
– Most contractors use blown-in, loose fill insulation for attic floors, which is quick and easy to install with the right equipment. Typical materials include fiberglass or cellulose – both contain some recycled content (glass or ground up paper) and are inexpensive and safe. If traditional insulation rolls are used for the attic floor instead, be sure that it is "unfaced" (no foil or paper backing needed) so moisture does not get trapped.
– Any project estimate should also include installing insulation baffles (rafter vents). This ensures that as you add insulation, soffit vents (which allow outside air to enter the attic) are not blocked and your attic has proper air flow.
– If you have older recessed light fixtures (can lights) that stick up into the attic floor, the contractor should cover and seal them before installing insulation using specially designed covers that are available at most home improvement stores.
– Contractors should also seal the chase (hole) in the attic around the plumbing vent pipe.
– It's also important to weather strip and insulate the attic hatch or door. There are several off-the-shelf products available for standard-sized openings.
– EPA recommends having a professional contractor conduct combustion safety testing before and after any air sealing, as this may affect the drafting of any combustion (oil or gas) appliances in the house.
Finally, tell the contractor that you expect documentation at the end of the job to show how much insulation has been added and what the new insulation R-value is for your attic. When it's done, take a picture and compare it to the pictures you took earlier to see the improvement. Then, you can sit back and enjoy the rest of your summer knowing your home is more comfortable and efficient.
If you would like more information, including details on doing this work yourself, ENERGY STAR has expertise you need. Check out our website for details.
About the Author: Doug Anderson is an ENERGY STAR Project Manager and has been with EPA for 14 years. He works on issues related to the home envelope, including insulation products and energy efficient residential windows.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed here are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Please share this post. However, please don't change the title or the content. If you do make changes, don't attribute the edited title or content to EPA or the author.
By: Verena Radulovic
ENERGY STAR certified TVs are more efficient than ever due to advances in technology and innovations in product design. The energy savings that have resulted play an important role in the fight against climate change. But even with this success, there's still more work to do to reduce the significant climate impacts associated with manufacturing TVs as well as computer displays and tablets. The issue is the release of potent fluorinated greenhouse gasses, known as F-GHGs, used to create the LCD panels that go into these products. For example, SF6, which has 23,000 times more heat-trapping potential than carbon dioxide, is widely used in LCD manufacturing.
Last year, EPA's Center for Corporate Climate Leadership began highlighting steps the world's major LCD panel suppliers are taking to reduce these gasses by posting company-specific profiles that cover current mitigation measures, future reduction goals, and public disclosure efforts.
This year's update to these supplier profiles, which feature twelve suppliers that represent 99% of all panels produced globally, shows some encouraging signs. Some suppliers have outfitted their newer manufacturing facilities- those that make the largest LCD panels for products like 50-inch and larger TVs– with equipment that captures and destroys F-GHGs. Overall, reported annual emissions are continuing to decrease, both on a per meter of glass produced basis, and in some cases, across an entire facility or facilities. But there continues to be room for improvement. Some LCD suppliers still need to implement key reduction measures at their newer facilities. Many have yet to outfit older facilities with these climate-benefitting measures. And a few suppliers have not publicly reported any control efforts.
One really exciting development is the growing recognition among many big name brands that this is an issue their customers are likely to care about. Leading companies Dell, Lenovo, HP, Wal-Mart and Best Buy have banded together to collectively call on suppliers to set new targets for reducing F-GHGs in the manufacturing of LCD products, and demonstrate results within just a few years. To learn more about the electronics sector's efforts to reduce F-GHG emissions, visit our website.
About the Author: Verena Radulovic develops and manages various product specifications for the ENERGY STAR program, including televisions, displays and audio/video products.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed here are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Please share this post. However, please don't change the title or the content. If you do make changes, don't attribute the edited title or content to EPA or the author.
By: Doug Anderson
Happy summer! While the season brings trips to the beach, vacation, and barbeques, summer also brings the heat and humidity. Now is the perfect time to make sure your house is well-prepared for the summer weather, so you can leave the sweating where it belongs– outdoors.
To start, get your air conditioning (AC) unit or heat pump system checked and tuned to make sure it's running efficiently – it needs regular maintenance just like your car. If your AC is working well but your house still has warm walls, hot ceilings, or uncomfortable humidity, your home may have air leaks and low levels of insulation. Sealing air leaks and adding more insulation can improve home comfort by keeping the cool air in and preventing pollen, dust and pests from entering.
Getting Started – Identify Problem Areas
In most homes, air leaks and low levels of attic insulation are one of the biggest sources of energy waste and summer time discomfort. While it's important to check your home's attic insulation levels, be aware that any attic in the summer is usually extremely hot and uncomfortable.
Tips on Checking Insulation levels:
– The best time to do a quick check your attic during the summer is in the morning when it's cooler. If you start to feel overheated at any point, get out of the attic right away.
– Take a yardstick or tape measure, pen and paper, a flashlight, and a digital camera or cell phone with you to measure your insulation and take pictures.
– Measure the depth of the insulation in a few spots with your tape measure or yardstick and jot the levels down. You should have about 13 inches of typical insulation (fiberglass or cellulose) if you live in the southern United States and about 17 inches if you live in the central or northern United States. If you don't have those levels, you are paying for it with higher energy bills.
– A good rule of thumb is that if the insulation level is just up to the top of the attic floor joists, you have only about half the insulation you should (see illustration).
– While you are looking around, take pictures of the insulation level, different corners of your attic, and of any ducts or air conditioning units you see. The pictures are a good record for future reference and to show to a contractor.
Next Step – Call a Contractor
If you found you have low levels of attic insulation – what's next? EPA recommends calling a contractor or planning a Do-it-yourself project for the fall when it's not so hot. Unless you have some experience doing this type of work, a contractor is your best bet. They are trained, have all the right tools, and will work quickly to get the job done. In our next post, we'll talk about how to select and work with a contractor.
About the Author: Doug Anderson is an ENERGY STAR Project Manager and has been with EPA for 14 years. He works on issues related to the home envelope, including insulation products and energy efficient residential windows.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed here are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
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By Steve Ryan
Did you know there are more than 5 million in-ground pools installed across America, and over 50,000 new in-ground pools built annually? If you are (or are soon-to-be) a pool owner, keeping the water clean is probably a key consideration. That's where the pool pump comes in– it re-circulates water through a filter to maintain water clarity and hygiene. All swimming pools have at least one recirculation pump, but many have multiple pumps.
Why should you care about your pool pump?
If you have a pool, the pool pump uses the most electricity of any single product in your home. They typically cost $450 a year to operate – much more than they need to. Conventional single-speed pool pumps are set to run at the higher speeds required of the pool cleaner and waste energy during filtration operation, which really only needs half the flow rate.
How can ENERGY STAR help?
An in-ground pool pump that has earned the ENERGY STAR label can run at different speeds and be programmed to match your pool's needs with appropriate speed. The energy saved is considerable: reducing pump speed by one-half allows the pump to use just one-eighth as much energy. ENERGY STAR pool pumps are independently certified to deliver those energy savings while providing the performance you expect. In some cases the performance may exceed expectations—for instance, variable speed pumps that earn the label are much quieter.
How much money does an ENERGY STAR certified pool pump save annually?
There are two types of pool pumps that can earn the ENERGY STAR label: multi-speed and variable speed. Multi-speed pumps operate at two speeds and allow the pool owner to reduce the speed of the motor during the majority of its operation. Variable-speed pumps are the most efficient because they can be programmed to operate at many different speeds, even below half speed, depending on the pool usage. Both offer considerable energy savings over the more commonly used single-speed pump.
An ENERGY STAR certified "variable speed" pool pump will use 2,800 kWh less electricity per year, on average, equivalent to:
- $340 in savings
- 2.2 tons of reduced greenhouse gas emissions
An ENERGY STAR certified "multi-speed" pool pump will use 2,300 kWh less electricity per year, on average, equivalent to:
- $280 in savings
- 1.8 tons of reduced greenhouse gas emissions
This is money you can PUMP back into the family budget.
The energy savings are great … but is it worth it?
Even considering the extra money you might pay to buy them, ENERGY STAR certified pool pumps pay for themselves in about a year-and-a-half (less for multi-speed pumps). And that's not all. Many utilities offer rebates for ENERGY STAR certified pool pumps. For example, Long Island Power Authority offers a $400 rebate. Check with your local utility.
By the way, you're not just saving money, you're helping the environment
If all pool pumps sold in the United States were ENERGY STAR certified, the energy cost savings would grow to about $110 million each year, and 1.5 billion pounds of annual greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented — equivalent to the emission from nearly 140,000 vehicles.
Contact your local pool maintenance technician or distributor about ENERGY STAR certified pool pumps. For more information, check out our website.
About the Author: Steven Ryan joined the sales and marketing team at the Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR Labeling Branch in June 1999 and is currently the Program Manager for ENERGY STAR labeled pool pumps, office equipment, roofing, water heaters, and HVAC products. Mr. Ryan holds a Master's degree in Environmental Science and Resource Policy from George Washington University and a BA in History from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed here are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
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Top 5 Ways to Chill out this Summer with ENERGY STAR
By: Brittney Gordon
Even when the temperature goes up, your utility bills can still stay low. With help from ENERGY STAR you can keep your cool, tame those bills, and help fight climate change. The secret is to keep your cooling system from working too hard. Discover these Top 5 Ways to Chill Out with ENERGY STAR, so that you and your cooling system can both enjoy the summer!
1. Keep the heat out
Take advantage of shades, blinds, curtains, awnings and even trees to keep the sun out during the day, especially on the south and west side of your house. If you are upgrading your windows, consider ENERGY STAR certified windows, which will keep even more heat out. Find and seal leaks (the biggest ones are in your attic and basement) – this will also help reduce humidity and keep out pests and pollen. Consider adding attic insulation so less heat radiates down into your house from your hot attic. Sealing air leaks and improving your home's insulation could save you up to $200 a year in cooling/heating costs (or about 10 percent of your annual energy bill). Finally, if you're replacing your roof, you can reduce the effects of the hot sun by installing ENERGY STAR certified roof products.
2. Keep the cool in
You're paying for your AC's cool air, so don't let it leak out of your ducts before it gets to the vent and the rooms you want to cool. That's YOUR air! In most homes, 25 percent of air that flows through air conditioning ducts leaks out before it gets to you. So get a contractor to test your ducts, seal them, and insulate them so you're not paying for cool air you don't get to use. You could reduce your cooling energy bill by about 20 percent.
3. Maintain Your Cooling System
A simple tune up of your HVAC equipment can do wonders. Make sure you also change your air filter regularly – EPA recommends every three months at a minimum. And, if you do not have a programmable thermostat – install one and program it around your family's summer schedule. Setting the thermostat up by seven degrees when you're away from home and up by four degrees when you're asleep can save more than $180 a year.
4. Be a fan of fans
If you raise your thermostat by only two degrees and use your ceiling fan instead, you can lower cooling costs by up to 14 percent. Use bedroom fans on those cooler summer nights when you might be able to turn off your central air conditioning and naturally cool your home for a lot less. Plus, don't forget to use your ENERGY STAR certified vent fans to get rid of that unwanted humid air in your bathroom after a shower.
5. Look for the ENERGY STAR
If your central air conditioning unit is more than 12 years old, replacing it with an ENERGY STAR certified model could cut your cooling costs by 30 percent. In the market for a new room air conditioner? Find one that has earned the ENERGY STAR and use about 15 percent less energy. ENERGY STAR certified dehumidifiers also use 15 percent less energy than a conventional unit. One last easy tip is to change out those old, hot, incandescent bulbs with ENERGY STAR certified CFL and LED bulbs–they produce 75% less heat!
Looking for more great tips? Head to www.energystar.gov/cooling.
About the Author: Brittney Gordon-Williams works on the ENERGY STAR communication's team. Her summer cooling project will involve trying out ENERGY STAR certified LEDs in her new home.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed here are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
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Making copies the Energy Efficient Way
By: Chris Kent
Pop quiz: Does your home/office imaging equipment (printer, copier, scanner, etc.) have the ENERGY STAR label? If it does, consider yourself a very smart shopper. On average, imaging equipment that is ENERGY STAR certified is 40 – 55 percent more efficient than a standard model. From copiers and printers, to fax machines and scanners, imaging equipment accounts for some of the first products to ever earn the ENERGY STAR label. As these products grow in use in homes and offices across the country, EPA's ENERGY STAR program continues to make strides in making them more energy efficient.
Through the years, EPA has strengthened the energy efficiency requirements so that models meeting the latest requirements will be more energy efficient than ever. Now, by meeting requirements to enter low-power "sleep" modes when inactive, and using efficient power supplies, an ENERGY STAR certified copier saves energy when it is in use AND when it is not.
Looking for ways to cut down your imaging costs even more? Consider purchasing an all-in-one device the next time you are in the market. An all-in-one device (or multifunction device) that meets ENERGY STAR requirements can result in significant energy and paper savings for businesses. The multifunction device typically performs two or more functions (scan, copy, print, fax) housed within one unit. By comparison, with single-function devices every piece of networked equipment uses electricity, even when it is not in use. But by combining these functions into one device, you can save on electricity costs by reducing the number of devices into one integrated unit. Also, these multifunction devices are where industry is incorporating innovative energy saving technologies, so despite having multiple functions, a multifunction device may actually use less energy than a comparable single function unit.
If your printer/copier/multifunction device is older than 5 years, it is likely that your printer's energy consumption is about 50% higher than a new machine. Industry continues to make great strides in improving the energy performance of imaging equipment and ENERGY STAR continues to revise its requirements to recognize these top performers.
Some features that save on energy, paper and ink costs include:
- Sleep mode and automatic shut off: ENERGY STAR products are required to automatically go into a reduced power state after a specified period of inactivity. This provides great energy savings.
- Automatic double-sided printing/duplexing: Automatically setting a printer or multifunction device to print double sided saves up to 50% of your paper usage. Printer and multifunction devices that can produce images on both sides of the paper by automatically flipping the paper make it easier to produce a double-sided page, which cuts down on paper use. Paper is the largest energy impact associated with printing, and in most cases, making this change does not cost anything additional.
- Various quality settings: Many units have more than one quality setting and using a lower quality or draft mode when printing draft or internal documents can save ink.
- Color vs Monochromatic: Printing in color generally does not use any additional energy than printing in monochromatic. But you can spend more on ink depending on the machine you choose. Units that use one cartridge for all colors tend to waste more ink than units with individual color cartridges. This is because colors are used at different rates, but the cartridge must be replaced once any one color has run out.
When looking to buy a new printer or multifunction device, go the ENERGY STAR Imaging Equipment product finder to find the right product for your needs. And remember, think before printing.
About the Author: Chris Kent has worked at EPA for 25 years and for the last 7 years has been the product lead for the ENERGY STAR imaging product development.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed here are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
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How Does Your Home Compare to Your Neighbor's?
By: Brian Ng
It's springtime! Now that the dark, cold days of winter are gone, it's time to do things to tidy up the outside of your home. After all, who wants to be the "messy" house in the neighborhood? Now is also the perfect time to tidy up your home's energy efficiency, especially compared to your neighbors' homes. After all, who wants to have the highest utility bill in the neighborhood? Plus, reducing our energy consumption at home helps fight climate change since using energy means having to produce energy, which typically involves the burning of fossil fuels that generate greenhouse gases and cause climate change.
But short of knocking on their door, how do you find out how your home's energy use compares to your neighbor's home? The ENERGY STAR program offers a free, online tool called the Home Energy Yardstick, available here. It allows you to compare your home's energy use to similar homes across the country. By entering your home's annual energy use, the number of occupants, conditioned square footage, and its ZIP code, the Yardstick computes a score between 0 and 10, indicating the relative energy consumption of your home compared to a nationally representative sample of single family homes. On the Yardstick scale, 0 is the most energy-consuming household and 10 is the least energy-consuming household. An "average" home scores a 5 on the Yardstick. So the higher the Yardstick score, the better! You can even print a certificate and brag to your neighbors if your score warrants bragging rights.
To use the Yardstick, you'll need the last 12 months of utility bills for your home. Typically you can find a 12-month usage summary on your most recent bill or through the utility's web site. It only takes about five minutes to enter the information and get a score. Some utilities provide customers with the ability to download a "Green Button" file that provides detailed information about energy usage for their home. If your utility participates in Green Button, you can simply upload your home's utility data directly into the Yardstick. To find out if your utility offers Green Button, visit: www.greenbuttondata.org. For those whose Yardstick score is less than brag-worthy, fret not. ENERGY STAR's Home Energy Advisor provides recommendations for energy-saving improvements for typical homes in your area.
Although these tools provide good insight into your energy consumption and how to reduce it, they are not meant to replace a professional's help. So if you need an expert opinion on how to improve the efficiency and comfort of your home, a good place to start is with a local Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program. Home Performance with ENERGY STAR offers a whole-house approach to improving the efficiency and comfort of your home. A participating Home Performance contractor will evaluate your home using state-of-the-art equipment, recommend comprehensive improvements to yield the best results, and help you get the work done.
So while you're doing your spring cleaning this year, take a moment and begin cleaning up your home's energy use as well.
About the Author: Brian manages communications activities for the ENERGY STAR Residential Branch, which forms voluntary partnerships to promote greater energy efficiency in new and existing homes. He enjoys trying to improve the energy efficiency of his own home when he's not busy keeping up with his two kids.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed here are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
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Celebrate Earth Day with ENERGY STAR!
By: Brittney Gordon-Williams
Earth Day is here and people across the country are taking a few minutes out of their day to do something good for planet earth. What are your plans? We may be a bit biased, but here at ENERGY STAR we would love for you to make protecting the environment from climate change part of your Earth Day resolutions. Preventing climate change may sound like a tall order, but we're here to show you how easy it can be to make a difference. And did we mention that it will also help you save money? I think we now have your full attention. Check out our list of no-cost to low cost ways to save energy at home and at work this Earth Day!
ENERGY STAR's Earth Day and Beyond Checklist
1.) ENERGY STAR Lighting- Purchase an ENERGY STAR certified LED! This is one of the easiest ways to make your home more energy efficient. ENERGY STAR certified LEDs use 70-90% less energy and last 25x longer than your old incandescent bulbs. With the prices dropping fast, this is the perfect time to try out the light bulb of the future! Need help picking one out? Check out this video.
2.) Computer Power Management- Are you reading this on your computer? Have you programmed that computer to go into sleep mode when you are away? Enabling your ENERGY STAR certified computer/monitor's power management features can save you up to $90 a year.
3.) HVAC Maintenance- Check your filter every month, especially during heavy use months (winter and summer). If the filter looks dirty after a month, change it. At a minimum, change the filter every 3 months. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool — wasting energy.
4.) Build Your Team- You can also "Bring Your Green" to work! Create a Green Team with your co-workers, help build support for energy efficiency in your workplace, and reduce office waste. Set a goal to certify your building as ENERGY STAR.
5.) Inspire Your Friends- The only thing better than saving energy yourself is inspiring your friends to do it with you. Share this infographic in social media and encourage your friends to get with the energy-saving program!
It's pretty amazing that simple changes like these can make a big difference in reducing carbon pollution in our environment, helping to stop further climate change. Need some assistance on your energy-saving journey? Take the ENERGY STAR Pledge and let EPA show you how simple it can be to save energy, save money and protect the environment. Try it out today and make this Earth Day the best one yet.
About the Author: Brittney Gordon-Williams is a member of the communications team at EPA's ENERGY STAR program. This Earth Day she plans on purchasing an ENERGY STAR certified LED bulb.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed here are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
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By: Andrea Schnitzer
Have you ever seen the NBC show, The Biggest Loser? It brings together a group of motivated people, who all have one goal in common—a desire to get healthy and lose unneeded weight. Today, EPA is announcing the winners of the fourth annual EPA ENERGY STAR National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings, a competition that is inspired by the hit NBC show. But instead of individuals working to lose excess weight, this year-long competition brings together commercial buildings from across the country to see who can reduce the most energy use. Today we are excited to announce this year's winners and open registration for an exciting new competition year.
The Results are in!
This year, Claiborne Elementary School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, won the competition by cutting its energy use nearly in half! But this impressive accomplishment only tells part of the story about the more than 3,000 competitors who threw their hats in the ring this year. The top 15 finishers reduced their energy waste by more than 29 percent, and nearly 50 buildings in the competition achieved at least a 20 percent reduction in energy use. In the end, the competitors saved a combined total of more than 130,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and $20 million on utility bills. To see a list of the competitors and their energy savings, go to www.energystar.gov/battleofthebuildings.
Many were winners. Only one was the biggest loser.
Claiborne Elementary School emerged victorious by cutting its energy use by a whopping 46.9 percent in one year. And they did this largely through low and no-cost efforts, like educating students and teachers about the actions they can take every day to save energy. This included adjusting thermostats, keeping doors and windows closed when the heat or air conditioning is on, turning off lights, and making sure electronic devices are turned off at the end of each day. The school also fine-tuned automated controls of the HVAC and lighting systems, making sure that lights were turned off in unoccupied areas and that the heating and cooling systems were optimized to run only when necessary.
Small changes make a big difference.
The results aren't all that different than what we often see on NBC's The Biggest Loser. Buildings across the nation compete to work off their energy waste with help from ENERGY STAR. At the end, the building that cuts its energy use the most is declared the winner.
And just like on the TV show, there are ups and downs for every building. Sometimes, drastic measures are needed, but often it just takes small changes every day that add up to big savings. Just like it's not always necessary to take extreme measures to lose weight, buildings don't always need to implement expensive technology upgrades to start cutting energy use. Likewise, adopting small lifestyle changes like eating healthier and exercising can make all the difference. Changing behaviors, whether it's by turning off lights that aren't being used, not heating or cooling empty spaces, and unplugging energy-wasting equipment, can make a huge impact when it's done regularly and becomes a lifestyle.
Step on the scale. Repeat.
Of course, one of the most important steps in an energy waste-loss program is stepping on the scale. For buildings, that means entering monthly energy data in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, EPA's energy and water measurement and tracking tool. By continuing to monitor and track the ups and downs of energy and water use, building owners and managers can find out where they stand…and where they need to go.
Join us for the 2014 competition. Register by May 16!
So who really won this year? The short answer: we all did. When buildings use less energy, the plants that power them emit fewer greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, resulting in a cleaner, healthier environment for all of us.
Want to be a part of the solution? Ask your management to enter your building in the 2014 competition. This year, compete to win EPA recognition for energy and water savings, or join as part of a team competing against other groups to become the next biggest energy or water saver.
Learn more and register at www.energystar.gov/battleofthebuildings
About the Author: Andrea Schnitzer is a National Program Manager with the ENERGY STAR program for Commercial Buildings and Industrial Plants.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed here are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
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The Amazing LED
By: Danny Orlando
It's amazing how many light fixtures we have in our homes. According to a December 2012 Residential End-Use Consumption Study by the Department of Energy, U. S. homes range from 50-80 light fixtures. Changing all of those lights to LED technology is a daunting and expensive undertaking, but it is a worthwhile effort. Here is why:
LED lighting prices are coming down and are now usually between $10 and $25 dollars each. And, in some locations there are utility incentives that drive down the price even lower. Switching over to ENERGY STAR certified LEDs is best achieved one lamp at a time. One tactic is to buy one light per month and before you know it, you've achieved your goal!
You should look for ENERGY STAR certified LED lights because these have been tested by a third-party to assure they meet a range of quality criteria. Also, pay close attention to the color temperature of the light that you are choosing. The color temperature is listed on the 'nutrition' label on the package. If you want the familiar glow of an incandescent, look for a color temperature at or below 3000 K. The good news is that everything you need to know is right on the package.
I'm an avowed energy nerd, so I've actually counted the light fixtures in my home. My home has 37 light fixtures and seven track light fixtures. Since I work in the field of energy efficiency, I am an early adopter and have changed 83 percent of the fixtures to LED lights. I have been able to find LEDs for every variety of fixtures. One interesting usage is in my stove hood which uses a Par20 lamp. Usually, this would be a poor location for LEDs because of the hot stove surface as heat is the enemy of LEDs. But, so far, the LED lamps have lasted for years.
Track light fixtures that use four 50-watt lights (MR-16) are not an energy efficient choice for lighting, but mine are rarely used, and the ones that are used more frequently are controlled by occupancy sensors. There is one track, however, that is on eight hours each day. On a recent trip to the home improvement store, I found LED replacement lamps for this fixture, but they were $30 each. To retrofit this fixture would cost more than the fixture itself, so I returned home empty handed. But, then I decided to perform the calculations and see if purchasing the LED replacement lamps would make sense. The results were astounding. Because of the amount of hours this fixture is on, the payback was about two years and I would save 550 kilowatt-hours each year! To state that another way, four LED lights eliminated my November electricity bill – forever. Needless to say, I returned to the store and made the purchase. I have a few more steps to take to be completely LED, but I only have four fluorescents left to replace. Although utility costs in my area have increased 60 percent in the last 20 years, my costs have increased only one percent because of consistent energy efficient choices!
It's amazing to realize we are at a time when our children won't know what changing a light bulb means. My kids asked me, "How long do LEDs last?" And I answered, "I'll put them in my will for you". Now, if you move to a new home, not only will you take your furniture, refrigerator, and clothes, but you'll also pack up your amazing LED lights.
About the Author: Danny Orlando is the Regional Energy Star Program manager in EPA's Atlanta office and has been promoting and implementing Energy Star both at work and at home for 21 years.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed here are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
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