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It's been hot. We know you don't want to look at the electric bill. So we asked the gurus at sustainable energy design firm LPA Inc. in Irvine what readers could do to make their homes green and keep some "green" at the same time ...

LPA: In California, we confront two major resource constraints: water and energy. Both face inflationary price pressures. Therefore, we advise clients to concentrate on conservation -- where all sustainability begins.

First, check with your water district and utility companies for incentives, rebates and other programs that homeowners can use for efficiency improvements. You would be surprised at the number of offers.

Water
*Make sure your irrigation systems work properly and that you are not over-watering plants or watering beyond the soil line.
*Install "smart controller" that waters based on soil moisture levels or weather conditions, and only operates at night to limit evaporation losses.
*Replace water-hungry plants with native and drought-tolerant species.
*Install low-flow plumbing fixtures in showers, toilets and sinks. These save energy costs when they limit hot water use.

Energy
*Replace existing equipment with "Energy Star" rated equipment.
*Check weather-stripping to ensure heating and cooling is not being lost -- saving up to 20% on energy costs.
*Replace or clean filters so that the heating and air conditioners don't run as hard.
*Check equipment periodically to make sure everything is well maintained.
*Program air conditioners to operate sensibly, limiting use when home is unoccupied.
*Turn off air conditioners when windows and doors are open.
*Raising your thermostat 5 degrees can save up to 20% in energy costs.
*Reduce "vampire" plug loads such as cell phone or camera chargers and appliances in standby mode such as DVD players or computer monitors. These vampire plugs and standby appliances suck energy even when devices are not being charged or are turned off. A small load that runs 24 hours really adds up.
*Replace incandescent fixtures with ones using compact fluorescent bulbs or LEDs. Savings? Between 75% to 90% in lighting costs.
*For exterior lighting, consider solar-powered lamps.

PS: What does LPA do to preserve the environment?

"We have on-site commercial fuel cells. We recycle paper, aluminum, plastic, glass and metal. We even compost our coffee grinds. We automatically shut down computers nightly and during the weekends. This practice alone saved us more than $10,000 in 2008. Teleconferencing between our various offices saves roughly 35 flights per year. And marketing materials are printed with soy-based ink on recycled paper."

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