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EMERGENCY MAINTENANCE

Austin Market News Sources

The economy and housing market are ever-changing in the Austin metropolitan area. To get the latest and most up-to-date information, we monitor the data being collected by the Texas Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University. This site is compiled by respected economists and, unlike some of the other local media, seems based on core data instead of editorial "what sells news".

View current and preview issues of the Real Estate Center Online News (RECON) and have the newsletter sent to you as the reports are released.

Austin Energy Efficiency
Ordinance Effective June 1, 2009

The Austin City Council approved the Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure Ordinance to improve the energy efficiency of homes and buildings in the City of Austin that receive electricity from Austin Energy.

Improving energy efficiency can help reduce your electric bills, whether you own a home, multifamily property, or a commercial building. The ordinance also will help meet one of the goals of the Austin Climate Protection Plan—offsetting 700 megawatts of peak energy demand by 2020 and reducing the carbon footprint of the Austin community.

An ECAD audit takes about one hour per thousand square feet of property. The ECAD auditor makes recommendations based on the results of the inspection to improve the efficiency of the home.

The auditor inspects and measures the attic insulation in multiple areas; pressure tests the duct system and assesses its condition and adequacy; examines heating and cooling equipment; inspects weather stripping around exterior doors, plumbing penetrations beneath sinks, and air tightness of attic entries; and identifies and measures the amount of glass in windows that receive more than one hour of direct sunlight each day.

Energy Conservation Audit & Disclosure (ECAD) Frequently Asked Questions

ECAD Audit Self-Check

Austin Energy Certified ECAD Auditors List

Sample ECAD Audit Form

The Real Estate Center also provides Austin area specific information and surveys of other Texas markets and trends in Texas Real Estate Market News.

RECON also has a searchable Publications Database loaded with articles, statistics, and reporting for the real estate industry.

The Journal of the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M is an excellent publication that speaks to the economic impacts to the state and local homeowner, landlord, tenant, and Realtor concerns in a dynamic time. (Current and Archived Issues)