Philly-area neighborhoods ranked by energy use
If you value energy conservation, there’s a new naughty and nice list. A new report ranks Philadelphia-area neighborhoods by whose households guzzle the most energy. Gwynedd Valley topped the list, followed by Gladwyne and Villanova.
John Raisch is co-founder of Alphabuyer, a Paoli, Pa., energy firm that advises consumers on how to get the best deals.
“The three highest energy-consuming neighborhoods are Gwynedd Valley at 164 percent higher than the PECO average, Gladwyne at 123 percent and Villanova at 98 percent,” Raisch said. “What that means is folks in these towns are using two and three times the amount of energy that the average PECO resident uses.”
Raisch said at least part of the reason for the higher energy consumption rates has to do with home size and energy efficiency.
“Likely these are older homes,” he said. Other factors, he says, include “the habits of people inside the homes, how warm or cool they want the house, how many applicances and things that they have.”
Raisch said he hopes if consumers are aware of their energy-consumption habits, they’ll make changes that save them money and benefit the environment.
In Philadelphia County, Chestnut Hill, Society Hill and Northeast Philadelphia all ranked high on the list of energy consumption by household.
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