by Matt Smith

Have you been interested in increasing your home's energy efficiency, but aren't sure how to go about doing it? If so, Best Buy has a new in-store and online Home Energy management learning center that can help you decide how to best satisfy your energy efficient needs. The centers provide a myriad of different services, including tools for self-assessments of your home's energy use, home energy surveys and audits, and product installation.

"Our role is to help consumers make the most of the technology in their lives, and the Home Energy concept is our latest experiment that will demonstrate the knowledge and expertise of our employees, and how our brands and our channels can help consumers understand how to own, use, and maintain energy efficient technologies," said Neil McPhail the senior vice president of new business customer solutions at Best Buy in a press release.

Online Learning Center

The online center has a bunch of features that can help you increase your home's energy efficiency. Through an in-depth survey that asks you questions about your homes design, insulation, and current energy use Best Buy creates a savings plan that recommends products that you can buy straight from Best Buy that will improve your homes energy efficiency. They will also make recommendations for other installations you can perform and shows an easy to read chart that describes how much these improvements will cost, and how much they will save you on energy consumption.

In addition to the personalized plan, the center also has a center where you can pose questions online, as well as a number to call to speak directly to an expert on home energy efficiency. You can also schedule home energy audits through the site in certain areas of the country. There are also product demonstration videos and an ENERGY STAR rebate finder.

In-Store Experience

At the moment there are only three stores that have one of these Home Energy departments, located in Chicago, Houston and San Carlos, Calif. These stores will feature demonstrations vignettes, giving customers the opportunity to touch and feel anything before they make any purchases. Best Buys knowledgeable staff will also be behind the consultation bar where they can guide you through purchases, energy audits, product installations and local energy incentives and rebates, much in the same way as their Geek Squad helps with technology questions. These departments will showcase Best Buy's partnerships with three different energy companies: Constellation Energy in Chicago; Reliant in Houston; and Pacific Gas and Energy Company in San Carlos, Calif.