El Paso Electric has expanded its Website to include a new HomeEnergySuite -- a series of customized energy efficiency tools developed by Apogee Interactive to address the region’s unique weather, evaporative air conditioning, swimming pools and spas.

These energy analysis tools provide insights on year-round energy use, but they will prove especially helpful as El Paso area residents prepare for summer.

“Our mild winters tend to moderate home heating needs, so national 'off-the-shelf' energy calculators were likely to miss the mark for our customers’ heating and cooling energy use patterns,” said Helen Knopp, vice president of public affairs for El Paso Electric. “Our dry desert heat makes evaporative cooling the standard for this area. Apogee was eager to model these varying energy characteristics and customize its Web-based tools to provide further energy-saving insights to our customers.”

The HomeEnergySuite offers a full array of evaluation tools including a home energy calculator, appliance calculator, lighting calculator, interactive cut-away house, and comprehensive energy reference library.

The suite’s flagship tool – the HomeEnergyCalculator -- starts with select data points provided by the customer, including whether or not they use evaporative cooling, a pool and a spa, and draws upon local weather data, El Paso Electric’s energy prices and Apogee’s proprietary energy analysis system to produce a quick and accurate view of the home’s energy consumption and costs. Customers can then modify their data inputs to see the impact and savings possible with various equipment or usage changes.

Consumers can dig deeper by “walking through” an interactive cut-away house to learn more about home energy consumption room by room. Separate appliance and lighting calculators provide down-to-the-penny energy costs for nearly 50 appliances, electronic devices and lighting options-- everything from compact fluorescent light bulbs and whirlpool tubs to big screen plasma TVs and side-by-side refrigerators.

El Paso Electric also elected to add Apogee’s Kids Korner as a part of its online energy efficiency information expansion. This fun-filled, interactive section covers all aspects of energy production and use, from Thomas Edison and solar power to electrical safety and utility industry careers.