Of all the things I’ve come across as we near an increasingly greenwashy Earth Day, one stands out because of its simplicity and transparency. The founders of Energy Circle, a home-energy efficiency ally whose staff all test and use the products they sell in their own homes, will make their home energy use public, broadcasting it both through their website and live on Twitter at EnergyCircleKW.

They’ve hacked their best-selling device, The Energy Detective, a “real-time home electricity monitor that is the equivalent of a digital stethoscope,” so that the data can be sent out, with information about what the data means – giving it real world relevance to you and me.

The Energy Detective is a device that monitors energy use down to each appliance, and doesn’t cost much, making it more likely to be used by a broader segment of the population. Rather than promoting some perfect uber-green house out of reach of the everyday person, the founders’ house is your average American home – built in the 80s, with an addition in the 90s. It’s got lots of air leaks and other flaws in the design.

They’ve had an energy audit done (check this great piece to learn more). Like many people, they’ve made progress with CFL and LED lights and low-flow shower heads. But they still have lots to do and they intend to make their house an example.

While things like Google Power Meter are coming at some point, perhaps even this year, Energy Circle is interested in bringing the public several “right now” options to be able to take an active hand in making better choices when it comes to their home energy use.

A 49-second customer service credo clip, featured on Energy Circle’s store page, is an unusual move, emblematic of their personal, accessible approach. If you’re looking for concrete, easy to do things for Earth Day and beyond, Energy Circle is a solid start.

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Paul Smith. Follow Paul on Twitter!

With the current barrage of amazing new green building projects, it’s nice to see the old-timers are getting in on the action as well.

More specifically, the most famous profile on the New York skyline – the Empire State Building. This Wonder Of The Modern World looks set to impress the next generation of eco-friendly architects by being the focus of a major efficiency overhaul. Excitingly, not only are the redevelopers shrinking the building’s energy footprint by over a third (and in doing so saving $4 million a year – now there’s a utility bill), they’re also using the experience to trial new techniques, including:

- Viewing the tenants as an important element of a green building, by offering incentives and an automated tenant energy management system to let occupants see how much energy they’re going through.

- Constructing “green suites” to showcase green innovation within office and residential space.

- A performance-based retrofitting contract – so the redevelopers are legally obliged to follow through all their planned energy savings. This also serves as a template for further redevelopment contracts.

For the specifics, take a look at the report at Greener Buildings. To our minds, there are still a few elements missing. Where are the vertical gardens? Any room on that famous roof for a lawn or two? And doesn’t one of the tallest buildings in New York deserve the mother of all wind turbines? (I hope these are in the plans and I’ve just missed them).

The biggest implication? The world’s landmarks are suddenly ripe for a high-profile lick of green. Take the top of the Eiffel Tower, where it gets so windy it makes the structure sway – that’s a lot of electricity to harvest.

Image: Eric Mayville

An outspoken crusader for environmental causes for years, Prince Charles could easily be dubbed the “Green Prince“. But while he’s been busy turning his home green, running his car on white wine, and pleading the cause to anyone willing to listen, his folks’ house – sorry, palace – is an environmental nightmare.

Buckingham Palace was recently given the worst possible score (0 out of 10) in an energy efficiency report completed by a team of surveyors from renewable energy firm Navitron.  One hundred and seventy buildings around London were reviewed and Buckingham came dead last.

Thermal imaging showed the palace haemorrhaging heat from every possible surface, including the roof, walls, and curtained windows. Of course, this isn’t all that surprising, given that the palace was built in 1820. But maybe it’s time to do a little retrofitting – they could start with draught-proofing the windows and adding some secondary glazing. With 600 rooms in the palace these renovations might cost more than a few quid, but think of what they’ll save in power bills.

Image: Starry Eyed Ali