Citrus Heights resident Jon Pyle is trying to do right by the environment and his pocketbook by having double-pane windows installed in his home, but some energy experts say he's doing it all wrong.

Pyle had an energy audit done to determine various ways he could save energy at his house before committing to the new windows. And like most people, he started doing them one step at a time.

Recently published recommendations from energy experts suggest that's not the best way to gain efficiency. Experts at California Clean Energy Fund say homeowners who make piecemeal upgrades rarely get around to big-ticket upgrades – such as replacing a roof – that take longer to pay off and offer a longer return on investment.

"We have just been slowly doing little transitions here," said Pyle.

Two new developments might make it easier for homeowners to make wholesale energy efficiency upgrades.

Federal economic stimulus funds will pump an additional $180 million into a $5 million program that helps low-income California homeowners weatherize their homes. The expanded program should reach an estimated 50,000 qualifying homeowners.

California Clean Energy Fund experts, meanwhile, are working on a market-based solution to help homeowners pay for the big, but costly, energy retrofits that can really make a difference.

Rather than customers financing the cost of a new air conditioning unit, replacing a roof and adding insulation and double-pane windows, a third-party company would pay for the upgrades.

Homeowners would continue to pay for the same amount of energy they used before the efficiency upgrades. The difference between the old power bill and new lower power bill would go to that third-party company to pay off the investment.

California is still doing a far better job than the nation as a whole, said Paul Frankel, a managing director of the California Clean Energy Fund, but energy efficiency remains an "under-appreciated, under-invested area of technology."

Efficiency offers a bigger bang for the buck than wind or solar technologies, he said, but suffers, in part, because it's harder for the public to see – and understand.

In addition to supporting a new business model for funding energy efficiency, CalCEF advocates for governments to create revolving loans to help finance upgrades.

The state weatherization program that will benefit from federal stimulus money is limited to households earning less than 75 percent of the state medium income ($36,000 for a family of two).

It starts with simple measures such as weatherstripping, caulking and insulation before implementing more costly measures.

"This is a big increase," said Helga Lemke, an assistant director in the state Department of Community Services and Development, which administers the program for the state.

Jim Blomberg has made energy efficiency his business for 30 years. Windows, doors, roofs and walls all can be upgraded to cut energy costs for homes or business, and Blomberg's job is cutting holes in roofs.

As the owner of Sacramento-based Sun Optics, he has been responsible for supplying skylights for 2,400 WalMart Supercenters across the country. The energy savings for the Supercenters total 500 megawatts.

Pyle's savings will be less dramatic, but he's still pleased with the difference his new, more efficient windows will make.

"It's a 25-year-old house … you can virtually feel the cool air leaving," Pyle said. "It just makes sense to not air condition the world."

Call The Bee's Ed Fletcher, (916) 321-1269.