Goldfeder

Some big players in the tech arena are looking at ways to make homes more energy efficient, namely Microsoft with its Hohm product and Google with its PowerMeter offering. Now, a Seattle startup is looking to make its mark in the market.

EnergySavvy.com, formerly Evoworx, today unveiled its new name and launched a preview of its service. As part of the offering, EnergySavvy has created a Web directory designed to match homeowners with pre-screened contractors who specialize in energy-efficient projects that qualify for government rebates, incentives and loans. You can search by projects -- say solar, windows or insulation-- or accreditations -- Energy Star Home Performance Contractor or PTCS Certified Technician. The directory also allows people to browse a directory of incentives based on a home owner's location.

"We are all about helping home owners be smart about home energy use," explains Aaron Goldfeder, the former Microsoft program manager who co-founded the company with former Redfin and Amazon.com employee Leo Shklovskii.

Goldfeder said that most homes could reduce energy consumption by about 30 percent, a cost savings in regions like the Northeast or Southwest of as much $2,000 annually. And when confronted with ways to reduce energy use issue in the home, Goldfeder said that 84 percent of people go to the Internet to find information.

Even so, Goldfeder said that it remains "super confusing to home owners to understand energy efficiency." Finding answers to questions about tax rebates, upgrading appliances or contractors is extremely difficult, he said.

Even though Microsoft and Google are eyeing the market, Goldfeder doesn't see too much competition with them.

"Those products are great in helping people understand where they are at, or creating awareness, but they do very little in helping homeowners to take action," he said. What is interesting today, is that there is not a single place on the Internet to go and type in your zip code and say: 'Hey, look, tell me what tax credits apply to me and who I can work with?'"

EnergySavvy has some notable advisors, including AdReady president and former aQuantive executive Karl Siebrecht, G2B Ventures managing director Aaron Fairchild and home performance advisor David Bangs.

EnergySavvy -- which has raised about $500,000 to date -- plans to make money by passing leads on to home performance and green-certified contractors.

At this point, EnergySavvy is calling its release a preview. But Goldfeder said the startup has other things in the works.

"We've got some industry leading technology that is going to basically blow away things that are out there right now," he said.