1.
Certified Energy Manager
LEED AP BD+C
davidgibson1@gmail.com
Powered by Sunshine:
Net-Zero Energy Homes
as a step toward
100% Renewable Energy
David Gibson
1
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

2.
2
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

3.
About David:
• 2006 - BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from
Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA
• Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
Accredited Professional for Building Design and
Construction through the US Green Building Council
• Certified Energy Manager (CEM) through the Association
of Energy Engineers
• Led energy efficiency programs statewide from June 2014
through February 2016 for the Nevada Governor’s Office
of Energy
• Reno homeowner since August 2011
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

4.
What is an Energy Audit?
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

5.
What is an Energy Audit?
An energy audit is an analysis of energy usage,
focusing on specific, practical and cost-effective ways
that energy consumption can be reduced.
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

6.
Purpose of Energy Audit:
• Comfort
• Health and safety
• Durability
• Indoor air quality
• Energy and cost savings
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

7.
Blower Door
10
• Used to measure air
leakage before and after
sealing
• Precisely calibrated
• For every cubic foot
pulled out through the
BD, one cubic foot is
leaking in
• Helps identify air leak
locations and magnitude

8.
Economic Analysis
To determine which improvements should be
made, we compare the upfront cost to the savings
over time:
• Simple Payback – How long does it take the
measure to pay for itself?
Calculation: upfront cost / annual savings
• Return on Investment (ROI) – Can be
compared to other investments (stocks, bonds,
mutual funds, etc).
Calculation: annual savings / upfront cost
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

9.
Actual Energy and Cost Savings
System
Before
Improvements
Projected
Costs
Actual
Costs
Actual
Savings
Percent
Savings
Heating $4,022 $2,686 $850 $3,172 79%
Cooling $0 $0 $0 $0 ---
Water
Heating
$549 $549 $385 $164 30%
Lights and
Appliances
$1,138 $968 $950 $188 17%
Service
Charges
$115 $115 $115 $0 0%
Total $5,824 $4,318 $2,300 $3,524 61%

10.
Economic Analysis (LED Lights)
Would you give me $100 today, if I offered to pay
you $10/month for the next ten years?
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

11.
Economic Analysis (LED Lights)
Would you give me $100 today, if I offered to pay
you $10/month for the next ten years?
$120/year x 10 = $1,200
Payback: $100/$120 = 0.833 years (10 months)
ROI: $120/$100 = 120%
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

12.
Low-Flow Showerhead
• Old (standard): 2.5 gallon per minute (GPM)
• New: 1.5 GPM
• Savings: 1.0 Gallon per Minute
• 30 min showering = 30 gallons per day
• 365 days = 10,950 gallons per year
$100/year savings for electricity and water
(~$60/year savings for natural gas)
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

13.
Economic Analysis (showerhead)
Would you give me $20 today, if I offered to pay
you $5/month for the next five years?
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

14.
Economic Analysis (showerhead)
Would you give me $20 today, if I offered to pay
you $5/month for the next five years?
$60/year x 5 = $300
Payback: $20/$60 = 0.33 years (4 months)
ROI: $60/$20 = 300%
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

15.
EPA Recommended
Thermostat Setpoints

16.
What is the most cost-effective solar
collector for a home?
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

17.
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

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19.
Economic Analysis
• Efficiency improvements:
– $7,000 cost
– $3,500 annual savings
– 2 year payback / 50% Return on Investment
• Solar hot water:
– $6,700 cost - $2,500 rebate = $4,200 out of pocket
– $420 annual savings
– 10 year payback / 10% Return on Investment
• Home value increased by $52,000 in 2 years!
– At least half attributed to energy improvements
32
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

20.
Funding for Efficiency:
• Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM)
• 203(k) Rehabilitation loan
• NV Energy and Southwest Gas – Rebates vary
• Umpqua Bank: GreenStreet Loan
• Refinance home mortgage
• Nevada Green Bank??
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

21.
A Great Investment
• Investing in home efficiency is one of the best
investments you can make
• Significantly reduces long-term energy costs
• Guaranteed return on investment, often
exceeding 10%
• Makes you more comfortable while saving you
money
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

22.
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26.
Net-Zero Energy
• The final step to making my house Net-Zero
Energy is to replace the oil furnace.
• Will have a ground-source heat pump installed.
• Exchanges heat with the ground to provide
heating and air conditioning.
• Cost: $33,000
• Federal Tax Credit: 30%
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

27.
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30.
Economic Analysis
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

31.
44
• 2011 Toyota Prius
• 50 MPG
• 2013 Nissan Leaf
• 120 MPGe
• 100% Electric
• Powered by Sunlight

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Nevada Energy Consumption & Costs

33.
Economic Development
Nevada spends $7.5 Billion each year on
imported fossil fuels. (natural gas, coal, oil)
• By 2030, we could have 100% renewable
electricity, and 50% reduction in oil imports
• By 2040, we could have 100% renewable
energy across all sectors
• Retaining $7 billion would create 100,000+ jobs
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

34.
Residential
• Nevada homes spend ~$1.5 Billion out-of-
state each year on fossil fuels
• 500,000+ homes in Nevada need efficiency
upgrades x $7,500 = $3.75 billion impact
• 500,000+ homes could install renewable energy
upgrades x $20,000 = $10 billion impact
• Auditors, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, insulation
workers, solar installers needed
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

35.
Commercial / Industrial
• Nevada businesses spend $2.0 Billion out-
of-state each year on fossil fuels
• Deep efficiency improvements = 30%+ savings
• Rooftop solar
• GSHP under parking lots
• Solar shade over parking lots
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

36.
Transportation
• Nevada spends over $5 billion annually on
imported oil and transportation fuels.
• How can we transform the Transportation sector?
• Electric Vehicles?
• Light Rail?
• Magnetic Levitation (MagLev) Trains?
• High-Speed Rail?
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

37.
Energy/Water Nexus
• Efficiency and renewables reduce water waste
• Covering half of Lake Mead in solar would:
• Reduce evaporation equal to Nevada’s water
allocation from the Colorado River
• Produce more electricity than all of NV
Energy’s fleet of gas and coal plants
• Indoor food production with aquaponics??
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

38.
Next Steps
• NSHE Endowment: Divest from Fossil Fuels
• New Energy Industry Task Force
• Interim Legislative Committee on Energy
• 2017 Legislature:
o Set Statewide Goal (100% renewables by
2040)
o Green Bank
o PERS: Divest/reinvest ~$2-$3 Billion
o Carbon Tax??
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016

39.
Certified Energy Manager
LEED AP BD+C
davidgibson1@gmail.com
Powered by Sunshine:
Net-Zero Energy Homes
as a step toward
100% Renewable Energy
David Gibson
52
UNR Renewable Energy Minor
April 6, 2016