The presentation focuses on strategies to reduce home heating costs, which represent a significant portion of household energy expenditures, particularly in New England where 78% of energy use is for heating. Key strategies include improving heating system efficiency, conserving energy, and switching to lower-cost fuels, with potential savings of over 50% achieved by fuel switching. Recommendations for homeowners include upgrading heating systems, practicing energy conservation habits, and considering alternative fuels like natural gas or wood pellets.

1. Lowering the Cost of Heating Your Home
a Green Roundtable Presentation
October 11, 2008
EcoHeat Solutions LLC
Presented by George Whiting, Founder
29 Pleasant St, Medfield, MA 02052
877-317-0700 gwhiting@EcoHeatSolutions.com

2. Overview
Until fairly recently, energy costs relative to other household expenses were
quite low. Today, energy use in the home is one of our major household
expenditures. Fortunately there are a number of actions we can take to reduce
energy costs in the home. Our focus for today is to look at how we heat our
homes and hot water, and consider what we can do to lessen the growing
financial burden of these energy-intensive necessities.
The relative importance of the forms of energy we use in our homes
>> Energy for Heating vs. Energy as Electricity (e.g. to run appliances, lights, etc.)
In New England, 78% of home energy use is for heating, and 22% for
electricity. Therefore, a marginal reduction in home heating energy use has a
greater impact in reducing energy use. Note however, that fuel for home
heating is much cheaper than the cost of electricity, so reducing electricity
usage is very important from a total cost savings perspective.

3. Overview
Until fairly recently, energy costs relative to other household expenses were
quite low. Today, energy use in the home is one of our major household
expenditures. Fortunately there are a number of actions we can take to reduce
energy costs in the home. Our focus for today is to look at how we heat our
homes and hot water, and consider what we can do to lessen the growing
financial burden of these energy-intensive necessities.
The relative importance of the forms of energy we use in our homes
>> Energy for Heating vs. Energy as Electricity (e.g. to run appliances, lights, etc.)
In New England, 78% of home energy use is for heating, and 22% for
electricity. Therefore, a marginal reduction in home heating energy use has a
greater impact in reducing energy use. Note however, that fuel for home
heating is much cheaper than the cost of electricity, so reducing electricity
usage is very important from a total cost savings perspective.
Conclusion: Reducing both types of energy use should be pursued with equal
zeal.

4. Typical Heating Systems in the home
□ Forced Air □ Forced Hot Water □ Steam □ Gravity □ Stoves
(supplemental)
>> Pluses/Minuses of each
Most Efficient: Hydronic/Forced Hot Water (particularly w/radiant floors)
Moderately Efficient: Forced Hot Air
Least Efficient: Steam, Gravity
Most Comfortable: Hydronic radiant floors
Moderately Comfortable: Baseboard radiators, Cast iron radiators
Least Comfortable: Forced air (dry, hot, dusty)

5. Typical fuels
□ Oil □ Gas □ Propane □ Electricity □ Wood □ Wood pellets
□ Geothermal □ Sun
» Relative Pluses and Minuses of each fuel
Most Convenient: Natural gas, oil, electric, geothermal
Moderately convenient: Wood pellets
Least convenient: Wood
100% Renewable: Wood, Wood pellets,
Partially Renewable: Geothermal
Non-Renewable: Oil, Natural Gas, Propane
Inexpensive: Wood, Natural Gas
Moderate: Wood pellets
Expensive: Oil, Propane, Electricity, Geothermal

6. Efficiency / Conservation / Fuel Costs
Home heating costs can be reduced by focusing on three areas: increasing our
heating system's efficiency, taking measures to conserve energy, and
choosing lower costs fuels. Reductions of 10% or more through improved
system efficiency, 10% or more through conservation, and more than 50%
through switching to lower cost fuels can be achieved for many homeowners.
Goal: Cost Reductions of 10% / 10% / 30%

7. Efficiency
The annual efficiency of heating systems in New England's homes ranges from less
than 70% to 95% and more. Therefore, if you have an old heating system, it would
be reasonable to attempt to raise your heating system efficiency by 10% or more. If
your heating oil use is 1000 gallons/year, and you improve your efficiency by 10%,
then you'll save 100 gallons or maybe $300-400 dollars/year.
Things you can do:
Easy - Change to Energy Star furnace or boiler. Possible upgrade to condensing
technology.
Harder - Insulate pipes or ducts
Hardest - Change system type from steam or gravity hot water to forced hot water.

8. Conservation
Conservation of fuel is another area where reductions of 10% or more can be
achieved, particularly if you're not currently in the habit of turning down your
thermostat at night
Things you can do:
Easy - Turn down thermostat at night and when leaving, to 55°F.
Easy - Turn down thermostat on water heater to 120°F, and shut off day in
advance when absent for more than a day.
Easy - Use low-flow shower head, or adjustable water flow shower head.
Easy - Close off rooms, don't heat uninsulated basement.
Harder - Insulate walls, ceilings. Target R-19 in walls, R-35 or higher in attic.
Harder - Replace windows with Energy Star windows.
Harder - Seal gaps around windows, doors and vents to reduce infiltration.
Hardest - Move to smaller home

9. Fuel Costs
The rising cost of oil has been the main driver of interest in finding
alternatives to the status quo. In real terms, oil has been trending higher for
10 years, and with declining domestic production, this trend is likely to
continue. Currently oil costs $.11/kWh ($3.60/g), Natural gas $.05/kWh
($1.23/therm), and Wood pellets $.07/kWh ($299/ton)
Things you can do:
Easy - Switch to natural gas. At the same level of efficiency, you will save
over 50% at today's prices.
Harder - Switch to wood pellets. You will save 30% on fuel
costs. Requires some maintenance.
Hardest - Switch to wood. Requires much labor and maintenance.

10. Conclusion:
Higher Efficiency + Conservation + Low Cost Fuels = Money Saved
Goal: 10% / 10% / 30%

11. Wood-Pellet Boiler Oil Natural Gas Geothermal HP Electric Heat
Annual Energy
Delivered (Btu) (1) 117,325,000 117,325,000 117,325,000 117,325,000 117,325,000
Price for Fuel (2) $299 /ton $3.50 /gallon $1.23 /therm $0.22 /kWh $0.22 /kWh
Annualized efficiency (3) 83% 83% 85% 222% 100%
Annual Fuel use (4) 8.62 tons 1,024 gallons 1,334 therms 15,489 kWh 34,386 kWh
Annual cost for fuel (5) $2,577 $3,585 $1,640 $3,439 $7,634
Fuel price/kWh (6) $0.07 $0.10 $0.05 $0.10 $0.22
Investment (7) $9,000 $5,000 $6,000 $35,000 $0
Capital cost/month (8) $81 $45 $54 $315 $0
Capital cost/year (9) $971 $539 $647 $3,775 $0
Capital Cost/kWh (10) $0.03 $0.02 $0.02 $0.11 $0.00
Annual Fixed Cost +
Maintenance (11) $250 $150 $150 $0 $0
Total Cost per Year (12) $3,798 $4,274 $2,438 $7,214 $7,634
Total Cost/kWh (13) $0.10 $0.12 $0.07 $0.21 $0.22

12. Thank you