The document summarizes efforts by the federal government to promote home energy efficiency retrofits through new programs and initiatives. It outlines new tools like the Home Energy Score to help homeowners understand their home's energy use, the PowerSaver loan program to facilitate affordable financing, and workforce guidelines and training to grow the retrofit industry and increase consumer confidence. The goal is to overcome barriers that have prevented a strong nationwide retrofit market and boost energy savings.
State and Regional Industrial Energy EfficiencyPlanning, Collaboration and Implementation
David Terry, Executive Director
National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO)
Leveraging Government Programs to Cut Costs and Green Your FacilityCrunchEnergy
Making your facility more energy efficient will save you money in utility bills - and help the environment too.
But making your building more energy efficient can require significant capital investment.
How can you get the funds to make the changes you need to - especially if you're required to conform to new efficiency standards? With so many technology vendors knocking on your doors peddling their new products, how can you make an informed decision on how to move forward with the smartest, most proven retrofit projects?
Get the answers - and learn about green jobs training programs - in this presentation from CrunchEnergy!
State and Regional Industrial Energy EfficiencyPlanning, Collaboration and Implementation
David Terry, Executive Director
National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO)
Leveraging Government Programs to Cut Costs and Green Your FacilityCrunchEnergy
Making your facility more energy efficient will save you money in utility bills - and help the environment too.
But making your building more energy efficient can require significant capital investment.
How can you get the funds to make the changes you need to - especially if you're required to conform to new efficiency standards? With so many technology vendors knocking on your doors peddling their new products, how can you make an informed decision on how to move forward with the smartest, most proven retrofit projects?
Get the answers - and learn about green jobs training programs - in this presentation from CrunchEnergy!
This webinar was held on August 20th, and examined both Kentucky's unique energy landscape and the DOE-funded, soon-to-be-completed 3 year stakeholder project to design a strategy for achieving a 1% voluntary energy efficiency goal - without a mandated portfolio standard.
Samantha Williams, Policy Manager at MEEA, provided an overview of Kentucky's recently- released Action Plan for Energy Efficiency - the first of its kind in the state. Since January 2011, MEEA has been working with the Kentucky Department for Energy Development and Independence on a comprehensive stakeholder process with the goal of reaching a voluntary 1% electric energy savings goal through efficiency. This process culminated in the Action Plan, which lays out a strategy to achieve this goal and ensure environmental protection, create jobs and maintain low-cost, reliable energy into the future. Ms. Williams will discuss how the Action Plan and its focus on voluntary measures could be a model for other states.
Lee Colten, Kentucky Department for Energy Development and Independence, will review a key element of the Action Plan: a new process for Kentucky to annually track utility-run energy efficiency program performance and evaluate progress towards the State's energy efficiency goals. Mr. Colten will describe how Kentucky's collaborative efforts with utilities are helping demonstrate at the state level, and nationally, the success of Kentucky's efficiency programs and policies and the strides that have already been achieved in the last decade.
This report captures the status of residential new construction program offered by utilities in the southwestern states. It includes program participation data, budget, energy savings, and key program highlights. It provides recommendations to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Department of Energy (DOE) on ways to assist utilities in the development and implementation of their programs.
This is a report from the White House Task Force on Middle Class Working Families: The Task Force is a major initiative targeted at raising the living standards of middle-class, working families in America. It is comprised of top-level administration policy makers, and in addition to regular meetings, it will conduct outreach sessions with representatives of labor, business, and the advocacy communities. More information is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/strongmiddleclass/
Energy efficient mortgages have been around for decades but largely have notbeen taken advantage of. In the past few years the secondary mortgage markethas streamlined the underwriting process for the energy mortgage product. Fannie Mae has made the process seamless for the lender and the rater. Yet despite these infrastructure improvements and rising energy costs the demand for the product has not increased.
Using EnergyGauge® USA v.2.8.02, the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) has conducted ananalysis of EPA’s proposed ENERGY STAR Reference Design Home specification. A single-story, 2344 ft 2, slab-on-grade, 3-bedroom, frame home is evaluated in each of the sevencontiguous U.S. climate zones. The ENERGY STAR Reference Design Home was evaluatedusing three metrics: 1) EPS’s threshold qualifying HERS Index (including the Size AdjustmentFactor – 0.984 for this home), 2) the 2006 IECC Standard Reference Design and 3) the 2009IECC Standard Reference Design. Evaluations using the IECC Standard Reference Design werecomputed using source energy, where the source energy factors were 3.16 for electricity use and1.1 for natural gas use.
These interim guidelines are provided for RESNET Building Performance Auditors(BPAs) or Comprehensive HERS Raters (CHERS Raters) who have been trained by a RESNET-accredited Training Provider on these protocols. These guidelines shall befollowed by RESNET-accredited Raters and Auditors (hereinafter referred to collectively as “Auditors”) performing combustion appliance testing or writing work scopes forrepairs. If the Auditor has been trained and certified in accordance with a RESNET approved “equivalent home performance certification program” or the Building Performance Institute (BPI) Standards, the Auditor may follow protocols in accordance with those equivalent standards.
This webinar was held on August 20th, and examined both Kentucky's unique energy landscape and the DOE-funded, soon-to-be-completed 3 year stakeholder project to design a strategy for achieving a 1% voluntary energy efficiency goal - without a mandated portfolio standard.
Samantha Williams, Policy Manager at MEEA, provided an overview of Kentucky's recently- released Action Plan for Energy Efficiency - the first of its kind in the state. Since January 2011, MEEA has been working with the Kentucky Department for Energy Development and Independence on a comprehensive stakeholder process with the goal of reaching a voluntary 1% electric energy savings goal through efficiency. This process culminated in the Action Plan, which lays out a strategy to achieve this goal and ensure environmental protection, create jobs and maintain low-cost, reliable energy into the future. Ms. Williams will discuss how the Action Plan and its focus on voluntary measures could be a model for other states.
Lee Colten, Kentucky Department for Energy Development and Independence, will review a key element of the Action Plan: a new process for Kentucky to annually track utility-run energy efficiency program performance and evaluate progress towards the State's energy efficiency goals. Mr. Colten will describe how Kentucky's collaborative efforts with utilities are helping demonstrate at the state level, and nationally, the success of Kentucky's efficiency programs and policies and the strides that have already been achieved in the last decade.
This report captures the status of residential new construction program offered by utilities in the southwestern states. It includes program participation data, budget, energy savings, and key program highlights. It provides recommendations to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Department of Energy (DOE) on ways to assist utilities in the development and implementation of their programs.
This is a report from the White House Task Force on Middle Class Working Families: The Task Force is a major initiative targeted at raising the living standards of middle-class, working families in America. It is comprised of top-level administration policy makers, and in addition to regular meetings, it will conduct outreach sessions with representatives of labor, business, and the advocacy communities. More information is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/strongmiddleclass/
Energy efficient mortgages have been around for decades but largely have notbeen taken advantage of. In the past few years the secondary mortgage markethas streamlined the underwriting process for the energy mortgage product. Fannie Mae has made the process seamless for the lender and the rater. Yet despite these infrastructure improvements and rising energy costs the demand for the product has not increased.
Using EnergyGauge® USA v.2.8.02, the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) has conducted ananalysis of EPA’s proposed ENERGY STAR Reference Design Home specification. A single-story, 2344 ft 2, slab-on-grade, 3-bedroom, frame home is evaluated in each of the sevencontiguous U.S. climate zones. The ENERGY STAR Reference Design Home was evaluatedusing three metrics: 1) EPS’s threshold qualifying HERS Index (including the Size AdjustmentFactor – 0.984 for this home), 2) the 2006 IECC Standard Reference Design and 3) the 2009IECC Standard Reference Design. Evaluations using the IECC Standard Reference Design werecomputed using source energy, where the source energy factors were 3.16 for electricity use and1.1 for natural gas use.
These interim guidelines are provided for RESNET Building Performance Auditors(BPAs) or Comprehensive HERS Raters (CHERS Raters) who have been trained by a RESNET-accredited Training Provider on these protocols. These guidelines shall befollowed by RESNET-accredited Raters and Auditors (hereinafter referred to collectively as “Auditors”) performing combustion appliance testing or writing work scopes forrepairs. If the Auditor has been trained and certified in accordance with a RESNET approved “equivalent home performance certification program” or the Building Performance Institute (BPI) Standards, the Auditor may follow protocols in accordance with those equivalent standards.
This standard provides guidance on the use of infrared thermography for the inspection of low rise, three stories or less, wood or steel frame, residential and light commercial buildings.
The 2009 American Recover and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) promises substantial funding for energy efficiency programs – to the tune of $26 billion – and many in the business of energy efficiency such as TAC are looking for ways to access its funding. In order to educate its employees and partners on the impact of the ARRA, TAC presented an educational webinar in which Callahan addressed the stimulus package, the Obama administration's impact on energy policies, and the role TAC can play in delivering energy related projects.
Federal, State and Local Stimulus Dollars- Promoting Energy Efficiency Today ...Alliance To Save Energy
Presentation from the Alliance to Save Energy's 2010 Great Energy Efficiency Day, which took place on March 10, 2010 in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC.
Building America’s Green Economy: A Foundation of Energy Efficiency, A Future...Alliance To Save Energy
There are many opportunities to interlace energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy (RE) in policy and the marketplace. In her presentation, Kateri discussed the historical partnership of EE and RE, from their pivotal role in the energy legislation of the past decade, to their essential support of many clean energy policies and programs undertaken by state and local authorities, utility companies and businesses. Given the ‘green’ tenor of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the partnership between EE and RE will only grow stronger, making these two clean fuels the building blocks of a green economy.
With new funds in the pipeline and a new administration at the helm, communities nationwide are looking for ways to align their strategies for development with the tone and tenor of Washington. In order to help counties better understand the new mechanisms for addressing their energy needs, Brian spoke to NACo’s Energy Subcommittee about the opportunities for clean energy activities in the 2009 American Recover and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). He outlined the main recipients of ARRA funding for energy efficiency (which include state energy offices and local governments), as well as how those funds will be allocated, how interested organizations should apply for those funds, and what activities are eligible for funding.
OverviewIntroduction to WeatherizationPeople are using more en.docxalfred4lewis58146
Overview
Introduction to Weatherization
People are using more energy in their homes today than ever before. Unfortunately, much of this energy is wasted.
The Department of Energy began the Weatherization Assistance Program in 1976 to aid low-income families by weatherizing their homes. These families, in turn, conserve energy, save money on energy bills, and invest in their local communities.
There are many agencies and organizations that can help homeowners make their homes more energy efficient.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this module, you should be able to:
1A
identify how buildings can consume large amounts of energy.
1B
explain the purpose of the Weatherization Assistance Program.
1C
recall the names different organizations involved in the green building industry.
Module 1 Reading Assignment
Krigger, J., & Dorsi, C. (2012). Residential Energy: Cost Savings and Comfort for Existing Buildings (6th ed.). Helena: Saturn Resource Management, Inc. Introduction.
Supplemental Reading Assignments (Required):
Bradshaw, J. L. (2010). Cost-effectiveness of weatherization in low-income urban housing stock. Unpublished master's thesis, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, (pp. 1-105).
Millhone, J. P. (2010). The "longest running and perhaps most successful" U.S. energy efficiency program. Federation of American Scientists, (pp.1-17).
Lecture Notes
Introduction to Weatherization
Buildings consume 40 percent of the world’s total energy. Buildings use 25 percent of the planet’s wood harvest and 16 percent of its water resources. Building use represents 70 percent of total human resource consumption, including energy, water, and materials combined. Energy is defined as the ability to produce tasks such as:light
heat
motion
sound
growth
technology
Appetite for Energy
The world population is increasing exponentially. No one knows exactly how many human beings there are on the face of the Earth, but a healthy estimate by the University of North Carolina places it at just under 7 billion people and increasing at a rate of 3-4 people per second.
In 1800, the worldwide population estimate was about 978 million people. In 1850, the estimate was 1.262 billion people. In 1900, at the beginning of the 20th century, an estimated 1.650 billion people populated the Earth. The world’s population is greater than ever before and, because of this growth, the global energy appetite is unprecedented.
In the 1800s, when people were scattered over the face of the Earth and the congregated masses formed clusters of mere thousands, energy consumption was not a critical issue. When they burned wood or straw for heat and cooking, they had little impact on the environment. However, as the population grew and more people moved into cities, the demand for energy began to increase.
A Period of Change
The global energy appetite is beginning to experience a period of change that will affect everyone. Eventually, petroleum products will become scarce an.
Energy Efficiency and Economic Recovery: Stimulus Funding OpportunitiesAlliance To Save Energy
February 2. 2009 -- Policy makers and others have come to understand the power of energy efficiency implementation as an economic development tool and stimulus. The result is likely billions in clean energy investments by the federal government that will be utilized by state and local governments, non-profit energy organizations, and others. In her presentation, Kateri focused on the efforts of the Alliance to Save Energy and others to grow energy efficiency implementation programs – buildings, products, and services – and deliver greater economic vitality to the nation.
This document brings together a set
of latest data points and publicly
available information relevant for
Utilities Industry. We are very
excited to share this content and
believe that readers will benefit from
this periodic publication immensely.
Similar to Recovery Through Retrofit: Saving Homeowners Money and Creating Jobs (20)
According to this study, residential real estate markets assign to energy-effi-cient homes an incremental value that reflects the discounted value of annualfuel savings. The capitalization rate used by homeowners was expected to be4%–10%, reflecting the range of after-tax mortgage interest rates during the1990s and resulting in an incremental home value of $10 to around $25 for every$1 reduction in annual fuel bills. Regression analysis of American Housing Sur-vey data confirms this hypothesis for national and metropolitan area samples,attached and detached housing, and detached housing subsamples using aspecific fuel type as the main heating fuel.
The purposes of these standards of practice are to ensure that accurate and consistent home energy ratings are performed byaccredited home energy rating systems nationwide, to increase thecredibility of the rating systems with the mortgage finance industry, and to promote voluntar y participation in an objective, cost-effective, sustainable home energy rating process. This document is intended to be a summary for information purposes only.
The provisions of this standard are intended to define a framework for a home energy auditprocess. A certified auditor, an accredited Provider and/or a program will apply this standard toimprove the energy performance of existing homes through uniform, comprehensive homeenergy surveys, audits and ratings for existing residential buildings.
Recovery Through Retrofit: Saving Homeowners Money and Creating Jobs
1. RECOVERY THROUGH RETROFIT
Saving Homeowners Money and Creating Jobs
At a Middle Class Task Force meeting in May of 2009, Vice President Biden asked the White
House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to develop a proposal for Federal action that
would expand green job opportunities in the United States and boost energy savings by
improving home energy efficiency. In response, CEQ facilitated a broad interagency process
that resulted in the Recovery Through Retrofit report, which was released last October.
Recovery Through Retrofit identified homeowners’ lack of access to information, financing and
skilled workers as the key barriers that have prevented a strong nationwide home energy retrofit
market from growing. The report also laid out several recommendations aimed at breaking down
these barriers. During the last year, an interagency working group has addressed each of the
recommendations and the Middle Class Task Force and CEQ are pleased to report on our
progress and announce the launch of several new initiatives.
RECOVERY THROUGH RETROFIT ACHIEVEMENTS
Clear and Reliable Home Energy Information
The Recovery Through Retrofit report found that most consumers do not have access to
straightforward and reliable information about their home’s energy use. Without this
information, homeowners are less likely to invest in home energy upgrades. The report
recommended the creation of a new energy performance label for existing homes.
Home Energy Score: The Department of Energy (DOE), with support from the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), has developed a voluntary
new Home Energy Score program that will help homeowners make cost-effective decisions
about energy improvements. Trained and certified contractors will be able to use a newly
developed energy software tool to generate:
A Home Energy Score between 1 and 10, which will be presented as part of a simple
graphic that will help homeowners understand their home’s current efficiency level and
how it compares to other homes in the area.
An estimate of how much money could be saved by making energy retrofits.
A personalized list of recommended improvements, with estimated annual savings and an
estimated payback period for each upgrade.
Contractors can collect all of the information they need to generate the score and
recommendations in a one-hour home walk-through. DOE will launch the Home Energy Score
this fall through a pilot program in select regions across the country before making the voluntary
program available everywhere. For those pilots in rural areas, USDA Rural Development will
partner with DOE and rural electric cooperatives to increase participation and improve home
energy efficiency in rural America. For a sample Home Energy Score report, please visit:
http://www.homeenergyscore.gov.
2. Better and More Accessible Financing Options
The high upfront costs of retrofit projects often dissuade homeowners from undertaking energy
efficiency improvements. The Recovery Through Retrofit report recommended making
consumer-friendly financing options more accessible.
A New Financing Option – PowerSaver Loans: FHA PowerSaver is a new financing option,
developed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which will enable homeowners to
make energy saving improvements to their homes through affordable, Federally-insured loans
from private lenders. Homeowners will be able to borrow money for terms as long as 20 years to
make energy improvements of their choice, based on a list of proven, cost-effective measures
developed by FHA and DOE. Interest rates will generally be as low as or lower than other
comparable financing options, and PowerSaver loans will be more widely available as a result of
Federal insurance. Lenders may also be eligible for grant funding from FHA to further enhance
benefits to borrowers, such as even lower interest rates.
FHA’s approval and monitoring procedures will ensure that PowerSaver loans are only offered
by responsible, qualified lenders. PowerSaver will begin as a two-year pilot program. FHA is
seeking lenders to participate in the pilot program and invites the public to comment, through
instructions in the Federal Register. For more information about PowerSaver loans, please visit:
http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/title/ti_home.cfm.
Participating lenders and eligible communities will be announced early next year.
Strengthening State and Local Financing: State revolving loan funds allow consumers to
borrow money for home energy improvement projects at low interest rates. Once the energy
retrofit loan is paid off, the principal and interest on the loan are reinvested into the revolving
loan fund providing another homeowner the opportunity to make home energy improvements. In
October 2009, when the Recovery through Retrofit report was published, residential energy
efficiency revolving loan funds were available in 16 states. During the past year, the Department
of Energy and its partners have launched revolving loan fund programs across the nation, and
have provided not only funding, but also hands-on technical assistance to ensure success. As a
result, revolving loan fund programs are now available in more than 30 states.
Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing programs allow state and local governments,
where permitted by state law, to attach the cost of home energy improvements to a property
instead of an individual borrower. In an effort to strengthen PACE programs, the Administration
published PACE best practices in May 2010, with input from various government agencies,
private sector representatives, and industry experts.
New Guidelines and Protocols for the Retrofit Workforce
Currently, there are not enough well-trained residential energy retrofit workers and not enough
green entrepreneurs to expand the home energy efficiency industry. The Recovery Through
Retrofit report called for a uniform set of national guidelines for training residential retrofit
3. workers. With the adoption of these guidelines, consumers will have confidence that work is
being completed correctly and generating the expected energy savings.
Workforce Guidelines for Home Energy Upgrades: The Department of Energy and the
Department of Labor, with support from the Departments of Education, Health and Human
Services, and the Environmental Protection Agency, have created voluntary guidelines that
identify the skills and knowledge necessary for workers in the home energy retrofit industry, as
well as the minimum requirements for high-quality work. The Workforce Guidelines for Home
Energy Upgrades can be adopted by training providers to improve retrofit course curriculum and
training programs. In addition, DOE will work with the Weatherization Assistance Program,
Recovery Act grantees, and other Federal, state and local retrofit programs to put the Workforce
Guidelines into practice across the country. The Guidelines, which were drafted with input from
a wide range of industry stakeholders, are designed to foster the growth of a skilled workforce
that will increase homeowners’ confidence in the retrofit industry. Increased consumer
confidence will result in increased consumer demand and new retrofit job opportunities. Before
finalizing the Workforce Guidelines, DOE invites the public to comment, through instructions in
the Federal Register. For more information, please visit:
http://www.weatherization.energy.gov/retrofit_guidelines.
Healthy Indoor Environment Protocols for Home Energy Upgrades: The Environmental
Protection Agency’s (EPA) Healthy Indoor Environment Protocols for Home Energy Upgrades
serves as a companion document to the Workforce Guidelines for Home Energy Upgrades.
These protocols provide the recommended actions necessary to maintain or improve indoor air
quality and resident health when performing home energy retrofits. Together, these guidelines
and protocols can increase home energy efficiency, improve the quality of work performed, and
provide a healthier home environment for Americans. Before finalizing the Protocols, EPA
invites the public to comment, through instructions in the Federal Register. For more
information, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/homes/retrofits.html.
SBA’s Green Business Opportunities Course Created: The Small Business Administration’s
(SBA) new online course, Green Business Opportunities: A Small Business Guide, provides
training for entrepreneurs who are looking to enter the home energy retrofit market. The course
provides free business counseling and information for those seeking to launch a new business or
expand an existing business in the energy efficiency market. This training opportunity is free
and available on SBA Office of Entrepreneurship Education’s website, at:
http://www.sba.gov/training.
Next Steps
The eleven Departments and Agencies involved in the Recovery Through Retrofit effort look
forward to continuing their commitment to strengthen the home energy efficiency retrofit
industry. The Federal Government is working with industry, academia, training providers, small
businesses, and other partners to launch these new tools and programs and to ensure their
success. The Obama Administration will continue to support the growing home energy
improvement market through interagency collaboration and by leveraging existing resources.
4. Contributing Departments and Agencies
Office of the Vice President (Co-Chair) Equal Employment Opportunity
White House Council on Environmental Commission
Quality (Co-Chair) General Services Administration
Department of Agriculture Small Business Administration
Department of Commerce Executive Office of the President
Department of Education Council of Economic Advisers
Department of Energy Domestic Policy Council
Department of Health and Human National Economic Council
Services Office of Management and Budget
Department of Housing and Urban Office of Public Engagement and
Development Intergovernmental Affairs
Department of Labor Office of Science and Technology
Department of Treasury Policy
Environmental Protection Agency