Knowledge Center
|
Knowledge Center > Green Municipalities > A Strategy For Deep Green Energy Retrofits And Climate Action Goals For Local Governments A Strategy For Deep Green Energy Retrofits And Climate Action Goals For Local Governments
John Shipman CEO, Energy Efficiency Management, Inc. www.energyefficiencypro.com
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
714-553-4162 Introduction The climate action plan goals of any local government and utility group can be significantly bolstered by a comprehensive program designed by Energy Efficiency Management, Inc. To date, few municipal agencies have a comprehensive plan to address a cost effective deep green energy efficiency retrofit program for their existing housing stock; most often a community’s single largest source of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. Through a proposed collaborative effort with various agencies and non-profit groups, Energy Efficiency Management, Inc. has developed such a program, to comprehensively address existing home deep green retrofits in a cost effective, energy efficient and green manner; allowing local government agencies to improve energy efficiency, reduce their carbon footprint, collect verifiable and quantifiable data and reach their climate action plan goals. This plan will assist local governments and municipal agencies to build upon existing climate action plan strategies, to address quantifiable savings of water gas and power of existing homes in their service area, allowing for documentation of GHG emissions avoided and contributing to the climate action plan goals of any local government. Additionally, through the inclusion of local partnerships such as educational institutions and Workforce Investment Boards, this program may have a profound effect on local green job development and the local green economy. Existing homes and buildings are one of the largest producers of green house gas emissions (GHG) in the United States. Older homes account for over 70% of the housing stock in most communities. In California alone, nearly ten million homes pre-date state energy efficiency building codes (Title 24. The vast majority of existing homes are all too often, models of energy inefficiency, producing high energy bills and poor indoor air quality for occupants that consume far too much electricity, gas and water. This results in a financial drain and a less healthy situation for residents and communities. However, this can be avoided in a cost effective manner by adopting a program to improve the existing housing stock of a community, through energy efficient and green applications for customers and residents of existing single family homes within units of local government. This program will help eliminate blighted and abandoned homes being purchased in the NSP/NSP II or Energy Efficiency CDBG process, by not only converting them to habitable, code compliant structures, but by converting them to cost effective, truly energy efficient, green healthy homes that lower the cost of home ownership and improve the indoor air quality of the occupants, and that are a source of pride for residents and the community. Additionally, local utilities will be able collect data that allows them to document savings in Kilowatts, gallons of water and therms saved, as well as GHG emissions avoided, thereby addressing state and local government climate action goals. Adopting an Energy Efficient Green Program through NSP/NSP II and Energy Efficiency CDBG Funds The existing housing stock of a community provides an opportunity that is far reaching in scope, and will result in lasting sustainable solutions for units of local government. To date, throughout the State, and indeed throughout the nation, there has been no real significant achievement made, on how to address the issue of a community wide sustainable solution to the existing housing stock; until now. Finally, a green consumer label designating an existing home as a green home, and providing for collectible data relative to an existing home’s energy efficiency improvement is a cost effective attainable solution to any California unit of local government’s stock of existing homes through a program created by Build It Green. Even more compelling, is the pathway that exists to quantify and document the amount of green house gas emissions avoided by improving existing homes in a cost effective energy efficient and sustainable green fashion. Enabling local governments to now quantify sustainability data and energy efficiency data as never before, by documenting savings in Kilowatt hours, therms and gallons of water saved in addition to quantifying green house gas (GHG) emissions avoided. While this opportunity now exists for homeowners of an existing home in any community across the State to participate in this effort, the state of the economy will pose many challenges for families interested and wanting to act as environmental stewards of change in this area, to actually make the financial investment required. Through collaborative efforts between local governments, local utilities and strategic partnership groups, this opportunity can now be a reality for homeowners. Going one step further, by including additional above-mentioned local partnerships, local green colar workers may be included to stimulate the local green economy. Neighborhoods that have seen their existing housing stock and community destabilized by the failing economy and collapsed real estate market, have provided us with one bright spot; the opportunity to launch a platform for sustainable improvement that can even be used as a national model, with some additional creativity on the part of units of local government and the use of available programs from government agencies, green organizations and participating collaborative efforts. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP/NSP II) and Energy Efficiency CDBG funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, has created just such a unique opportunity, for units of local government to address existing home rehabilitation, energy efficiency, and the issues of AB 32 and even AB 811 (utilizing assessment districts) in creative ways, never before utilized until now. As mentioned above, by using the available funding mechanisms and other available resources, to set up a program which rehabilitates properties that are vacant or bank owned, and will be sold to low to moderate income residents using cost effective deep green energy efficient improvements, units of local government will be able to aid in any residential community wide effort to significantly reduce energy consumption and reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions and stimulate the local green economy. In addition, agencies can spearhead a community wide program through existing rehabilitation or down payment assistance programs engaging community participants as stakeholders to significantly eliminate GHG emissions, stretch local agency NSP dollars further, and promote energy efficiency in their community, as called for in AB 32. In addition, it is now possible to cost effectively make existing homes energy efficient, and at the same time offer a green consumer label, as stated above which certifies the home as a Green Point Rated Existing Home(Elements). In addition, this designation will be accompanied by a true carbon footprint calculator that quantifies avoided green house gas emissions for stakeholders, utility groups and local governments. Given the fact that existing homes comprise over 70% of the housing stock in the state, the total reduction of green house gas emissions avoided, kilowatts, therms and gallons of water saved would be monumental. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has developed and approved its Scoping Plan outlining the State’s strategy to achieve the 2020 GHG emissions limit called for in AB 32. This Scoping Plan, which was approved on December 11, 2008, will take effect on January 1, 2009. In their Scoping Plan, the CARB has outlined codes, standards and strategies for addressing existing buildings, including suggesting voluntary and mandatory whole-building retrofits for existing buildings, voluntary efficiency and green building targets beyond mandatory codes, and innovative financing involving energy efficiency. In addition to many additional measures, this plan aggressively calls for energy efficient improvements to California’s existing home stock and existing buildings built before implementation of California’s building efficiency standards in 1978 to be addressed. The CARB has indicated that local governments that voluntarily create early action plans to address AB 32 may benefit by possibly qualifying for allowances through the Cap-and-Trade Program. Furthermore, the focus of energy efficient improvements to the nations existing housing stock by President Obama’s Administration, further emphasizes the importance of addressing this problem immediately. The NSP and NSPII funds available from Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and various ARRA funding pathways provide the opportunity for units of local government to address this issue head-on, by taking action right now, and creating a voluntary early action plan focused on improving the energy efficiency of existing homes in their community and significantly reducing GHG emissions addressed in AB 32. It is a common misconception that energy efficient improvements and green applications are too costly, and will require too many resources to implement in the NSP and NSP II rehabilitation process, or in any voluntary action plan to improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of a communities existing home stock. Nothing could be further from the truth. Systems are in place through collaborative efforts that may assist units of local government, in their effort to adopt a creative action plan to improve energy efficiency of existing homes. In addition to the funds available through the NSP and NSP II, there are programs from the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) such as the Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) that have been redesigned and that are available now that may be focused on low to moderate income families, allowing them an opportunity to automatically qualify for cost effective energy improvements to their home if they qualify for an FHA backed loan, thereby leveraging local government stimulus dollars. In fact, the FHA now makes this program available to all families, even those who want to refinance with an FHA backed loan, and include cost effective energy efficiency improvements in their mortgage. This will also provide a significant benefit to updating any unit of local government’s existing down payment assistance program. Furthermore, this allows energy efficiency improvements to be brought to the doorstep of all Americans, and not just those homeowners that will finance improvements through their property taxes through assessment districts or through an AB 811 funding mechanism once in place. The reality is that simply rehabilitating a bank owned or vacant property to a sell-able or habitable condition offers little benefit to the new low to moderate income homeowner and to the community, compared to the benefits gained by improving a home in energy efficient, green manner. Sending another family (low to moderate income or not) to live in a home that produces high energy bills and emits the same GHG as before, is an opportunity missed and a poor use of the NSP or NSP II funds. In fact, as previously mentioned, the families that can least afford high energy bills are the ones most affected by not implementing cost effective energy efficiency improvements. Through the use of NSP funds, and the utilization of programs like the EEM to spearhead this type of program, and by allowing the new homeowner an opportunity to become a stakeholder in this process, units of local government become partners with the community, in a voluntary, creative and significant effort to reduce emissions of GHG, and create sustainable healthy communities that address issues outlined in AB 32. Energy Efficiency Management, Inc. is prepared to guide local governments, local utility groups in this process through our consulting and testing services, through collaborative efforts with additional local partners and non profits such as Build It Green, educational institutions and Workforce Investment Boards; we will be your team members along this pathway. We offer you the knowledge and expertise to help any agency further understand, develop, enhance and expand a green energy efficiency and sustainability program for existing homes within various departments of local government or through oversight in the field, in addition to what you may already have in place, and assist you in the development of a comprehensive program specific to your community that is engaging, cost effective and fosters a community stakeholder relationship in reducing GHG emissions. We will assist in establishing a baseline of performance for identified properties through the nationally recognized HERS process and incorporating the Home Performance and Build It Green models, the data collection and testing procedures, and cost assessment measures required to insure that cost effective measures remain a priority in a timely manner, or related to any EEM or greenhab process application, in any existing homes project. Provide the Rating services required by Build It Green on each existing home project to achieve certification of a green consumer label (elements-whole house) and provide GHG emissions avoided quantifiable data collection through the GHG emissions carbon calculator, which is now available. We will collaborate with you, and guide you in this process, offering technical assistance to understand how cost effective deep green energy efficiency improvements or retrofits work, in an existing whole house system or existing building to reduce utility costs and GHG emissions. Furthermore, we will work with you to identify and establish additional resources available, to make cost effective deep green energy efficient improvements through the identification of qualified installers, green builders, contractors and qualified students of green building programs that have the appropriate green skills or through the quality processes and best practices to utilize. Also, we can help educate, train and monitor green builders, contractors and technicians qualified to work in your community and assist in oversight, on the proper procedures required to properly implement cost effective green improvements and sustainable green processes. In addition, we will assist you to identify additional partners that may participate in various ways in your climate action plan. Also, we will work with you to help reach out to the community, through community outreach programs and educational workshops, geared specifically to existing home residents and customers. We can help residents to understand the value of their rehabilitated existing home’s energy efficient improvements, or in having green, energy efficient, sustainable communities, and why they should be good stewards and stakeholders in any existing homes community event. Energy Efficiency Management, inc. is a Fullerton, California based consulting, and California licensed and certified Energy Efficiency Audit/Analysis and Green Home Performance with Energy Star Contracting Corporation and Certified Green Builder and Rater (new and Existing Homes) with Build It Green. In addition, Energy Efficiency Management, Inc. is an Energy Star Partner with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as well as a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. We are an approved and Certified Home Energy Rating System (HERS) provider recognized by the California Energy Commission provider, California Home Energy Efficiency Rating Services (CHEERS). We are also certified in the Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) program through CHEERS to facilitate the EEM process through energy audit/analysis, documentation support and project management. Listed below, are many of our additional qualifications which serve to identify our areas of expertise in the realm of green energy efficiency and sustainable healthy communities. Sincerely, John Shipman CEO, Energy Efficiency Management, Inc. Member, U.S. Green Building Council, U.S. Green Building Council Certification, LEED for Schools Member, Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) California Licensed General Building Contractor (Lic. # 921814) Certified, Level I Thermographic Imaging specialist Certified, Building Performance Institute (BPI) Certified Home Energy Rating Service (HERS) Auditor/Analyst, CNN41249149 (CHEERS) Certified Green Builder, Green Consultant and Green Point Rater (New/Existing Homes), Build It Green Certified California Green Home Performance Contractor with Energy Star, CBPCA Certified Building Envelope Analyst, Analysis and Solutions, CHEERS Certified HVAC Systems Analyst, CHEERS Certified Existing Homes Analyst, CHEERS Certified Solar Rater, CHEERS Certified Energy Efficient Mortgage Specialist, CHEERS California Licensed Realtor (Lic. # 01812640) Instructor, National Association of Realtors, Certified Green Designation and Residential Elective Green Course Designation Program Director/Instructor, Green and Sustainable Building Certificate Program: California State University, Long Beach (CCPE Program) B.A., University Of California, Los Angeles
|