Posts Tagged ‘energy efficient lighting’

DOE to Fund up to $454 Million for Retrofit Ramp-Ups in Energy Efficiency

September 14th, 2009

U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today announced a new $450 million program designed to catalyze a nationwide energy upgrade that experts estimate could save $100 million annually in utility bills for households and businesses.  The Recovery Act’s “Retrofit Ramp-Up” program will pioneer innovative models for rolling out energy efficiency to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in a variety of communities.  Much like past roll-outs for cable TV or the Internet, the Department of Energy (DOE) intends to create models that, when undertaken nationally, will save consumers billions of dollars on their utility bills and make the huge savings of energy efficiency available to everyone.

“Energy efficiency isn’t just low-hanging fruit; it’s fruit lying on the ground.  We have the tools to reduce energy use at home and at work and to provide huge savings to families and businesses on their energy bills.  But use of these technologies has been far too limited because we lack the simple and effective ways for people to access them,” said Chu.

“The ‘Retrofit Ramp-Up’ program will support large-scale models that can open new energy efficiency opportunities to whole neighborhoods, towns, and, eventually, entire states,” continued Chu.  ”The Recovery Act will allow innovative communities to demonstrate a variety of sustainable business models that can be replicated across the country.”

The Request for Information (RFI) being issued today is for competitively selected local energy efficiency projects.  This competitive portion of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program will target community-scale retrofit projects that make significant, long-term impacts on energy use and can serve as national role models for grassroots energy efficiency efforts.  The DOE is seeking public comment on this newly funded program under the Recovery Act.  Public comment ends on Sept. 28, 2009.

The DOE is accepting feedback on both the competitively-selected portion of the EECBG program for up to $390 million for neighborhood-scale building retrofits, as well as up to $64 million for local governments that were not eligible to receive the formula grants announced earlier this year.  The EECBG program empowers local communities to make strategic investments to meet the nation’s long-term goals for energy independence and leadership on climate change.

This first topic area under the funding solicitation will target a select number of innovative programs that are structured to provide whole-neighborhood building energy retrofits. These will be projects that demonstrate a sustainable business model for providing cost-effective energy upgrades for a large percentage of the residential, commercial, and public buildings in a specific community.  Possible approaches could include innovative partnerships between the public and private sector, utility retrofit and audit programs, alternative financing, retail partnerships, and others. The DOE will award up to $390 million for these projects.

The second topic area for up to $64 million is reserved for cities, counties and state-recognized Indian tribes that were not eligible to receive population-based formula grant allocations from DOE under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program.  These funds are intended to help expand local energy efficiency efforts and reduce energy use in the commercial, residential, transportation, manufacturing, or industrial sectors.

“The aim of the ‘Retrofit Ramp-Up’ program is to jump-start an industry that makes energy efficiency savings easy to access and available to everyone.  By encouraging partnerships between local governments and effective private enterprises, we hope tune-ups for buildings will become as accepted as tune-ups for cars.  These efforts will save Americans millions of dollars, reduce carbon pollution, and create new green jobs,” said Chu.

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Posted in Energy Auditing, Energy Saving Tips, Green Technology, Utility Auditing / Deregulation

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Cut Your Energy Bills – Part 2

September 9th, 2009

PART 2 – CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY…

2. Water Consumption

Dollar Savings $400

If you’re not already aware of your household’s water use, you will be soon.  Almost four in five states anticipate water shortages by 2013, which could lead to steeper rates and penalties for excessive use.  When it comes to showering and washing dishes and clothes, you’re also paying to heat the water.

Stop Drips

It’s the fastest way to conserve, saving the average household about $70 a year.  Next, upgrade to water-efficient fixtures.  Low-flow showerheads can save as much as $265 per year on water bills.  ”A $30 showerhead can save more money than $3,000 worth of solar panels,” says Charlie Szoradi, of Green and Save, a company based in Devon, Pa., that analyzes the payback of energy-efficiency projects.  Switching to a low-flow toilet, which uses 1.28 gallons per flush compared with the 3.5 to 5 gallons of a 15-year-old or older model, can save $90.  Also check for utility rebates.

Watch the Water Heater

Lower the temperature to 120° F and insulate your hot-water pipes.  If your unit is more than a decade old, do your research now.  That way you’ll get a new unit that has a long warranty and is sized appropriately, not whatever’s on the truck of the only plumber who calls you back when your old heater breaks.

Easy, Low-Cost Solutions

Insulate your water heater.  Don’t prerinse dishes before loading them into the dishwasher. Add an aerator to faucets.

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Energy All-Stars

Kohler’s Cimarron K-3609 toilet, $300, excelled in our solid and liquid tests and used 1.28 gallons per flush.

Our testers described the watersaving American Standard FlowWise Dual Function 1660.717 showerhead, $50, as refreshing and stimulating.  The Moen Inspire 21777, also $50, used slightly more water but has more settings.

3. Recycling

Dollar Savings $250

Though recycling saves the least money, it generated some of the highest results in our survey.  Two-thirds of people said they recycle paper and plastic, and over half recycle metal and glass — proof that being green isn’t just about saving green.

Rewards and Penalties Initiated

RecycleBank, which is now used by a million people across 20 states, lets you put all of your recyclables in one container instead of separating them by type.  Then it weighs the container and issues rewards or points redeemable at local retailers.  The average household gets $250 worth.  ”Pay As You Throw” programs, in 7,100 communities nationwide according to Skumatz Economic Research Associates of Superior, Colo., treat trash like a utility: Homeowners are charged for the garbage they throw out.  And if you’re not redeeming bottle deposits, you’re not alone. Millions of dollars are unclaimed every year.

Nontraditional Recycling Is Low

Our survey revealed less widespread recycling rates for items such as batteries (32 percent), printer cartridges (30 percent), small electronics (17 percent), CFLs (16 percent), and large electronics (12 percent).  Some of the most common reasons for throwing items away instead of recycling them were that people didn’t think the item could be recycled or they didn’t have enough information to do so.  But just about everything that comes into the home can be recycled. The Web site Earth911.com lists more than 100,000 recycling locations, which can be searched by material and ZIP code. If you come up empty there, contact your department of solid-waste management.

A large percentage of respondents told us they donated or otherwise gave away certain household items, including furniture (29 percent), small appliances (28 percent), and major appliances (21 percent).  If you go that route, first check with the Better Business Bureau (www.give.org) or Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org) to make sure you’re giving to a worthy cause.

Easy, Low-Cost Solutions

Start a compost bin for organic food scraps or ask whether the local farmers market will take them.  Trade household items on sites such as freecycle.org.  Invest in a reusable water container to cut down on your household’s use of plastic water bottles.  Take spent CFLs to a Home Depot for recycling.

Energy All-Stars

Whole Foods Recycled Foldable Tote, $4, was especially good at containing leaks and isn’t as bulky as most bags.  Its $1 cousin, A Better Bag, held the most and can be returned if it rips.  But it absorbed leaks, so spills are a bit harder to clean.

4. Electricity Use

Annual Savings $300

Between lights, electronics, and appliances, electricity accounts for almost 40 percent of the average home’s energy use.  But there are ways to cut back in each category without sacrificing.

By changing 10 bulbs and replacing three major appliances with energy-efficient models, you can save hundreds per year.  As our survey found, many American are already taking advantage of those savings.  Almost two-thirds have replaced an incandescent lightbulb with a CFL.  As for appliances, 34 percent of respondents told us they’ve upgraded to an energy-efficient model.  It doesn’t make sense to pitch a perfectly good appliance or electronic item, but if you’re in the market for a new one, the type you choose can make a difference.  For example, side-by-side refrigerators use more energy than top- or bottom-mounts, top-loading washers use more electricity and water than front-loaders, and plasma TVs use more electricity than LCD sets.

Easy, Low-Cost Solutions

Plug electronics into power strips with built-in sensors that automatically shut off devices that aren’t in use.  Set your computer to hibernate.  Use LED holiday string lights. Turn off lights when you leave a room.

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Energy All-Stars

The EcoSmart 423-599 240EDXO-14 compact fluorescent bulb was the top performer in our tests.  It replaces a 60-watt standard incandescent bulb and costs only $1.50.

The GE WCVH6800J, an $800 front-loading washer, scored excellent in both water and energy efficiencies, saving up to $125 per year over a traditional top-loader.

Good News: You’re Being Audited!

Unlike the IRS version, a home-energy audit can save you money.  It provides a comprehensive assessment of your home’s heating, cooling, and distribution systems; an insulation checkup; and a review of your energy bills.  A well-trained auditor will also interview you to correct any inefficient behaviors.  Audits have proven so effective at curbing energy use that Austin, Texas, requires home sellers to share their results with buyers.

Costs Vary

Certified auditors charge from $300 to $800.  Or consider doing it yourself, especially if you think your home is relatively efficient.  The Department of Energy’s Web site, at www.energysavers.gov, has detailed information on do-it-yourself energy audits and links to finding local auditors.   If the results of your DIY audit look bad, hire a professional for a more detailed assessment..

Bottom Line

Not all energy-saving projects are equal.  So have the auditor prioritize any suggested work by savings and payback time.

Also remember that not everyone who hangs a green shingle has the training to identify inefficiencies.  There are eco-consultants, who might charge $99 for a 60-minute walk-through of your home, pointing out leaky faucets and inefficient lightbulbs.  Then there are general contractors who see energy efficiency as the one bright spot in an otherwise shrinking industry.  Last but not least are single-product salespeople.  ”Homeowners have been hearing forever that replacing their windows can save 40 percent,” says Chandler von Schrader, head of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Home Performance with Energy Star program.  ”These claims aren’t justified and they create a false expectation.”

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Energy Backward Technology: What Secret Inefficiencies Are Lurking In Your House?

September 4th, 2009

I’ve written a bit this summer about the trials and tribulations of living in a cottage in the woods, and paying the utility bills associated with it.  I should be clear, however, that by and large, life is great at the lake… until it’s time to go home.  That’s when we participate in a truly unpleasant ritual called “closing up,” in which a cottage gets scrubbed clean, drained and switched off for 10 months of rest.  Ordinarily, I wouldn’t mention this macabre (and slightly bizarre) decommissioning process, or the accompanying findings: the build-up two months of dog hair, sand, and evidence of the hotly denied existence of mice. But I find I have to, because I do things closing a cottage that I do not usually do (clean house, for example) and in so doing, I make discoveries. For example: an entirely new category of home energy efficiency: Energy Backward technology (EBT).

I washed the refrigerator. I removed everything, put it in coolers, and turned the cooling function off.  Then I started to scrub. Old milk. Sticky jam runs. Funky yellow schmutz of unknown origin smeared in between the glass shelf and the white plastic thing that holds up the glass shelf.

And then…I knocked out a plastic thingy over a light above the glass over the vegetable drawer, and had to put it back.  Not surprisingly, during the process of applying warm, soapy liquid to the interior of the fridge, some of the residual cool had left the appliance. But this section of the fridge wasn’t just thawing out. It was hot.  That’s right. In the middle of my refrigerator, the one that kept beer and ketchup cold and left-overs bacteria-free all summer, sat two hot-burning bulbs covered by a thin plastic shade.

Hot. I say. Hot. That’s TFU. (Totally Messed Up). I mean, whole industries were built up around the idea that we should keep our food cool. And whole conversations have gone like this: “Why didn’t you put away the leftover stew?” Answer: “Because it’s not cool enough for the fridge yet.” Unsaid: “And you Don’t Put Hot Things in the Fridge, You Stupid, Stupid Girl.”

Except, I put something hot in the fridge. Every day. All summer. Two things in fact. Wait.  Three, if you count the light on the top shelf.  All of which pop on when I open the door and keep cooking away until I close it.  And that, I say, is a TFU … EBT.  So it’s only for a few minutes, every time the door is open.  Still.  Heat?  In the refrigerator? (And no…it’s not an old refrigerator).

It’s time to replace those bulbs with cool burning LEDs.  We are hot on the case to figure out which bulb is best for the task. And when we do, we’ll stock it.  Because using a hot bulb in an appliance designed to keep things cool just doesn’t make sense.

In the meantime, I’m left wondering what else in my house is EBT? And how about yours? What Energy Backward Technology lurks at your place?  Tell. Please. It will make me feel better, and it might be something we can fix.

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