EarthsaversO2 Home Energy Specialists

Posts Tagged ‘energy bills’

Home Inspections and why they are important…

Let me introduce my self, my name is Brook Beierle and I am a certified Building Performance Specialist at EarthsaversO2. I have several thoughts on why people should have inspections done on new and existing homes. You see as a third party inspection company, EarthsaversO2 does not sale any products only a service. You see a window company’s will inspect your home and sale you windows. A heating & air conditioning contractor inspects your home and they will suggest you upgrade your furnace or air conditioner. Is this what your home or building really needs to improve the energy efficiency and occupants indoor air quality? That is where are services come to your benefit! Our company will only consult you with cost effective home/ building improvement suggestions.

Why hire a Building Performance Specialist for New Homes?

I have inspected new homes that have and not had third party inspections services while being built. You see its not the people that make homes fail, it is the process! Most contractors spend efforts producing quantity not quality homes. A home that is Energy Star or built Green does not have to cost more. The first step to having a green energy efficient home is having the builder hire a third party verification company. By eliminating guesswork and applying building science many issues are prevented. Several homes that I went into for homeowners after they were built had serious energy robbing air leaks and potential health issues. These issues all can be dramatically prevented with prevention during building process. You see a builder does not always no everything about each trade they hire. That’s why they hire sub contractors. Sometimes the sub contractors are not up to date with standards…. Inspections & performance testing during construction and at completion is the only way to really control quality control.

Why have a Home Inspection for existing home?

Everyone works very hard to earn the money that pays the bills. What people do not realize how much money is being wasted in leaks out of the home year after year. Problems consist in many different areas in existing homes. With the right test such as a duct leakage test, infrared imaging and detailed inspections we then can evaluate and recommend cost effective improvements. Also it is important to understand that your homes indoor air quality is often worse then outside!

Don’t wait any longer! Contact EarthsavesO2 today for your new or existing home/building needs.

Brook Beierle

EarthsaverO2

Serving Lewiston, Clarkston, Pullman, Moscow/Idaho/Washington

EPA Announces Energy Star Homes Reach Nearly 17 Percent Market Share for 2008

Release date: 07/02/2009

Contact Information: Enesta Jones, jones.enesta@epa.gov, 202-564-7873, 202-564-4355

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that nearly 17 percent of all single-family homes built nationally in 2008 earned EPA’s Energy Star label, up from 12 percent in 2007. Both home builders and home buyers are continuing to invest in high performing homes that save consumers money on their utility bills and help protect the environment.

“Every year more Americans decide to cut their energy bills and help keep the air clean in their communities by buying a new home that has earned EPA’s Energy Star. Features like properly installed insulation, high-performance windows and high efficiency heating and cooling can reduce home energy needs by 20 to 30 percent, saving American families thousands of dollars on their utility bills,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Even in a difficult market, the interest in Energy Star qualified homes keeps rising. We’re helping builders and homebuyers to protect the environment, safeguard our health, and move the country into a low-carbon energy future.”

In addition, market share for Energy Star qualified homes was 20 percent or greater in 15 states in 2008, including Ariz., Colo., Conn., Hawaii, Iowa, Ky., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Ohio, Okla., Texas, Utah, and Vt.

Nearly 940,000 Energy Star qualified homes have been built to date, with more than 100,000 of these constructed in 2008. In 2008 alone, American families living in Energy Star qualified homes locked in annual utility bill savings of more than $250 million — saving over 1.5 billion kWh of electricity and 155 million therms of natural gas while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of nearly 350,000 cars annually.

To earn the Energy Star label, homes must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by EPA. Typically they include energy-saving features such as:

• Effective Insulation Systems
• High-Performance Windows
• Tight Construction and Ducts
• Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment
• ENERGY STAR Qualified Lighting and Appliances

More information about Energy Star qualified homes: http://www.energystar.gov/HomesMarketIndex

 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:                                  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

 (202) 586-4940                                                           Monday, October 19, 2009

 Vice President Biden Unveils Report Focused on Expanding Green Jobs And Energy Savings For Middle Class Families

  - Vice President Biden today unveiled Recovery Through Retrofit, a report that builds on the foundation laid in the Recovery Act to expand green job opportunities and boost energy savings by making homes more energy efficient.  Joining the Vice President today were Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality; Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy; Hilda Solis, Secretary of Labor; Shaun Donovan, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; and Karen Mills, Administrator of the Small Business Administration.

  At a Middle Class Task Force meeting earlier this year, the Vice President asked the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to develop a proposal for Federal action to lay the groundwork for a self-sustaining home energy efficiency retrofit industry. In response, CEQ facilitated a broad interagency process with the Office of the Vice President, eleven Departments and Agencies and six White House Offices to develop recommendations for how to use existing authority and funding to accomplish this goal.  These recommendations are described in detail in the Recovery Through Retrofit Report. 

 “Recovery Through Retrofit is a blueprint that will create good green jobs – jobs that can’t be outsourced, and jobs that will be the cornerstones of a 21st-Century economy,” said Vice President Biden.

 “And, thanks to the Recovery Act’s unprecedented investments in energy efficiency, we are making it easier for American families to retrofit their homes – helping them save money while reducing carbon emissions and creating a healthier environment for our families.”

 “This report builds on the foundation laid in the Recovery Act to expand green job and business opportunities for the middle class while ensuring that the energy efficiency market will thrive for years to come,” said Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

 “An aggressive program to retrofit American homes and businesses will create more work, more savings, and better health for middle class Americans.”

 Existing techniques and technologies in energy efficiency retrofitting can reduce energy use by up to 40 percent per home and lower total associated greenhouse gas emissions by up to 160 million metric tons annually.  Retrofitting existing homes also has the potential to cut home energy bills by $21 billion annually.  Yet, despite the real energy cost savings and environmental benefits associated with improving home energy efficiency, a series of barriers have prevented a self-sustaining retrofit market from forming.  These barriers include a lack of access to information, financing and skilled workers. 

 The recommendations and actions in this Report have been carefully designed to help overcome these barriers and to leverage Recovery Act funding to help ensure that the energy efficiency market will thrive long after the Recovery Act money is fully spent.  

 Some recommendations in the report include:

 *        Provide American Homeowners with Straightforward and Reliable

Home Energy Retrofit Information:  Consumers need consistent, accessible, and trusted information that provides a reliable benchmark of energy efficiency and sound estimates of the costs and benefits of home energy retrofits.  

 *        Reduce High Upfront Costs, Making Energy Retrofits More

 Accessible:  Access to retrofit financing should be more transparent, more accessible, repayable over a longer time period, and more consumer-friendly. 

 *        Establish National Workforce Certifications and Training

 Standards:  A uniform set of national standards to qualify energy efficiency and retrofit workers and industry training providers will establish the foundation of consumer confidence that work will be completed correctly and produce the expected energy savings and benefits.  Such standards should incorporate healthy and environmentally friendly housing principles, as outlined in the report titled, the Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Promote Healthy Homes (2009).

 Proper certification and training standards will ensure that retrofitted homes are healthy homes.  Consistent high-level national standards will spur the utilization of qualified training providers that offer career-track programs for people of all skill levels, promote and expand green jobs opportunities and facilitate the mobilization of a national home retrofit workforce.

 To read the full report and recommendations, please go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/Recovery_Through_Retrofit_Final_Report.pdf 

 “As Secretary of Labor I’m working to help build the clean energy economy of tomorrow by investing in our workers today,” said Secretary Solis “Training for green jobs can empower workers to climb the career ladder, sustain a family and provide a secure retirement. Through Recovery through Retrofit, we’re committing to meet the needs of workers, employers and homeowners, so we can shape our clean energy future into one that supports working families and is inclusive of the diversity of our nation.”

 “I am proud to join my colleagues today in announcing Recovery through Retrofit,” said Secretary Donovan. “It will allow us to work closely together to remove barriers to creating more energy efficient homes for American families.  This initiative will not only lead to cost savings for homeowners and reduce negative environmental impact, but will also be a powerful vehicle for economic recovery by creating quality middle class jobs and lasting neighborhood benefits. This is another demonstration of HUD’s commitment to creating jobs for the new economy in high growth industries by encouraging and investing in “green” building and energy retrofits.”

 “This initiative will not only result in considerable cost savings for homeowners on their energy bills, but also put resources in the hands of green sector small businesses who will in turn create good-paying jobs in communities across the country,” said SBA Administrator Mills.

 EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, who was unable to attend this event due to travel added, “This is the Recovery Act at work.  Communities will benefit from good jobs, families will benefit from lower energy bills, and we will all benefit from reduced air pollution and a growing green economy. Our Energy Star program can help families cut up to 30% off their energy bills — saving the average household more than $700 a year through efficiency investments.  EPA is proud to be working with all of our partners to help people save money when they need it the most, and build a new foundation for prosperity through a growing green economy.”

 The Department of Energy today also announced $454 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for energy efficiency efforts nationwide.

 The Department is now accepting applications for a new $390 million “Retrofit Ramp-Up” program that will deploy innovative approaches to energy efficiency building retrofits. These Recovery Act funds will help create new partnerships to deliver energy bill savings to entire neighborhoods and towns.  Bringing energy retrofits to whole neighborhoods at a time will simplify the process for homeowners and significantly reduce costs. When applied on a national scale, the program could save billions of dollars annually in utility bills for households and businesses and create thousands of jobs across the country. In addition, the Energy Department announced $64 million in energy efficiency funding for cities, counties, and Indian tribes.

 “The Retrofit Ramp-Up initiative is designed to slice through the barriers identified in this report – inconvenience, lack of information, and lack of financing – and to make energy efficiency easy and accessible to all,” said Secretary Chu.  “We want to make our communities more energy efficient, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood — eventually expanding to entire cities and states.  We can literally bring energy efficiency to the doorsteps of the American people.”

 Separately, the Department of Energy will accept state proposals to use State Energy Grant or Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant funds for Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) pilots.  This is an innovative model which allows communities to provide financing to homeowners to install renewable energy systems and retrofit buildings that can be paid off over time on their property tax bills.  Today, the White House is announcing a “Policy Framework for PACE Financing Programs” developed through an interagency process to ensure that effective homeowner and lender safeguards are included in PACE programs.

 

 

-DOE-

 Northwest ENERGY STAR Celebrates 10,000^th Home!

Since the Program’s inception in 2004, Northwest ENERGY STAR builders in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington have collectively built 10,000 homes that have been qualified ENERGY STAR helping remove 58,130,000 lbs of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually. This is equivalent to:
• Eliminating the emissions from 5,000 vehicles

• Saving 11,4004,618 lbs of coal

• Planting over 8,125 acres of trees

  

 

Northwest ENERGY STAR is pleased to recognize the following Northwest ENERGY STAR builders who have been awarded the 2009 ENERGY STAR Leadership in Housing award. Issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the award recognizes important contributions to energy-efficient construction and environmental protection resulting from building ENERGY STAR qualified homes:

Congratulations to:

 

Builders:		Verifiers:
D.R. Horton		Billings Insulation Service
Greenstone Homes		Building Energy, Inc.
Howland Homes		Conservation Services Group
New Tradition Homes		Momentum, LLC
Quadrant Homes		On Point, LLC
		Sheldon Consulting

 Did you hear? Green Homes Sell for 3-9 Percent More Than Traditional Homes

 

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Earth Advantage Institute has released a report documenting the superior market performance of third-party certified homes in comparison to non-certified homes. The findings are based on an analysis comparing homes certified with appraiser-approved comparable homes. Certified homes in the four-county Seattle metropolitan area sold for 9.7 percent more than non-certified homes. In the five-county Portland area, homes also achieved a price premium of 3 to 5 percent. Homes with an Earth Advantage or comparable certification also sold, on average, 18 days quicker in the Portland metro area.

To learn more about this report, visit Earth Advantage by clicking here. 

 

Tamarack Construction Co., Inc. Honored as Small Builder of the Year 2008-2009

 

 

Tamarack Construction Co., Inc. received their Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes Small Builder of the Year award for Montana June 12^th at the Montana Building Industry Association’s state convention Leadership Luncheon. Thank you Tamarack for your continued dedication to building better homes!

  

 

Are your Realtors and sales staff prepared to explain the differences between energy efficient homes and standard code built homes? REALTORS®, builders and other industry partners need to know how to leverage green homes not only for their benefit, but the benefits of homeowners.

 

Northwest ENERGY STAR is now hosting Selling Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes throughout the Northwest. Approved for continuing education credits both online and in classroom, Selling Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes will ensure your sales team knows how to answer customer questions about comfort, savings, energy efficiency, indoor air quality and more.

 Contact Us to request a training or find our when the next course is scheduled!

ENERGY STAR 2011: EPA Proposed Spec Change Comments

 

 

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The EPA has proposed a new ENERGY STAR Homes specification to be rolled out in 2011. A draft of the specification was released for comment and below is the feedback being sent to EPA from NEEA, WSU, ODOE, and NCAT. NEEA is optimistic that the EPA will be responsive to comments, and a new specification will be something that can work in the Northwest and continue to deliver a high level of energy savings. The program will continue to update partners as more information is released.

To view submitted comments, click here.

 

 

  

 

Green Building Tip

Once you have built a very tight home, the next critical step is to make sure you properly insulate the building.

 

To get an effective insulation job, you first have to ask two key questions: what’s the R-value of the insulation and am I getting that R-value I paid for through correct insulation installation? Make sure the insulation fills the entire cavity where it is installed and touches the surfaces of what you are trying to insulate with no gaps, missing sections of insulation, compression or areas for wind intrusion.

 

Remember, no insulation is better than any another. The best insulation for the job is the one that can be installed correctly so that it insulates the building uniformly and to its full R-Value. The result: greater comfort, lower energy bills and a quieter home.

 

 

The Northwest ENERGY STAR^® newsletter brings you updates every quarter to let you know of changes, opportunities and important information regarding your regional ENERGY STAR homes program. If you have questions, comments or ideas for future newsletters, we welcome your feedback.

 

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- “Posted 06/04/09”
Setting a New Standard for the American Dream Home: St. Jude Children’s Hospital Home Giveaway in Montana Raises Funds While Achieving the Pinnacle of Green Building
Billings Dream Home will be a Net Zero house, generating as much energy as it uses – and someone will win the house for $100

PORTLAND, Ore. — June 4, 2009 — The multiple partners involved describe it as the ultimate win-win: a home in Billings, Montana, will be built, donated and raffled off as a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and it will also be among the nation’s most energy-efficient homes ever built – the first Net Zero St. Jude Dream Home, and a harbinger of a new generation of smaller, more energy-efficient Dream Homes.
And for the price of a $100 ticket, one person will own a home equipped with the latest energy-efficiency elements in construction, systems and appliances – a home that will actually generate as much energy as it uses, delivering on the “net zero” concept of no overall energy consumption and eliminating utility bills for the homeowner.
The project is possible through a unique and innovative partnership of multiple organizations, including St. Jude Children’s Hospital, homebuilder McCall Development, the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes program, the Department of Energy’s “Building America” energy-efficiency program, Washington State University’s building science program and local sponsors such as Billings media outlets KTVQ television and KGHL radio.
“We’re truly excited about this opportunity to combine a wonderful cause such as the St. Jude Dream Home program with our efforts to spread the word about how attainable and affordable energy-efficient homes are today,” said Anne Brink, market manager new residential construction for NEEA.
The Dream Home is being built in the mixed-price Josephine Crossing development, which features 100% ENERGY STAR-certified homes. “St. Jude’s had contacted us about participating in their Dream Home program, and we were intrigued,” said Greg McCall of McCall Development. “Coincidentally, we’d been in discussions with Northwest ENERGY STAR regarding marketing green building within our area. We realized there was a synergy between the goals of each program. As economic barriers were hitting the building industry hard, we realized that there was an opportunity to ‘brand’ the next-generation Dream Home. It struck me right away that maybe we could build the first Net Zero home in the state of Montana, and then give it away for St. Jude.”
St. Jude’s growing Dream Home program, which started in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1991, has built and raffled off more than 200 homes over its history, including 30 homes in 2008, and raised $156 million for research into children’s medical issues. Builders, vendors and sponsors donate labor, materials and cash to produce a new home at no cost to St. Jude. The charity then sells raffle tickets to the public, giving the home away to the winner.
“On the construction side, we rely heavily on suppliers and subcontractors to donate their services and materials,” said Tara Moyer, Dream Home marketing manager for St. Jude. “Seeing that many people and businesses willing to come together to make these projects happen is humbling and incredibly gratifying.”
The Billings project stands out as the only Net Zero home St. Jude’s has been involved with – and, actually, one of only a few true Net Zero homes built anywhere. The coordinated effort to achieve that level of energy efficiency involved several players – foremost among them the DOE’s Building America program, which in the Pacific Northwest is coordinated through Washington State University.
The goal of the Building America program is to encourage and aid builders in achieving a higher level of energy efficiency in new construction. The program offers grants for outreach and education efforts such as builder training. In this case, McCall Development received extensive input from WSU to ensure the project’s materials, construction methods, systems design, insulation and other factors would maximize energy efficiency and ensure net-zero levels of consumption.
Among the innovations included in the Billings Dream Home:
- The floor plan of the 1,920-square-foot home is designed to take advantage of natural lighting, to reduce the need for electric lights inside the house. The home is also positioned on its lot to make optimum use of the location’s existing light.
- The 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath home uses solar panels, a ductless heat pump, an energy-recovery ventilator, double-pane low-E windows, R30 wall insulation and ENERGY STAR lighting and appliances.
- Bidirectional metering will monitor both energy production and energy use, allowing an accurate accounting of the home’s net energy use.
“Forty to fifty percent of Dream Homes are on some level energy-efficient,” said Russ Laney, associate director of construction for St. Jude. “The Billings Net Zero Dream Home is in a class by itself – it’s not on the cutting edge, it IS the cutting edge. This is a window on the future for both homebuilding and the Dream Home program.”
The home is being built as part of a larger 100% ENERGY STAR development, rather than a separate custom-build. McCall’s Josephine Crossing development offers homes from $150,000 to $700,000 all in one neighborhood; the St. Jude Dream Home’s retail value is approximately $400,000, The development is specifically designed to reverse the trend of new developments being centered around automobile traffic. Josephine Crossing features narrower streets with traffic-calming features, wide sidewalks set back from the street, garages in the rear of homes, and pocket parks rather than greenbelts.
Construction on the Billings St. Jude Dream Home began in January, and is scheduled to finish in August. Raffle tickets, priced at $100, will go on sale in Billings at eight Cellular Plus locations as well as at McCall Homes Design Studio. After a Sneak Peek event for sponsors and vendors August 13 and a public Grand Opening August 15, the giveaway will be televised live on KTVQ Sunday, September 27. The organizers anticipate more than 5,000 people will tour the home through a series of open houses.
The program’s goal is to sell 6,000 tickets, generating $600,000 for St. Jude. Other prizes that have been donated give ticket buyers a 1-in-500 chance of winning a prize valued at $1,000 or more. Including building subcontractors, sponsors, media outlets and others, more than 60 local companies have donated time, materials or services to the effort.
“This program is not just great for the community and for medical research, but also for promoting a higher level of building efficiency,” said Dave Hetherington, program manager for Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes. “It’s an exciting story – it’s a great giveaway for a great cause, and we’re building awareness around energy use and the ability to build to a net-zero energy use level.”

About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which was founded by the late entertainer Danny Thomas in 1962, has treated more than 21,000 children from across the United States and 70 foreign countries. St. Jude helps families across the state of Montana, including Cascade, Flathead, Ravalli, Yellowstone, Park, Silver Bow and Jefferson Counties. Research findings are shared freely with doctors and scientists all over the world. For more information, visit www.stjude.org or call 1.800.954.5499.

About McCall Development
McCall Development is a local building and development company located in Billings, Montana. The company was founded in 1993 by Jim McCall. Siblings Greg, Brad and Carolee McCall currently run and operate the company with a vision to build homes that embody charm and character, where bigger is not always better, and affordable does not have to mean cheap. McCall Development homes are architecturally designed, ENERGY STAR certified and as unique as the people who live in them. For more information on McCall Development, call 406.651.5354 or visit www.mccalldevelopment.com.

About Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes
ENERGY STAR qualified homes in OR, WA, ID and MT are built by home builders participating in the Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes program, which is funded by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA). NEEA is a non-profit corporation supported by the Bonneville Power Administration, electric utilities, public benefits administrators, state governments, public interest groups and energy efficiency industry representatives. These entities work together to make affordable, energy-efficient products and service available in the marketplace. For more information regarding NEAA, visit: www.nwalliance.org. Consumers can learn more about ENERGY STAR qualified homes by visiting www.NorthwestENERGYSTAR.com or calling 1.800.539.9362.

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Have Your Sales Staff Been Trained?   

 

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EPA Leadership in Housing Award Winners