Appraising a home is difficult work that’s made more difficult with the growing popularity of high-performance homes.  Appraisers have access to training to learn how to better value energy-efficient homes, but a lot of what’s in the home is behind the drywall.  Or may not be apparent with a site visit.  Which is why I like this addendum created by the Sustainable Finance department of the Earth Advantage Institute.

Full Article Here:

http://www.jetsongreen.com/2011/09/appraiser-addendum-energy-efficient-home.html

HPW’s Annual BBQ and Potluck is this Sunday on Beautiful Lake Sammamish.

Our afternoon in the sun with employees and families should be a lot of fun.

Learn more and RSVP using this link.  Be sure to forward this to anybody in your organization who might wish to attend, including those who’ve never been to an HPW event!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dG56SzgxYTA0Yi00aHRFczlkSUtvc3c6MQ

If you are a member who did NOT receive the invitation email containing this link, or if you would like to join HPW this week, send email to info at homeperformancewashington.org and request a copy of the invitation.  Or call David Bangs as 425-999-6356

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dG56SzgxYTA0Yi00aHRFczlkSUtvc3c6MQ

Seattle’s Building Energy Benchmarking

& Reporting Ordinance

Informational Forum for Energy Efficiency Service Providers

WHEN: August 11, 2011

FROM: 1:30 to 3:00 pm

WHERE: Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 5th Avenue,

Seattle Conference Room 4050/60 (40th Floor)

HPW General Meeting Notes
22nd July 2011

Home Performance Washington, General Meeting

Presentations:

Suraj Lobo – Progressive Building Solutions – www.progressivenw.com
Suraj talked about ductless inverter driven heat pumps. It is basically a glorified air conditioner that is 2-4 times more efficient than regular electric resistance heat. The inverter allows it to run on DC so the system can match the heat produced with the heat needed inside the house. This eliminates fluctuations in indoor temperature. Not having ducts avoids all the energy losses common with ductwork. The units can be mounted in the walls or ceiling.

Jay Wagner – COACH NW – www.coachnw.com
Jay echoed Suraj’s comments on heat pumps. Jay talked about how we should focus on HSPF ratings of heat pump heating systems because it takes into account energy consumed by cycling, back-up heat and defrost cycles. Jay does room-by-room load calculations and emphasizes that airflow is essential for equipment operation. Most houses in Seattle had an oil furnace at some point. The ductwork with these systems is smaller and does not necessarily work well with other types of heating systems especially heat pumps which need bigger ducts. Air balancing adjusts flow to different registers to provide right amount of heat to each room. If house was built before 1970s, then the ducts probably have dampers already. Says 10 F setback no longer makes sense with heat pumps because they are good at maintaining temperatures.

Jeremy Smithson – Puget Sound Solar – www.pugetsoundsolar.com
Company does solar and home performance work. Home performance can lower house energy use, but house will still use some energy. Showed graph from Lawrence Livermore labs that displays energy efficiencies in the country. Transportation and electricity generation are the two big wasters. Natural gas has lots of environmental down-sides and argues this is not a long term solution. Extraction methods pump toxins into environment and process uses a lot of water. All new natural gas wells are coming from these fracking methods. We can’t rely on energy efficiency alone; solar is a must to replace remaining energy use. Solar panels are lasting a long time (study shows some have a half life of 50 years). The average PV module erases it’s footprint in 4 years. Systems built in-state have a 8-9 year payback. Sales tax waiver ends in 2013; state incentives end in 2020; federal tax credit ends in 2016.

Bruce Schoonmaker: A-FFIX, Earthquake Prepared – www.earthquakeprepared.com
With FEMA money, City of Seattle rolled out Project Impact in ’98-’99 to help facilitate earthquake retrofitting of homes. Any home built before 1980 is suspect (’85 in King county). Strengthen the house below the first floor: attach the house to the foundation. This is the area of most home failure and gets you the biggest benefit for your dollar or effort. Anchor the sill plate to the foundation, brace the pony walls and connect the floor system to the sill or top plate. There is a permitted-prescriptive path for qualifying homes. Others need engineering consultations. There is a 2-hour class that goes over the process in more depth. Work may be done by homeowner or contractor.

• Upcoming Trainings

HERS rater and Energy Star class in Seattle. 4 folks are already signed up. August 22nd through Aug 26th. Sign up here: http://www.energy.wsu.edu/EventsTrainings/RESNETHERSRaterSeattleAug22262011.aspx

• Announcements

Trifolds: Shannon from PSECCU is working on a tri-fold and has samples if you want them. Contact her for more information. The generic brochure is free and co-branded ones will come at low cost.

Save the Date – HPW Summer Bash August 21st.
HPW’s Summer Bash has been set for Sunday August 21st, at the house of David Bangs on Lake Sammamish. Enjoy food drinks, swimming and boating, and great company. Kayaks and ski boat rides will be available.
This will be a potluck with some food and drinks provided. Families welcome! Stay tuned for more details.

Upcoming HPW Meetings
• September 13th, October 11th, November 8th – Program TBA.
• August 21st, 3 – 7 pm, Summer Bash on Lake Sammamish. Stay tuned for more info.
• Upcoming Board Meetings: Tuesdays August 2, Sept 27, Oct 25, Nov 22: 3 – 5pm at the Eastlake Bar and Grill.

• NEXT MEETING: September 13th, 3-5pm at Greenwood Library 8016 Greenwood Ave. N. in Seattle.

Full Article: http://www.daily5remodel.com/index.php?action=article&rowid=910

Home-energy audits take place by the thousands each month in the U.S., but the percentage of them that result in professional retrofit work is minimal at best. Hence the biggest weakness and opportunity alike of this fast-growing field, according to building analyst Scott Pusey (right) of Everyday Green, which performs energy audits and modeling, plan review, and building science consulting and training throughout the MidAtlantic.

“Testing and reporting don’t save any money,” said Pusey in a presentation at a spring workshop sponsored by T.W. Perry, a major D.C.-area lumberyard. A good audit report, however, “will make the case for the homeowner to take action by addressing their specific concerns.”

Here’s an overview of some Pusey’s key points regarding making the case — and thus the sale — for moving homeowners from point A (having the audit done) to point B (hiring a contractor or contractors to make the recommended changes).
Make It Meaty

At a minimum, Pusey said, embark on a thorough approach that stands in stark comparison to the short “walk-through” audits, typically sponsored by utility companies or community groups, that focus on such low-hanging fruit as lightbulbs, weather stripping and visible attic and basement insulation.

By comparison, he said, “Take the time to do it right. Make it a meaty report that tells the story of the house.”

His company’s audits typically involve an analysis of 13 months of utility bills, along with a four-hour, full diagnostic inspection that includes blower door testing, insulation analysis, combustion safety and efficiency testing, distribution system analysis and, in some cases, infrared scan.

Homeowners pay $600 to $800 and receive a detailed written report that reveals how they truly use energy, including family behavior.

Besides addressing the homeowner’s specific concerns about comfort, air quality, etc., the report:

Itemizes the health and safety items that should be addressed before implementing energy-conservation measures.
Clearly lays out prioritized recommendations that can cure “the disease.”
Includes ballpark payments for improvements in terms of years.
Includes full-size color photos to help tell the story.

Modeling is a key component of Everyday Green’s audit reports, Pusey said. “The audit sets a baseline for where the home is,” he explained. “Modeling sets target for where it could be,” by presenting multiple scenarios based on actions taken — e.g., different methods and locations of insulation and air-sealing, replacing various appliances and, for what is typically the lowest and slowest return on investment, replacing windows.

Full Article: http://www.daily5remodel.com/index.php?action=article&rowid=910

by Richard Cherry, President of Community Environmental Center
Tuesday, July 12th, 2011

The Weatherization Assistance Program has come closer to being decimated, since the House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee has cut the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) to $30 million for FY2012.

This is more than an 80% cut from FY 2011 and would seriously cripple the program.

This cut would mean that low-income homeowners and apartment dwellers throughout the country will not receive the weatherization that makes their homes livable, safe and healthy the year round.

They will not receive insulation, energy efficient windows or energy efficient appliances and lighting fixtures.

The nonprofit agencies that provide weatherization will end up having to lay off employees, and the programs that train young people for green careers will have to say, “Sorry, the green job market that we thought was on the horizon just isn’t there.”

Is that the best direction for a country where so many are still out of work?

Bear in mind that 6.4 million Americans have benefited from WAP since its start in 1976. Bear in mind that families receiving weatherization services see their annual energy bills reduced by an average of $437, depending on fuel prices.

And know that the energy improvements which weatherization provides are long-lived – they benefit not only the recipients but also those who live in the communities that WAP serves. Energy efficiency means a healthier and safer planet for all of us.

You can help.

Call or write your Congressperson today to support the bi-partisan Tonko-Bass amendment (Congressman Paul D. Tonko, D-NY and Congressman Charles Bass, R-NH) for a $174 million WAP allocation in 2012 (as well as restored funding for State Energy Plans and the DOE’s Building Technologies Program).

And save the Weatherization Assistance Program.

Thank you.

Richard Cherry, President, Community Environmental Center.

Home Performance Washington, General Meeting

July 12th, 3 to 5pm at Greenwood Library
8016 Greenwood Ave. N. in Seattle.

Dear Members & Supporters,

Home Performance is a whole house approach!  We can’t do it alone!  At our January meeting, members identified “Involving Specialty Contractors” as one of our industry’s three top priorities.  Hence, the theme of our July meeting.

Save the Date – HPW Summer Bash August 21st.

HPW’s Summer Bash has been set for Sunday August 21st, at the house of David Bangs on Lake Sammamish.   Enjoy food drinks, swimming and boating, and great company.   Kayaks and ski boat rides will be available.

This will be a potluck with some food and drinks provided.  Families welcome!  Stay tuned for more details.

Renewals

Members: If you received a renewal reminder but has not renewed, please do so now.
Visit www.homeperformancewashington.org/renew.htm .

Presentations:

Four specialty contractors will speak for 20 minutes each, answering the questions:

How can home performance contractors work with my company to serve customers better? Why should they choose us?

Suraj Lobo – Progressive Building Solutions – www.progressivenw.com

At Progressive Building Solutions, we self-perform HVAC, electrical, and plumbing. The idea is to offer an integrated specialty energy efficiency contracting solution to building owners and general contractors in the Puget Sound. Utilizing the combined knowledge and experience of all three trades, we are best able to consult and perform on matters of utilizing fuel and natural resources to their max, ensuring peak performance of equipment for optimum comfort and efficiency, and coordinate effectively all design and installation procedures.

Jay Wagner – COACH NW – www.coachnw.com

At Co-Op Air Conditioning and Heating, LLC our commitment to Members and Non-Members is to provide superior service and installation. We will work with our Members as business partners in talking care of their HVAC needs. As business partners, we will keep the member fully informed, allowing the member to choose when and how they spend their resources, thereby earning the respect and trust of our Members. We will appreciate and respect our co-workers and other craftsmen. In order to be successful, we will hire the best trained tradesman we can find and are committed to ongoing training. COACH and our employees’ success depends on following our mission statement as a service company.

Jeremy Smithson – Puget Sound Solar – www.pugetsoundsolar.com

Jeremy Smithson, CEO, started Puget Sound Solar in 2001 with 30 years of construction contracting experience, and a desire to turn Seattle on to solar energy. What began as a vague notion gelled into a firm commitment to establish solar energy as a viable and permanent consumer choice. Combine this with a program to reduce home energy consumption and electrify transportation and you have a very powerful antidote to our problems. Puget Sound Solar now has separate divisions to focus on solar, home performance, and home electric car charging solutions

Bruce Schoonmaker: A-FFIX, Earthquake Prepared – www.earthquakeprepared.com

A-FFIX LLC is a Seattle-based general contracting company that specializes in home retrofit and earthquake preparation. It was founded by Bruce Schoonmaker in 1999 to meet the region’s need for a quality contractor specializing in retrofit and other forms of earthquake preparation.   A-FFIX’s mission is to provide earthquake preparation and education to and assist in securing the homes of Puget Sound’s residents, with a strong commitment to honesty, integrity and excellence. The safety of you and your family, and of the community as a whole, is of the utmost importance to us.

Social Time

Social afterward at the Yanni’s Restaurant. (419 Greenwood Ave.)

Upcoming Meetings

• July 12, 3-5pm – Involving Specialty Contractors in Home Performance
• September 13th, October 11th, November 8th – Program TBA.
• August 21st, 3 – 7 pm, Summer Bash on Lake Sammamish.  Stay tuned for more info.
• Upcoming Board Meetings: Tuesdays August 2, Sept 27, Oct 25, Nov 22: 3 – 5pm at the Eastlake Bar and Grill.
• Email to confirm and request agenda

David Bangs

President, Home Performance Washington
www.homeperformancewashington.org

Are you an entrepreneur focused on improving the environmental performance of homes? Do you own a home performance contracting business? Do you run a community or utility energy efficiency program? Are you interested in learning more about Washington’s energy efficiency industry? Want to learn best practices in converting a lead to a sale?

Attend the Business Academy in Seattle focused on the home performance industry!

This FREE event will convene national efficiency experts who will share their insights on growing the home performance industry. You will have the opportunity to apply these lessons, and identify the programs, partners, and skills necessary to grow greater Seattle’s efficiency landscape.

Apply online at www.greenforall.org/bizacademy

Participants must receive confirmation in order to attend.

Home Performance Business Academy – July 22nd

Home Performance Business Academy

Hosted by Green for All and the University of Phoenix, in partnership with Home Performance Washington

Date:               Friday, July 22, 2011 11AM-4:00PM

Where:           Tukwila, WA (Greater Seattle)

Location:        University of Phoenix – Western Washington Campus

7100 Fort Dent Way, Tukwila, WA 98188-8553

Green For All and University of Phoenix will host a free, half-day Business Academy focused on supporting entrepreneurs and contractors in the state of Washington who specialize in improving the environmental performance of homes. The Academy will provide the tools, resources and networking opportunities you need to scale your operations and create jobs.

National efficiency experts will share their insights on growing the home performance industry. Participants will have the opportunity to apply these lessons, and identify the programs, partners and skills necessary to grow greater Seattle’s efficiency landscape.

Speakers and Topics include:

“Innovative Home Performance Business Models”

-Jonathan Cohen, Imagine Energy, Portland, OR

“The Community Energy Challenge: Converting a Lead to a Sale, and other Lessons”

-Shawn Collins, Opportunity Council, Bellingham, WA

“Community-Based Demand Generation: National Models”

-Virginia Leavell, Laborers’ International Union of North America

-Successful Seattle Contractors, including Callie Ridolfi, Managing Director, EcoFAB

-Networking opportunities

Home Performance Washington members David Bangs, Callie Ridolfi and Dan Wildenhaus will be presenting at the Seattle Renewable Energy Meetup Group this Thursday.

What: Optimizing Home Performance
When: Thursday June 23rd, 7pm to 9pm
Where: First Presbyterian Church – 1013 8th Ave in Seattle
How to find us: Corner of  Madison and 8th. One block SOUTH of Town Hall, downtown Seattle, WA.

Join three presenters on home energy efficiency and green job creation: David Bangs, Callie Ridolfi and Dan Wildenhaus.  David, Callie and Dan know that energy efficiency and renewable energy are both essential parts of a complete home energy solution, and will strive to make their presentations as interesting as possible to Renewal Energy experts and advocates.

David Bangs, president of  the Home Performance Collaborative, will give an overview of the home performance process and current opportunities in the industry. He will share how Seattle Community Power Works initiative is at work in central and southeast Seattle.  This program combines new City Light Rebates,  Carbon Reduction Incentive Funds and an On-Bill financing program to incent home performance assessments and upgrades.  He will also discuss other industry opportunities, including home performance lending products and a new initiative to encourage remodelers to include energy upgrades with every project.

Callie Ridolfi, Managing Director of EcoFab (www.ecofab.net) will speak on green job creation /workforce development. Ecofab provides development and energy conservation services for sustainable homes and neighborhoods. It is a social enterprise providing technical assistance, project management and consultation for buildings designed to be durable and energy efficient homes. Ecofab supports skills training and workforce development in home performance and construction.

Dan Wildenhaus, Senior Building Scientist at Fluid Strategies, will  demonstrate some equipment and techniques, such as “Blower Door” diagnostics and Infrared Thermography.

Dan will also participate with David and Callie in a Q  & A session to ensure that all your questions about home performance and industry opportunities are answered.

Basic Weatherization Technician Training

Spring Quarter 2011: June 6-24, Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm

Description: This is a 110 hour course. Graduates will receive a Short Term Training Certificate—Basic Weatherization Technician from South Seattle Community College (ENS 101). This training meets the requirements for Basic Weatherization Technician Training for the Seattle Community Power Works project.

This class will be held on the Georgetown campus of South Seattle Community College. Visit our website for additional program information. http://georgetown.southseattle.edu

Weatherization Skills

• Hand and Power Tool Safety and Usage
• Attic Preparation and Blow
• Prescriptive Air Sealing
• Prescriptive Duct Sealing
• Dense Pack Walls
• Retrofit Floors
• Ventilation Basic Building Science

Interested?
To determine if you’re eligible and start the application process, please contact:

• Renee Taylor at Pacific Associates 206.779.3254 rtaylor@pacassoc.com, OR
• Diane Ranetta at TRAC Associates 206.861.4548 diane@tracassoc.com.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements

• 18 years or older
• Eligible to work in the United States
• For men born in 1960 or later; registered with the Selective Service (or have entered the US after age 26)
• Prior basic residential construction experience preferred
• Currently employed and in need of training to continue or advance employment; OR unemployed and in need of
• training for a new career
• Priority will be given to veterans

All Applicants Must:

✔ Be able to fit through a 14” x 14” opening

✔ Be able to lift and carry 50 pounds

✔ Be able to climb ladders

✔ Pass a urinalysis & state patrol background check

✔ Have a valid drivers license AND no more than one

moving violation

✔ Have NO felony convictions related to violence, arson,

sexual offenses, or theft

✔ Meet a strict attendance policy

✔ Math and reading at the 8th grade level

✔ Meet grant program eligibility requirements

100% of this program is funded by federal funds from the Department of Labor for a total of $52,870.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.NEEC.NET/SEED The SEED project is funded by a $3.8 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant from the Department of Labor throug h the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council, in collaboration with the Workforce Development Council of Seattle King County, Olympic Workforce Develop ment Council, Workforce Development Council Snohomish County, Workforce Central, community colleges and other organizations. South Seattle Community College and SEED partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and Providers of Employment and Training Programs. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. WTRS 800.833.6384 or 711.