Breaking News

When it comes to energy and the environment, most people want to do the right thing. But how many people actually contribute to improving energy use and environmental impact is another story. Ben Holland of Rocky Mountain Institute knows this better than most. As project manager for RMI’s Project Get Ready, Holland works with cities and industry leaders to promote electric vehicle integration and adoption.

He recently gave a presentation on his work at South By Southwest (SXSW) Interactive, the annual arts and technology conference in Austin, Texas. Initially, Holland was unsure about discussing the seemingly unrelated topic of observed barriers to electric vehicle adoption. But it turns out that the SXSW crowd is ahead of the curve on the subjects of environment and energy use.

“Gamification” and “Big Data” were two buzzwords frequently heard at SXSW earlier this month. The two closely related concepts, when combined, could have significant implications for energy use. Applying principals of gaming to non-game applications may encourage people to change their behavior. Mobile app developers have had great success doing this by incorporating location-based awareness data into their products. What if you could do something similar for energy? Read more. Source: RMI Outlet 3/26/12

DOE announced on March 9 the availability of up to $5.2 million in fiscal year 2012 to develop improved building efficiency technologies. This funding opportunity includes advanced heating and cooling systems and high efficiency insulation, windows and roofs. The funding will advance the research and development, demonstration and manufacture of innovative building technologies to speed the commercialization of affordable, high-performance products.

Homes and commercial buildings consume approximately 40 percent of the energy used in the United States, costing American consumers more than $400 billion annually. Nearly a third of that energy is used for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). Advancing HVAC building technologies and improving the design and materials that make up a building’s “envelope” or air seal will significantly reduce the cost of heating and cooling residential and commercial buildings.

DOE seeks applicants for funding to support breakthroughs in energy-saving HVAC systems and building envelope solutions. Mechanical HVAC system projects should aim to increase the efficiency of cost-effective systems and components suitable for both existing buildings and new construction, while building envelope projects will focus on advancing high-performance cost-effective ways to minimize energy loss in homes and commercial buildings, particularly existing buildings.

Applications will be accepted through April 17, 2012. See the DOE Progress Alert the Funding Opportunity Exchange website. Source: EERE Network News, 3/14/12

The cities of Omaha and Lincoln are getting ready to launch a campaign to make their reEnergize program even more attractive to energy contractors and the homeowners who hire them.

This collaborative effort to build energy smart communities was launched with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The cities are implementing a five-stage plan to complete energy evaluations on 180 commercial and nonprofit buildings, and make energy upgrades on 2,100 residences.

The reEnergize Program works with community partners to recruit, train, qualify and increase the number of skilled professional energy evaluators and energy upgrade contractors in the Omaha and Lincoln metropolitan areas. The new campaign aims to engage homeowners and provide reEnergize Qualified Upgrade contractors with access to the GEOSmart Long Term Financing Program. Once enrolled in the GEOSmart program, contractors will be able to offer customers a special 5.99 percent financing promotion for measures that qualify for the reEnergize program. Qualifying measures include:

• Adding or improving insulation
• Maintaining or replacing furnace
• Stopping leaks and drafts
• Installing efficient lighting
• Maintaining or replacing large appliances

To provide Omaha and Lincoln area contractors with more information about new opportunities and options, the reEnergize program is holding meetings March 14, 1:00 p.m., at the following central locations:

Omaha City Hall,
7th Floor Conference Room
1819 Farnam Street
Omaha, NE 68183

Lincoln City County Building,
Mayor’s Office Conference Room, Suite 301
555 S. 10th Street
Lincoln, NE 68508

The presentations will cover:

• reEnergize contracting opportunities & promotional materials
• Options for screened contractors to list third-party qualifications
• Opportunities to become a Qualified reEnergize Upgrade Contractor, get pre-screened as an EGIA GEOSmart Authorized Contractor and save the usual $250 annual membership fee (a $500 savings through 2013)
• Cross-promotion activities leveraging the reEnergize Program with current clients

REGISTER to attend the meeting in person, join the meeting online or request a recording following the meeting.

To learn more about how this program is creating an energy-savvy workforce in Omaha and Lincoln are working together to improve the efficiency of their buildings, contact reEnergize toll free at 877-402-5111. If your utility is interested in contractor training webinars, contact your Energy Services Representative.

The Department of Energy (DOE) recently met with American Public Power Association (APPA) regarding rulemaking on energy conservation standards for residential water heaters.  Based on the meetings, APPA created a survey asking utilities about their water heater load control programs.

The results from this survey will give APPA the information needed to continue working with DOE to amend the conservation standards for residential water heaters.  APPA would like to have responses to this survey no later than close of business, Friday, March 9, 2012. 

This is a great opportunity for Western customers to contribute to rules that will affect their programs into the future. Also, if you have a story to share about water heater load control at your utility, you can contact Energy Services Bulletin. You just may be the next headline story!

Webinar
March 20, 3:00 p.m. MDT

Join the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project and the Western Cooling Efficiency Center  for the webinar, Quality Installation and Maintenance of Cooling Systems, on March 20.

No matter what type of cooling technology or application, proper sizing, installation and regular maintenance of a cooling system is critical to saving energy. Participants will learn about quality installation (QI) and quality maintenance (QM) and tune-ups of cooling systems from a practical installation approach, and explore the design and implementation of successful utility programs. Speakers include Kristin Heinemeier of the Western Cooling Efficiency Center-UC Davis and Ron Thingvold of Comfort Air Distributing.

Space is limited, so reserve your webinar seat today. After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Editor’s note: This story originally appeared in the March 2012 Energy Services Bulletin.

It is no secret that we here at Energy Services are big fans of the infrared (IR) camera—our Equipment Loan Program offers several models, the Energy Services Bulletin covers stories about its innovative uses and we urge customers who are not familiar with the technology to learn about it. You will have that opportunity April 5 at Infrared Thermography: Hands-On Training for Utility Systems and Customer Service Applications (link to flyer), in Billings, Mont.

Western is co-sponsoring the event with Montana State University at Billings (MSUB) College of Technology and Clean Energy Ambassadors (CEA). The agenda targets utility professionals who are interested in performing building audits, as well as those who are looking for a more efficient way to maintain their electrical systems. The cost to attend is only $125 because “We wanted to make sure that the workshop is affordable,” explained CEA Program Manager Stevie Moe. “The IR camera is such a versatile tool, it can save money on utility operations and program development. That can really benefit smaller utilities in particular,” she added.

The registration fee includes class materials as well as meals and snacks for one day. “People will need their energy because they’ll be doing more than just sitting and listening to presentations,” said Equipment Loan Manager Gary Hoffmann.

What to expect
Hoffmann will be at the workshop to introduce participants to IR cameras available through the Equipment Loan Program. Our equipment library recently added two new cameras with more capabilities. The cameras’ higher resolution enables users to spot smaller problems on transmission lines and substations from greater distances. Both models take digital and infrared pictures that can be easily downloaded to show to maintenance personnel and facility owners.

After participants get a look at the cameras, representatives from FLIR and Fluke will talk about how to use them. One case study will show how IR cameras were used to detect line and substation loss, and a second presentation will focus on the equipments’ industrial applications.

Hands-on experience
But the real fun comes after lunch, when participants break off into groups for field training. Moe recalled that some utilities brought their own IR cameras to the workshop in North Dakota last year. “But those were older models,” she said. “I think everyone really enjoyed getting to ‘play’ with the latest technology the manufacturers provided.”

The field training took participants around the University of North Dakota campus to inspect the electrical system, heating plant, dorm rooms and a substation. “It was a pretty fast-paced session,” said Hoffmann. “The groups were made up of only two or three people, so everybody got a chance to use the different cameras in different situations.”

The day will conclude with the groups downloading images, running reports and interpreting the pictures they shot in the field. Participants will come away with not only a working knowledge of camera operation and data interpretation, but also with ideas for integrating IR cameras into utility programs.

Why attend?
Those who went to the 2011 IR camera workshop found plenty of ways to apply what they learned, said Moe. “Participants told us about using the cameras on their power systems, and on utility buildings as well as on customers’ homes and businesses,” she noted. “Some utilities have found that IR images are great tools to educate consumers about weatherization.”

The workshop is also intended to educate the next generation of utility professionals. MSUB is hosting the event in hopes that students from its industrial and energy programs will attend. “The students at MSUB are interested in science and technology, but they may not have thought about working in the utility industry,” said Moe. “This is a good opportunity to reach out to them by letting them work with the technology currently being used in the industry.”

And for those already working in the industry, the technology is becoming more accessible every year. “IR cameras keep getting less expensive, smaller, lighter and simpler to use,” Hoffmann said. “Utilities don’t have an excuse for not checking out the equipment and seeing what it can do for them.”

Editor’s note: This is the second story in a series on overcoming barriers to customers implementing energy-efficiency improvements.

The key to successful energy-efficiency upgrades—and, therefore, to happy customers—is proper equipment selection, installation and user orientation, if needed. All of which require a qualified contractor who is committed to saving customers energy. While finding enough such vendors to support an energy-efficiency program continues to be a challenge, utilities now have more resources to help them cultivate trade allies.

As with project financing [link to story re-posted on Breaking News], the strategy a utility uses to develop a contractor pool depends on specific factors—the size and population of the service territory, local regulations, the measures a utility chooses to promote. No one size fits all (yes, that phrase again), but the number of utility program models is growing, along with educational programs to train the next generation of contractors.

Utility examples

Many utility programs require customers to hire contractors from a list of preferred vendors, though the qualifications for being included on the list vary greatly. Contractors doing work for Midwest Energy’s How$mart program must simply sign an agreement to install the utility-prescribed measures according to local building code. Fort Collins Utilities’ Home Efficiency Program requires contractors to attend orientation and specialized training, maintain Better Business Bureau accreditation and meet certain insurance requirements. Utilities generally contract with a third-party business or nonprofit organization to provide training.

Where there is a large and diverse labor pool, utilities may allow customers to hire their own contractors to install prescribed measures, but follow up with an inspection by a certified provider. That’s how Platte River Power Authority on Colorado’s Front Range operates its Building Tune-up program for commercial buildings. An approved retrocommissioning service provider identifies ways to improve a building’s efficiency and oversees the projects implemented by contractors the customer chooses.

Platte River takes this approach because retrocommissioning is a specific skill, but post-installation inspections also provide quality assurance—an important step in successful energy-efficiency projects. A knowledgeable utility employee or another third-party energy services professional may perform the inspection. 

Growing the skills

Even in a metropolitan area, however, energy services experts and contractors experienced in energy-efficiency measures don’t grow on trees. That is slowly changing, thanks to programs emerging around the country to train and certify contractors in energy-efficient building practices.

Volunteers participating in the Community Energy Exchange mentoring event at Easter Seals Rocky Mountain Village in Empire, Colo., prepare to do a blower door test on a camp cabin. The event taught basic energy auditing and weatherization skills while improving the efficiency and safety of camp buildings. (Photo by Community Energy Exchange)

Nonprofit organizations like Affordable Comfort Inc. (ACI) and Electric & Gas Industries Association (EGIA) offer a full menu of webinars and workshops highlighting best practices in the home performance industry. They work with the Building Performance Institute (BPI), the nation’s standards setting and credentialing organization for energy efficiency retrofit work, to raise the bar in home performance contracting.
 
Regional, state and local groups often team up with these national organizations to put on training and networking events in their own territories. Partnering offers local businesses, utilities and educators a way to increase their reach and resources while addressing the issues specific to their own situation.

Community colleges, with their focus on job readiness, are finding a niche with “green building” programs. Given California’s leadership in energy efficiency, it is not surprising that Los Angeles Community College boasts a cutting-edge sustainable building program. Red Rocks Community College in Lakewood, Colo., is building a green collar workforce with degree and certificate programs across a range of sustainability disciplines. Even in Utah, where energy prices are relatively low, Salt Lake City Community College’s Green Academy offers a lengthy list of certificates in renewable energy and energy-efficiency technologies.

On the private side, Everblue Training Institute, a nationwide continuing education institute, partners with BPI, Energy Star, the U.S. Green Building Council and several universities to advance green building skills. Colorado-based Lightly Treading targets both consumers and contractors, offering energy services to the former and training and exam proctoring for BPI certification  to the latter. This two-pronged approach is one way to make sure that you have qualified contractors to meet your customers’ needs.

Local nonprofit organizations are another avenue for developing the building performance workforce. Sustainable Ideas has partnered with many of the industry associations, schools and businesses noted above to design mentoring and training programs, and do some good in the community in the process. Through its Community Energy Exchange, auditors and contractors have sharpened their skills on projects that improve safety and energy efficiency in low-income housing and nonprofit facilities.

But first, demand

Of course, contractors won’t sign up for training unless they see a consumer demand for energy efficiency. That requires nothing short of market transformation, a seemingly glacial process. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act moved the ball forward by funding state and local programs that raised consumer awareness about energy-efficiency measures, and created a demand for contractors to install them.

Energy Upgrade California is one of those stimulus-funded programs. Local governments, municipalities and utilities created an umbrella initiative to help homeowners make energy-saving improvements, and to give local contractors the opportunity to learn new skills. All contractors participating in Energy Upgrade must complete mandatory orientation session workshops and hold a Whole-House Home Energy Rating System Certification. Over the year that the program has been in operation, 507 contractors have fulfilled the requirements to become Energy Upgrade vendors.

The Home Energy Makeover Contest is a good tool for raising both consumer and contractor awareness by showing how energy retrofits create a positive cash flow. Winning homes are selected for their potential to show how efficiency upgrades can reduce energy consumption. Delta-Montrose Electric Association in Colorado pioneered the promotion, and BPI now sponsors contests with utilities around the country. The contests have helped to increase awareness of home performance assessment and retrofit services, which in turn contributes to more people earning BPI certification—currently at about 22,000 individuals.

Before the contest takes place, BPI recommends that sponsors conduct contractor outreach and training. Contractor networking events like the Rocky Mountain Contractor Exchange might be held as a precursor to a makeover contest, or presented as an annual regional event to build interest and momentum.

No standard certification

The last piece of the puzzle is developing nationally recognized professional certifications, so customers can make informed decisions when hiring contractors—a challenge that won’t disappear any time soon.

More than 100 organizations nationwide are working with the home performance industry to establish guidelines for quality work, effective training and professional certifications. Unfortunately, like building codes, every jurisdiction has its own unique needs and its own ideas about what is important. Expect this challenge to be with the industry for some time to come.

That being said, utilities that have, or want to launch, a retrofit program should get to know what kind of skills exist in the local contractor pool and start building a network. The resources in this story only scratch the surface so there is no need to wait to reap the benefits energy-efficiency upgrades offer customers, power providers, the economy and the environment.