Topic: Energy-use Assessment Project Listing
Topic type:
Summary of Current Energy-use Assessment Projects
1. Estimating Montpelier’s current energy use
- Measure overall useage
- Measure the shift to efficiency and alternative fuels
2. A before-and-after Home Fuel Useage Calculator service & database
Detail:
1. Estimating Montpelier’s current energy-efficiency.
- Tallying current numbers
- Comparing these against a baseline date (e.g. 1/1/2000) - (optional?)
- Begin periodic updating, on an ongoing basis.
This would satisfy a stated City of Montpelier request: “City Council made a charge to the Montpelier Energy Team [to gather] the current use of energy in the city, not just city government but including residences and businesses in the city”.
http://74.125.45.132/custom?q=cache:4NNp6NDVu68J:www.montpelier-vt.org/docs/archive/pc/minutes/PC_Min_2007_01_08.pdf+montpelier+energy+team&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us&lr=lang_en%7Clang_fr
http://www.montpelier-vt.org/historic_documents/Planning_Commission/minutes/PCminutes2007_01_08.pdf
What to measure:
- how many buildings audited, and what % of all that represents
- how many buildings weatherized, and what % of all that represents
- how many buildings with non-fossil fuel heating, and what % of all that represents
- Include all possible structures
- residential
- mixed-use
- commercial
- industrial
- City
- State
- Include adoption of energy-efficient products
- Low-flow faucets and showerheads
- pipe insulation
- energy audits
- home-sealings
- fuel-switched
- total GHG emitted
- GHG reduction over previous year(s)
- etc.
- families/businesses reducing # of vehicles
- families/businesses reducing size of vehicles
- Alternative / cooperative transportation options
- how much of transport and road use is by non-montpelierites?
- Difference in financial drain on the City — estimating the amount of money spent on energy which leaves the community.
- This measurement will not initially be included; a decision will be made during the project
- If this is measured, it will likely use figures and formulas established by previous studies (e.g. U.S. DOE; RMI)
How to measure:
- Identify the baseline – i.e. Montpelier’s status as of this assessment vs. [baseline mo/yr].
- Assessment period = Assessment date minus baseline mo/yr.
- Canvas BPI-certified weatherizers: have them provide the # of Montpelier customers during assessment period
- Fallback if explicit measurement is not possible:
- estimate City residential energy consumption—baseline yr vs. current—based on State consumption figures
- estimate City commercial energy consumption—baseline yr vs. current—based on State consumption figures
- Differences in financial drain on the City — estimating the amount of money spent on energy which leaves the community.
- Varies from one fuel source to the next
References/Guides
-
- Earthright’s Guide to Town Energy Planning in Vermont (www.vnrc.org/filemanager/download/11038/)
- VSJF’s Renewable Energy Atlas of Vermont” (in alpha; due out March 2010)
2. A "Before & After Home" Fuel Useage Calculator service and database
This is a municipally-scoped proposal to request that each owner weatherizing their property complete a fuel-useage calculator just at the outset of the weatherization, and again one year after. The weatherization outfit and/or municipality could/would assist the owner in completing the calculator. The object is to simultaneously generate publicity for, and a database of, the before-and-after differences.
This would operate on three levels:
- It would provide solid confirmation of dollar and energy savings to the owner.
- This hard-numbers confirmation would generate “viral”/word of mouth advertising of efficiency’s energy and financial savings
- Both the provider and the municipality would build a database of before-and-after snapshots to use to promote energy efficiency. This database’s figures can be publicized via local media. In Montpelier, this could include, say, CAN groups.
The fuel savings would be tracked by the contractor,
May prioritize homes and businesses in the “weatherization pipeline” -- those for which before- and after-snapshots can most quickly be collected. “Before-and-after” -- “before” indicates at or prior to an audit; after, 1 year after the weatherization &/or fuel-switch has occurred.
This project may also involve a “Public/private partnership:” to get local BPI-certified weatherization providers have homeowners complete the calculators before their efficiency and/or fuel-switch, and one year after. This way, both the contractors and the City can use the resulting documented differences as an incentive to other home and business owners.
The Home Fuel Useage Calculator worksheets have been created and are probably available for unlimited copy and distribution, but this will need to be confirmed.
Note: An area group, or utility, may have recently distributed HFU calcs to some residents.
What the Home Fuel Useage Calculator looks like:
