Montpelier Energy Team :Homes/Weatherization

Topic: MET Homes/Weatherization Group Projects

Topic type:
Topic
» Summary list

The Initial set of MET Transportation group projects

Initial list, December 2009:

Weatherization DIY kits and supervision, City neighborhood by City neighborhood
Cellulose Dropoff/Pickup depot
- Related possibility: a cellulose-buying Co-op.
Requiring energy audits of for-sale homes prior to sale.
Pamphlet on weatherization/sustainable energy to be distributed when building permits are issued.
Hosting Button Up, etc. workshops.
VCEM (Vermont Community Energy Mobilization)

There are several additional projects, currently connected to separate groups, which could benefit from the Homes/Weatherization team's involvement:

Assisting Montpelier on its path to CEAD implementation -- likely in later stages. MET has a working group focusing on starting the CEAD ball rolling (Ken Jones, Paul Markowitz, Carl Etnier, Stan Brinkerhoff, Justin McCabe, Barry McPhee).
Creating and disseminating weatherization-related information services, e.g.:
- Why efficiency-first (i.e. weatherization), fuel switch-second.
- Run-through of state, federal, co-op incentives.
- Run-through of low-cost financing options
- Individual incentive calculation worksheets
- Acquainting residents with local BPI-certified providers

Detail:

Weatherization DIY kits and supervision, City neighborhood by City neighborhood
note: This project may be a collaboration with the existing Between The Cracks program; it will also require some access to BPI-certified weatherizers.

A significant portion of a typical weatherization job can be completed by the homeowner; DIY resources exist to help them (see below). These resources--the materials, tools, how-to information, and training--can be brought together as a “kit”and deployed neighborhood by neighborhood. This program would prioritize home and business owners who’ve had an audit but not yet scheduled weatherization work, to enable more to bridge the gap between those two steps, and saving the homeowner a significant portion of total cost.

The first part of this project would involve connecting ‘Between The Cracks,’ an existing MET program currently being updated by Ken Jones and Barry McPhee. A couple caveats must be issued: needed: homeowner will need regular access to trainers to maintain tight quality control, and to be left with clear, concise guides (see below).

Putting this together would likely require coordinated public education campaign, using CAN mail-lists, local media. etc.

DIY resources available:
- Montpelier Energy Team’s BTC program
- Efficiency Vermont’s DIY guides:
- Weatherization Skillshop -- a statewide educational program created by CVCAC <http://www.cvcac.org> http://weatherizationskillshop.com/
DIY resources that’d have to be developed:
- A BTC-generated list of what can be DIY’d, what can’t (see linked doc ‘Between The Cracks 2.0’)
For the average homeowner, this would require some tools, materials and a bit of training.
- materials & tools: e.g. Sprayfoam guns - the two types: $<=100. Masks, gloves, headlamps. MET $ to help fund?
- trained neighborhood-by-neighborhood leaders, themselves trained by BTC
The tools, materials and training guides/checklists would be physically located in each neighborhood that undertook this.
Would need coordinated public education campaign, using CAN mail-lists and local media. etc.

Related ideas:

The Weatherization team could scout (Craigslist, etc.) offers to donate related materials: pinkboard is out there;

Cellulose Dropoff/Pickup depot
Re-use of cellulose otherwise discarded in landfill, and save both werstwhile disposers, and consumers, money.

This project will begin with an evaluation of the need for excess cellulose depot (free drop-off/pick-up).

There is a good chance that local weatherizers will be interested in using this depot: each bag of excess cellulose not dispoed saves the contractor $7.25/contractor bag disposal cost. Approximately 3 bricks will fit per contractor bag; this saves those who pick up depot cellulose depot $10/brick cost.

We’ll also decide whether the drop-off/pick-up would be free.

Other points:

the re-used cellulose will probably be useful only for “open blow” application.
location: wood pellet space? Perhaps not; might want an unlocked space?
COULD INCLUDE THE FIBERGLASS BEING PULLED FROM WEATHERIZATION JOBS(?)

A related possibility is a cellulose-buying Co-op.

Tying Energy Efficiency to building construction/sale/permitting

Put together a pamphlet on sustainable energy for the Zoning Administrator to distribute when building permits are issued. This is SERG’s idea. (http://www.serg-info.org/stories/storyReader$24)

Requiring energy audits of for-sale homes prior to sale

e.g. this variant: sellers of homes or buildings that were given an initial certificate of approval/occupancy for use before January 1, xxxx (2000?)

Assisting Montpelier on its path to CEAD implementation.

- Probably post-adoption of a Clean Energy Assessment District by Montpelier or a region including Montpelier.

Creating and disseminating weatherization-related information services

Either as:

information services, e.g.
- Why efficiency-first, fuel switch-second
- Run-through of state, federal, co-op incentives.
- Run-through of low-cost financing options
- Individual incentive calculation worksheets
- weatherization: acquaint customers with BPI-certified providers
or hands-on training, e.g.
- DIY Training via MET “Between The Cracks” and/or Efficiency VT guides.
- Insulation-type assessment.