Breathing Room

  
I am one of millions of Americans who suffers from asthma. Most of the time, I don't think about it. I go on with my day like everyone else. Every so often, though, I have a little trouble breathing. In the worst case, I'll have an attack.

Air Quality Index, EPA. Image: Wikipedia

It's sometimes hard to explain to people what it feels like when you get an asthma attack. Many non-asthmatics liken the condition to a typical respiratory affliction, like clogged sinuses or a cough. It's not. An asthma attack feels like you're suffocating. Think about it - air is about the most immediate thing we need to survive. If your lungs swell up and keep you from breathing, that's about as scary a feeling you can have.

Thankfully, the EPA has provided some helpful seasonal information that can help prevent asthma triggers:

Asthma rescue inhaler.

Summer heat is here, and that means it is more important than ever for people with asthma or other respiratory ailments to pay close attention to the air quality where they live. Like the weather, air quality can change from day to day or even hour to hour.

During the summer when ozone levels rise, the number of people with asthma related symptoms admitted to hospitals and emergency rooms increases.  Asthma rates – especially among children – have increased dramatically.  Asthma affects 25 million people in the United States, including seven million children. That’s 8 percent of the population. One out of every 10 school aged children is affected.

“While we have made great strides in improving air quality, we still need to do more,” said EPA mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “By further improving air quality, we can help to control asthma and provide a more active lifestyle for children, a vulnerable population.”
 

In addition to the essential step of speaking about asthma with your health care provider and being aware of general air quality conditions, the EPA list the following specific steps that can help prevent an asthma episode:
   

• Play it safe. Ground-level ozone and particle pollution can exacerbate an asthma episode. Look for the Air Quality Index (AQI) during the local weather report or go to EPA’s website www.airnow.gov. The Air Quality Index uses a color-coded system to display whether the five major air pollutants exceed air quality standards for the day. When the Air Quality Index reports unhealthy levels, people, particularly asthmatics and others with respiratory ailments, should limit strenuous outdoor activities.

• Don’t smoke in the home. Take it outside. One of the most common asthma triggers in the home is second- hand smoke. Take the EPA ‘smoke-free home’ pledge: www.epa.gov/smokefree.

• Break the mold. Mold is another asthma trigger. The key to controlling mold is controlling moisture. Wash and dry hard surfaces to prevent and remove mold. Remove, and if possible replace, moldy ceiling tiles and carpet. For more see EPA’s website: www.epa.gov/asthma/molds.

 

Asthma doesn't have to be debilitating. To the contrary, you'd be surprised how many people in your workplace or social settings likely have the condition. With proper consultations by a healthcare professional, and by taking a few steps to understand the science of air quality in your home and addressing possible triggers, asthmatics can be as healthy and productive as anyone - perhaps even more!--D.A DeMers.

Related articles

• Healthy Buildings Help People with Asthma Lead Healthier Lives (epa.gov)
• Here's how to be a better asthma dad (respiratorytherapycave.blogspot.com)
• The Asthma Epidemic (sjeddington.wordpress.com)
• CDC: Asthma Rates on the Rise (foxnews.com)
• Childhood Asthma - Watch for the signs. (evergreenenergyhome.wordpress.com)

In the Company of Men

Image: D.A. DeMers

To be honest, I was hesitant about writing this story. The thought of interviewing a person from a big energy company seemed odd, considering my scribbling is usually about ways to limit energy use. As a clean energy advocate, my rebel impulse has often been to fight the Power, and from all my preconceptions, a city's gas company seemed like the consummate example of, well, The Man.

Or perhaps The Woman.

Stop there, because when I met Marlynn Jannett, a pipe mapping designer I interviewed from Philadelphia Gas Works, my concerns were essentially set to rest.

Her story is one of guts and determination - the American dream exemplified, and a friendly face for the gas company. She's also my neighbor.

Ms. Janett began her career with Philadelphia Gas Works a couple decades ago. She was the first woman hired to work in field services for the company. Her current position involves creating CAD designs of gas pipes for "prudent mains" where the risk of breakage is possible, or in the worst case, has already occurred.

Image by osde8info via FlickrThe gas company is on a constant schedule to replace antiquated pipes, such as those made of cast iron, with newer materials like PVC that are less corrosive and more ductile. In a city as old as Philadelphia, upgrading such infrastructure can be extremely challenging, considering the maps provided are often outdated or nonexistent. Their efforts often include exploratory excavation measures such as drilling through cement foundations.

But the biggest initial challenge for Ms Janett's career was to break through the so called glass ceiling.

Her training came by way of a unique outreach program from the Private Industry Council developed to provide women with engineering skills needed to facilitate their advance into the industrial workforce - a workforce completely dominated by men.

"This all came to me a bit by accident," she said. "I was working in the billing department of a legal firm when I got laid off. Then I heard about the PIC program and thought 'why not?'"

Marlynn Janett

After showing an exceptional ability to master a variety of CAD software programs, she was visited by two engineers from PGW. A lengthy recruitment process ensued, until the company determined she possessed the necessary aptitude for the job. She out-competed several male candidates with her sharp skills and astute interviews, and planted herself firmly in a solid career.

"Some guys weren't too happy at the time, but they got used it," she acknowledged, when asked if she sensed resentment by her male counterparts.

Now, a master of her trade, she's moved well beyond the issues of those days. They were simply milestones of an evolving culture. The only concern she has presently at her job is "working in the middle of Frankford Ave, lifting a manhole cover, and trying not to get run over by a car."--D.A. DeMers.


A Clean Energy Plan with the Community.

PGW recently introduced a number of green energy programs that intersect with various sectors of Philadelphia's business and residential communities. Their EnergySense program is made up of several initiatives that strive to help the company’s residential, commercial and industrial customers conserve energy and save money. It's also expected to create as many as 1,000 new local jobs, reduce the region’s carbon dioxide emissions by 1.24 million tons - the equivalent of taking 200,000 cars off Philadelphia’s streets - and support the Mayor's Office of Sustainability's Greenworks plan to make Philadelphia the greenest city in America.

Energy outreach at the NKCDC. Image: D.A DeMers

The plan involves connecting with a consortium of non-profit energy groups, neighborhood organizations, and city departments to provide initiatives such as the The Enhanced Low Income Retrofit Program, Residential Heating Equipment Rebates, Commercial and Industrial Retrofit Incentives, Commercial and Industrial Equipment Rebates, High Efficiency Construction Incentives, and Comprehensive Residential Incentives.

Over the next five years, the company plans to invest $60 million to generate over $110 million in net savings for all of PGW’s customers. Saving money while saving the planet? Sounds like a win-win solution for everybody.--D.A. DeMers.

More info regarding PGW's programs can be found at www.pgworks.com. Plans administered by the Mayor's Office of Sustainability can be found at www.phila.gov/green.

Related articles

• Communities of Faith to Kick Off Energy and Conservation Event (cityofphiladelphia.wordpress.com)
• Pa. officials hold hearing on gas infrastructure (philly.com)
• City Howl Help Desk: How to replace curb-box covers in Philadelphia sidewalks (philly.com)
• Pros and Cons of Natural Gas Use (brighthub.com)
• Energy Smart Cities (homescienceblog.blogspot.com)

Greening our Infrastructure

EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter recently spoke of the economic and environmental value of green infrastructure in American communities. Their efforts are commendable - sewers and such aren't topics of everyday conversations, despite being essential to metropolitan living. Water is a sacred resource, and the innovative new methods being used to preserve it are truly fascinating and worth learning about - they are passages to a more resourceful future.--D.A. DeMers.
  

The Big Green Block

LEED certified Kensington High School.

PHILADELPHIA – Mayor Michael A. Nutter, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz highlighted the Philadelphia Water Department’s Big Green Block initiative at Shissler Recreation Center and the Kensington High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. The Big Green Block initiative, part of the Administration’s Green City, Clean Waters plan, promotes greening and stormwater management of the city blocks within the community surrounding the Shissler Recreation Center through implementing several green stormwater infrastructure systems on the property. The initiative is a collaborative effort between the Philadelphia Water Department, The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the New Kensington Community Development Corporation, Sustainable 19125, the Mural Arts Program and the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation.

“When we talk about sustainability and about green cities in the future, water must be among the first issues addressed. We can’t be green without water. The Big Green Block initiative is an exciting example of how we can work together toward a common vision of William Penn’s green country town,” said Mayor Nutter. “I would like to thank EPA Administrator Jackson for recognizing the importance of stormwater management in America’s cities, and especially Howard Neukrug and the Water Department for their forward thinking.”

Philly artist at work on an environmental mural.

“Instead of investing in one project that treats one concern, green infrastructure allows us to protect the health of our waters, save money and make our communities more attractive places to buy homes and build businesses,” EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said. “We want to use the win-win strategies we see here with the Big Green Block Initiative and other projects throughout the city to make every community healthier, more prosperous and more sustainable.” Read More...

Source: The City of Philadelphia website. Photos by D.A DeMers. For further reading on this and similar projects visit www.phillywatersheds.org.

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A Nationwide Strategy

Lisa P. Jackson in Philadelphia.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching a new strategy to promote the use of green infrastructure by cities and towns to reduce stormwater runoff that pollutes our nation’s streams, creeks, rivers, lakes and coastal waters. Green infrastructure decreases pollution to local waterways by treating rain where it falls and keeping polluted stormwater from entering sewer systems. In addition to protecting Americans’ health by decreasing water pollution, green infrastructure provides many community benefits including increased economic activity and neighborhood revitalization, job creation, energy savings and increased recreational and green space.
 

“Through this agenda, we’ll help cities and towns across the nation clean up their waters and strengthen their communities by supporting and expanding green infrastructure,” said Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe, who announced the agenda at a Green Street, Green Jobs conference focused on fostering green infrastructure in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. “Green infrastructure changes improve the health of our waters while creating local jobs, saving communities money and making them healthier and more prosperous places to raise a family and start a business.”

Stormwater is one of the most widespread challenges to water quality in the nation. Large volumes of polluted stormwater degrade our nation’s rivers, lakes and aquatic habitats and contribute to downstream flooding. Green infrastructure captures and filters pollutants by passing stormwater through soils and retaining it on site.  Effective green infrastructure tools and techniques include green roofs, permeable materials, alternative designs for streets and buildings, trees, rain gardens and rain harvesting systems.

As part of the strategy, EPA will work with partners including local governments, watershed groups, tribes and others in 10 cities that have utilized green infrastructure and have plans for additional projects. EPA will encourage and support expanded use of green infrastructure in these cities and highlight them as models for other municipalities around the country. The 10 cities are: Austin, Texas; Boston, Mass.; Cleveland, Ohio; Denver, Colo.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Kansas City, Mo.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Puyallup, Wash.; Syracuse, N.Y.; and Washington, DC and neighboring Anacostia Watershed communities.

Natural and impervious cover diagrams from the EPA. Via Wikipedia.

Energy savings is one of the greatest benefits of green infrastructure. On and around buildings, green infrastructure can reduce heating and cooling costs. For example, green roofs reduce a building’s energy costs by 10 to 15 percent, and an additional 10 percent of urban tree canopy can provide 5 to 10 percent energy savings from shading and windblocking. Green infrastructure also conserves energy by reducing the amount of stormwater entering combined collection and treatment systems, which reduces the amount of wastewater processed at treatment plants.

EPA will continue to work with other federal agencies, state and local governments, tribes, municipalities, and the private sector to identify opportunities for using green infrastructure and provide assistance to communities implementing green approaches to control stormwater.  EPA will also provide additional tools to help states and communities leverage green infrastructure opportunities within other innovative environmental projects.

Sourced from an EPA press release. Photos by D.A. DeMers.

Related articles

• Milwaukee pioneers innovative stormwater controls (thewmeacblog.org)
• OUR VIEW | Partnering to prevent stormwater pollution (kitsapsun.com)
• Low Impact Development: What It Is and Why We Want It (thewmeacblog.org)
• Earth Day: The Progress We've Made (whitehouse.gov)
• Philly still awaits OK on green stormwater plan (philly.com)

The "State" of Clean Energy

Image via WikipediaA press release from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory outlines a new study linking the growth of clean energy with individual state policies. Some interesting findings are included. Sourced with permission from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

States’ policies are important to solar and wind energy development and in reducing energy use says a new report from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The findings are in report, State of the States 2010: The Role of Policy in Clean Energy Market Transformation.

“This report shows the importance of the state and local policy in encouraging clean energy market development,” said Mike Pacheco, NREL vice president of Deployment & Market Transformation. “Specifically, state policymakers may be more effective at driving clean energy investment using a suite of policies and keeping the policies in place longer.”

Building on an emerging body of literature identifying connections between state policy and renewable energy, the State of States 2010 report quantifies the connection between state clean energy policies, renewable energy development and actual reductions in energy use. Renewable energy use increased 3 percent across the United States in 2010, the report says.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory map, via Wikimedia

It is the first time energy efficiency has been considered in this type of analysis, and the report shows significant connections between reduced energy use and building codes, electricity prices and, in some cases, energy efficiency resource standards. Even though state policies might apply to a wide variety of renewable energy resources, the analysis shows that most often there’s a relationship between policy and solar and wind development. So, if states tailor policy to other resources, it might help increase development of renewable energy sources in addition to solar and wind.

“State policy efforts can help sustain the good work started by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in creating economic development opportunities through clean energy,” said LeAnn M. Oliver, DOE Weatherization & Intergovernmental Program Manager. “State of the States 2010 offers practical information to policymakers on how to further promote those policies.”

To track the progress of the states and regions toward a clean energy economy, NREL also provided the analysis and findings for DOE’s 2009 U.S. State Clean Energy Data Book. The data book, published in October 2010, summarizes the status of state-level energy efficiency and renewable energy developments and supporting policy implementation, and can be accessed as a PDF and as an interactive data analysis tool. It identifies the states and regions leading in overall renewable energy capacity and energy efficiency policy. Key findings include:

• In 2009, Maine had the largest percentage—23 percent—of non-hydro renewable generation, mostly from bioenergy.

• Texas leads the country in total non-hydro installed renewable energy capacity.

• California is the leader in solar energy installed capacity.

• Oregon, California, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania have the strictest building codes, which require high efficiency in commercial and residential construction

NREL provided the analysis for both the State of the States 2010 report and the U.S. State Clean Energy Data Book under its Clean Energy Policy Analyses project. To learn more about CEPA, visit www.nrel.gov/cepa.

NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

Related articles

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• Colorado Applauded for its Leadership in the Cleantech Industry (nowpublic.com)

Energy Smart Cities

Image via WikipediaThe EPA recently announced its third annual list of cities with the most amount of Energy Star certified buildings. The good news is that dramatic gains have been made in energy efficiency and savings as indicated in its press release below. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing a list of U.S. metropolitan areas with the greatest number of energy-efficient buildings that earned EPA’s Energy Star certification in 2010. The list of 25 cities is headed by Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; San Francisco; Chicago; New York; Atlanta; Houston; Sacramento; Detroit; and Dallas-Fort Worth. The growth in Energy Star certified buildings across the country has prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the emissions from the energy use of nearly 1.3 million homes a year, protecting people’s health, while saving more than $1.9 billion.

"When it's more important than ever to cut energy costs and reduce pollution in our communities, organizations across America are making their buildings more efficient, raising the bar in energy efficiency and lowering the amount of carbon pollution and other emissions in the air we breathe," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "Through their partnership with Energy Star, metropolitan areas across the U.S. are saving a combined $1.9 billion in energy costs every year while developing new ways to shrink energy bills and keep our air clean."

EPA debuted its list of cities with the most Energy Star certified buildings in 2008. Los Angeles remains in first place for the third year; the District of Columbia and San Francisco hold second and third respectively for the second year; and Detroit and Sacramento are new to the top ten. New York City climbed five spots to claim fifth in the rankings and California boasts more cities on EPA’s list than any other state in the country with a total of five.

Surpassing the growth of the past several years, in 2010 more than 6,200 commercial buildings earned the Energy Star, an increase of nearly 60 percent compared to 2009. Since EPA awarded the first Energy Star to a building in 1999, more than 12,600 buildings across America have earned the Energy Star as of the end of 2010.

Image via Wikipedia

Energy use in commercial buildings accounts for nearly 20 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion per year. Commercial buildings that earn the Energy Star must perform in the top 25 percent of buildings nationwide compared to similar buildings and be independently verified by a licensed professional engineer or registered architect each year. Energy Star certified buildings use 35 percent less energy and emit 35 percent less carbon dioxide than average buildings. Fourteen types of commercial buildings can earn the Energy Star, including office buildings, K-12 schools, and retail stores.

More information on the top US cities in 2010 with Energy Star certified buildings: www.energystar.gov.

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Philadelphia Ranks 14th in Cities with Energy Star Rated Buildings
Up from 23rd in the year prior. Article via the City of Phila website.

Image via Wikipedia

PHILADELPHIA - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranked Philadelphia 14th in its 2010 list of US cities with the most Energy Star certified buildings. Buildings that earn the EPA’s Energy Star certification perform in the top 25 percent for energy efficiency when compared to similar buildings nationwide. Energy Star certified buildings use an average of 35 percent less energy than other buildings and include buildings such as commercial offices and warehouses. This ranking further contributes to the City’s Greenwork's Philadelphia commitments to lower citywide building energy consumption by 10 percent by 2015. Philadelphia’s certification rate has risen to a 14th place ranking up from 23rd place ranking in 2009.


“I am thrilled that the City was named by the EPA as one of the top 25 U.S. cities with Energy Star certifications. For three years, the City Administration worked hard with stakeholders and governmental partners to encourage energy efficiency through Greenworks Philadelphia and our many groundbreaking initiatives and partnerships. I will continue to advocate for energy savings as part of our effort to make Philadelphia the greenest city in the United States,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter.  READ MORE

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Better Homes, Better Buildings, Better Communities
Sourced from the Department of Energy's weblog.

Martha Stewart created an empire by inviting Americans into her home to show how one small improvement could dramatically transform a room or how tweaking an old recipe could surprise your palette. Martha Stewart, however, is not an engineer – so why would she take a personal interest in BetterBuildings, a U.S. Department of Energy program to reduce energy waste in homes and businesses?

Image via Wikipedia

Stewart’s attendance at the BetterBuildings program launch in Bedford, NY earlier this year actually makes perfect sense. BetterBuildings programs are based on the same basic notion as Martha Stewart’s work - that a small change can make a huge difference in your home. Stewart and BetterBuildings share a common goal: improving quality of life. By saving energy, families can save money and live in more comfortable homes.

The 41 grant recipients of the BetterBuildings program were awarded a total of $508 million in federal funding to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and they're already passionately bringing about change in their communities. These projects are creating jobs, boosting local economies and helping consumers save money on their energy bills. By the end of March, almost all program recipients will be offering energy upgrades for homes and businesses throughout the country. For example, this week Clean Energy Works of Oregon is expanding their Portland pilot program to 17 communities throughout the state. Other programs scheduled to launch soon include Connecticut, Wisconsin, and Camden, NJ. The program is ramping up fast and soon all BetterBuildings communities will realize its benefits.

East coast rowhomes.

However, BetterBuildings is not simply about making buildings better – it’s about improving communities. The program’s mission is to create a self-sustaining market for building upgrades. BetterBuildings aims to ultimately save Americans approximately $50 million annually and create or retain 30,000 jobs. Reducing energy waste in buildings is an important element in creating a clean energy future as buildings currently consume 40% of all energy in the U.S. and are responsible for 38% of our carbon emissions. BetterBuildings strives to overcome barriers to improving building energy efficiency by improving financing, growing energy efficiency awareness and demand, increasing consumer confidence and supporting job growth.  READ MORE
 

Related articles

• "Energy Star" Cities Make Gains (scientificamerican.com)
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• Are Energy Efficient Appliances Tax Deductible? (turbotax.intuit.com)
• The Top 10 Green Building Trends for 2011 (greeneconomypost.com)
• EPA sets new Energy Star guidelines for TVs and set-top boxes (blogs.consumerreports.org)

Lighting up the Neighborhood

    

Sustainable 19125 gives out CFLs on MLK day. Image info.

I missed a chance to meet up with the folks at Sustainable 19125 last week for their MLK day of service event, but it sure looks like they had fun mixing with Philly's Kensington community while helping to "light up the neighborhood" with free CFL bulbs for local residents. Toby from their office told me it was a great success and that a swarm of volunteers came out to help.

CFLs, or compact flourescent lightbulbs, can greatly reduce electric usage over standard incandescent types because they give off more light and require less energy. They also, on average, last much longer. Switching to CFLs is often the first reccomendation suggested when an energy auditor evaluates a home for energy savings.

For more on this topic and the good efforts of Sustainable 19125 check in at their informative website www.sustainable19125.org.--D.A DeMers

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Helping Keep Your New Year's Resolution
Sound advice from EnergyWorks and the ECA: 
  

Image by D.A. DeMers. GNU license.

The number one New Year’s Resolution for 2011 is to save money, and while many financial experts would recommend increased savings, investing or getting out of debt; with electricity prices and the cost of gas going up, the best way to keep your New Year resolution of saving money is to save energy.

Not only does saving money on energy bills provide home owners the best return on your most valuable investment; your home, it also increases the comfort of your home and can earn 6% to 20% return on investment, compared to a savings account which barely yields ½ percent and a Certificate of Deposit that may get you 4% or 5%. By investing in energy saving work for your home you also avoid the impact of rising gas, oil, and electricity costs.

With EnergyWorks, homeowners in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties can upgrade the energy efficiency of their homes and save money through an unprecedented combination of rebates, tax credits, and low interest loans, together with highly trained and certified energy analysts and contractors.  Energy Works is designed to help homeowners maximize their return by strategically investing in saving energy at home.

For example, a $2,000 investment = 10% reduction in your monthly energy bill with a $180 monthly bill, 10% x $180 = $18 per month. $18 x 12 = $216 per year. Therefore, a $216 savings/$2,000 investment = a 10.8% return on your money! You can’t get that return on investment at any bank, investment bank or on the stock market. Here are some other ways to save money and energy in the New Year.

• Install a programmable thermostat and turn it back by 10 to 15 degrees when you’re asleep or not at home can save around 10% a year on heating and cooling bills.

• Keep your hot water heater at 120◦ F and install a hot water heater insulating blanket. These two tips can save up to 5% to 10% in water heating energy cost.

• Unplug appliances when you’re not using them.

To learn more about Energy Works or schedule a home energy assessment, visit www.ecasavesenergy.org/energyworks and start saving now!

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Green is the New Red, White and Blue
Peter Bycks film Carbon Nation picks up the pride.
                             

Texas Wind Farmer Cliff Etheredge. Image info.

 

Empire State Building retrofit check. Image info.

Coming to theaters this February is an inspiring, entertaining new documentary from filmmaker Peter Byck that beautifully captures the zeal, heart and might of the rapidly growing clean energy movement in America. The film portrays the industry in a non-partisan, personable fashion, telling the remarkable story of how everyday people with a renewed sense of American ingenuity are doing amazing things to help lead us to a brighter future.

"We made this film for my Uncle Phil – a conservative who finds my liberal ways amusing," says Mr Byck, on his blog. "We made this film for the folks who see solutions to climate change as a national security issue – we have a chapter solely on the green hawks in the Department of Defense. We made this film for people who simply see huge profits to be made in energy efficiency. We made it for the great many Americans who don’t want to be told they’ve done something wrong, but do appreciate clean air and clean water."
    

Carbon Nation trailer.

For more information on this wondrous film, including theater locations or how you can participate in spreading the word, see the Carbon Nation website at www.carbonnationmovie.com.--D.A DeMers.

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Shadowing a Home Energy Inspector
Sourced from Jonathon Hickes and Grist. 

I was sent this link in my email a couple months ago, and sure feel bad for not getting to it sooner - been a busy time recently for Home Science. Regardless, Jonathan Hickes's inside look at the Energy Auditor job is a spectacular, informative piece, and well worth re-posting--D.A DeMers

Blower door air leakage test. Picasa image.

Weatherizing homes to cut heat waste makes all kinds of good sense -- it lowers utility bills, makes homes more comfortable, creates building-industry jobs, saves energy, is both a floor wax and a dessert topping, etc. Grist has sung the praises of building efficiency so often we've taken to recycling our old jokes (and they're not even good ones). We're usually looking at the big-picture questions of climate, economy, and jobs. For example, there's nothing better Congress could do right now than pass a well-designed retrofit program like the Home Star bill, which would save 44 times the amount of energy that spilled into the Gulf of Mexico this summer.

Blah, blah, green jobs, blah. Screw all that top-level policy for a moment. Let's take a look at how this stuff works on the ground.

I ventured out into the Real World (soon to be acquired by Google) last Friday to shadow Paul Holt, who runs home-energy inspections for the Seattle company EcoFab. Paul remodeled homes for much of his career, then moved into selling high-efficiency windows until he realized that "wasn't really the answer to energy efficiency." So he studied for the Building Performance Institute home performance certificate and passed the test two years ago. He's also a photo and printmaking artist. Read more...


Related articles

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• Marketing an Energy-Efficient Product as 'Money Saving' Just Doesn't Work - Here's Why (environmentalleader.com)
• Builders' Show: Lowe's puts energy savings front and center (blogs.consumerreports.org)

A Turning Point

   

The need to save energy is a notion that everyone seems to agree is of great importance these days. Whether you're short, tall, wealthy, poor, liberal, conservative, pink, green, or purple - the idea that you might be burning up dollars for no reason strikes a common nerve.

That's why it's comforting to know that professional guidance for the "power to save" has come to the greater Philadelphia region in the form of EnergyWorks, a comprehensive energy solutions program for home and commercial or industrial building owners. EnergyWorks experts help owners find ways to reduce their building’s energy use, and EnergyWorks’ low-interest loans help them pay for the upgrade.

At Energywise PA, a site sponsored by the new Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance, Deputy Philadelphia Mayor Alan Greenberger describes the program as follows:

"Energy Works pays to send auditors to a home or business to pinpoint specific changes that can save energy and money. I have a big house in Mount Airy and, even though I'm an architect, I can actually think of 10 things to do, but I don't know which one is the most bang for the buck."

Many homeowners can get a $400 energy audit and only pay $100 for it. Likewise, low-interest loans are available for improvements. The $25 million program is available in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties.

An auditor views a home systems model at the ECA training center.

Last month Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and Campus Apartments CEO David Adelman announced the first full commercial application of EnergyWorks in the launching of an impressive $50 million hotel project in Philadelphia's University City community.

A press release by the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation quotes the Mayor as saying "The city was able to pull levers in a difficult economic climate to obtain financing and make this project happen. By making a smart economic and environmental investment in Philadelphia, this project will bring new, quality jobs for our citizens and a brand-new, environmentally-friendly hotel for visitors. It’s a win for everyone involved.” 

The project will be the largest of its kind to utilize EnergyWorks trained contractors, an aspect that helps guarantee the investment will be fostered by an energy efficient, green-building methodology. That way, the return on the city's dollar is less likely to simply go up the chimney, literally.

A flamingo-like wind farm in the UK.

In essence, we seem to be at a real turning point in the building trades and with our society in general regarding issues of energy conservation. Notions of saving the environment and saving money have begun to merge at a mainstream level; they are seen as one and the same.

For Energy Coordinating Agency director Liz Robinson, the two were never far apart. Her 26 year old organization sprouted from the need for a local community resource to help mitigate issues related to some of the less attuned policies of utility companies and their often unhindered rate hikes.  

Describing the ECA's beginnings in an interview with Home Science, Ms. Robinson said "There was a necessity for community outreach and a comprehensive approach to solving energy solutions, and to get utility companies engaged in those solutions." 

Some of those solutions are evidenced by the initiation of utility caps at the end of the 1990's, and the current transformation of the utility marketplace through deregulation and a more open market. But most notably it's seen in the growing commitment to energy conservation through various sectors of the local economy.

With the evolving possibility of a genuine democratization of energy resources, Ms. Robinson emphasized the importance of "helping to elevate the energy literacy" of both energy consumers and contractors. "In the past," she said, "utility companies made it easy - the public hasn't had to understand everything. Now with more choices at hand, there is a great need for education on the issues for consumers as well as training and other resources for contractors involved in programs such as EnergyWorks."

A Delaware River "family" seeks a clean energy future.

Throughout the past decades, the ECA has been through many stages of this transformation, and deservedly, it now seems to be a lynch-pin for the vast array of these new exciting initiatives.--D.A DeMers.


For more information on the EnergyWorks program visit the ECA's links at www.ecasavesenergy.org/energyworks. Other resources on the web can be found at www.energyworksnow.com.

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Heated Debate...

While energy conservation and green-building tactics are central to the focus of this blog, it's also important to understand issues related to where our energy comes from before it arrives at our homes, schools, and office buildings. In regards to natural gas, nothing is burning hotter than the issue of hydraulic fracturing or gas fracking, a fairly new drilling technology being employed in the expansive, resource rich region of the Marcellus Shale.

Natural gas flame.

Home Science recently caught up with Pennsylvania State Senator Larry Farnese, fresh from his fact finding mission at the Atlas Energy gas drilling site in Fayette County. The senator said he took part in the tour to get a better understanding of the industry and its issues, as talk continues about a natural gas extraction tax or fee. He hopes to include safety and environmental concerns as an important part of that discussion.

"I have extreme concern for the safety of the men and women involved in this work," he said. "The entire process of extracting gas from the shale is one that is done under extremely high pressure from fluids, and it's important that we ensure safeguards are properly in place to protect those involved in the work."

At the core of the controversy is the issue of a gas severance tax. Pennsylvania is currently the largest state without some form of extraction fee in place to recoup possible environmental and oversight costs, or to help fund educational programs needed to insure that its own citizens benefit from the well paying jobs promised by the boom, and not simply professionals brought in from other locations. Reports from people in the shale regions claim that Texas license plates tend to be ever-present at many of the drilling sites. At the same time, Pennsylvania is currently facing budget shortfalls in many sectors, especially in areas of job training and education.

Natural gas extraction/production in the US.

But some have made a fierce argument that a gas severance tax would scare away investment, that it is essential to forgo such a fee in order to keep the state competitive in these fragile economic times. I proffered that position during the interview, but was quickly challenged.

"Absolute hogwash," declared the senator, displaying his sometimes outspoken, yet personable demeanor. "I talked to experts in top levels of the industry who say this is it. We have one of the nation's greatest energy resources, and the industry is coming here whether there is a fee or not." He emphasized that it is especially crucial now to pass the bill, because the greatest amount of the gas is predicted to be extracted in the first 5-7 years. "We will simply lose out," he said. "It is just absurd."

Despite the decision last October of the state's republican controlled senate to put off a vote on the tax, Senator Farnese feels there is still strong support on both sides of the aisle for such legislation. "To punt on this issue now is simply irresponsible," he said.

He may be right - the desire for a tax appears to be rapidly cutting across political boundaries and demographics. A poll published today in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review shows more than half of registered republicans in the commonwealth are now in favor of some sort of severance fee. Likewise, two-thirds of all Pennsylvania voters say they are for it. With a new administration taking over in Harrisburg, and a budget deadline set for early Spring, debate on the topic is certain to remain forefront.

Regardless, the gas fracking debate has become increasingly visible on a national level. This awareness was advanced greatly by the recent award winning documentary Gasland, filmed by Pennsylvanian native Josh Fox, which stunningly highlighted many of the practice's potential environmental hazards. Likewise, a plethora of clean water groups, such as Penn Future and Protecting Our Waters, seem to be continually persistent on the matter. With all this attention, there is little evidence of retreat from either side until a clear resolution of policy is enacted. Stay tuned.--D.A DeMers

 

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