HOMEOWNERS CALL FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES

June 25, 2008 - As they grapple with skyrocketing energy costs, more homeowners are turning to remodelers for money-saving solutions. According to the results of the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) quarterly Remodeling Market Index (RMI), 33 percent of surveyed remodelers report that they are increasingly called on to improve the energy efficiency of their client’s homes.

 

The RMI measures remodeler perceptions of market demand for current and future residential remodeling projects.

 

“It’s no surprise with rising energy prices and other costs draining the piggy bank that homeowners want to maximize home performance with green remodeling options,” said NAHB Remodelers Chairman Lonny Rutherford, CGR, CAPS, CGP, a professional remodeler from Farmington, N. M. “Professional remodelers provide the solution for making the 125 million existing single-family homes in the United States more energy-efficient.”

 

The growing homeowner interest in green remodeling comes just as NAHB prepares for the upcoming National Green Building Standard,™ which includes the only consensus rating system for remodeling. This standard provides a roadmap for green remodeling and assures consumers that remodelers know how to plan and complete authentically green remodels.

 

According to the survey, remodelers have installed a number of efficiency-enhancing products in recent months, including:

 

- Windows—73 percent of surveyed remodelers installed more energy-efficient windows that are insulated to prevent outdoor heat exchange.

 

- Insulation—65 percent made upgrades such as insulation replacement and spraying foam or fiber insulation into enclosed walls and roof cavities, while 27 percent insulated foundations and 52 percent installed insulated exterior doors.

 

- High-efficiency HVAC systems (56 percent)

 

- High-efficiency kitchen appliances (47 percent)

 

- Water-saving faucets and fixtures (46 percent)

 

“Newer technologies are also quickly gaining in popularity,” says Rutherford. “Thirty-five percent of remodelers reported installing tankless water heaters, which save on energy costs by heating water on demand instead of continuously eating energy.”

 

For more information about remodeling, visit www.nahb.org/remodel.

 

ABOUT THE RMI: The RMI is based on a quarterly survey of professional remodelers, whose answers to a series of questions were assigned numerical values to calculate two separate indexes. The first index gauges current market conditions and is based on remodelers’ reports of major and minor additions and alterations, plus maintenance work and repairs, on both owner- and renter-occupied dwellings. The second index gauges expectations for the near future and is based on remodelers’ reports of their calls for bids, amount of work committed for the next three months, job backlogs and appointments for proposals. A variety of “special questions” are also asked at the end of the survey to help pinpoint market trends.

 

ABOUT NAHB REMODELERS: NAHB Remodelers is America’s home for professional remodelers, representing the 14,000 remodeling industry members of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Founded in 1982, the organization provides information, education and designation programs to improve the business and construction expertise of its members and to enhance the professional image of the industry.  Its membership incorporates 150 local councils in 49 states. Learn more about remodeling at www.nahb.org/remodel.

Focus on Green TV Promo Released

KY3, the HBA of Greater Springfield, and City Utilities have partnered to launch "Focus on Green," a new public education campaign highlighting green building techniques and practices. Two new 30-second television ads were launched recently to kick off the new program (see them by clicking HERE). Now, KY3 has produced a new 30-second promo for the program that will run in rotation throughout the day to help build the program's brand. Watch the promo here:

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Rebates for New Construction

By Cara Shaefer

Director of Energy Management & Conservation 

City Utilities of Springfield

EnergyWise rebates for new home construction

Efficiency in the construction of new homes almost comes naturally with the advances in technology of appliances and building materials. For example, most all natural gas appliances today are built with an electronic ignition, eliminating the standing pilot light – and refrigerators are approximately twice as efficient as those made just over a decade ago.

Even with these advances there is still room to increase on that baseline. The decision to install the higher efficiency equipment and energy efficient building techniques can make a significant difference for the homeowner from that first day they move in, to years down the road – whether they are still living there or if a new family calls it home. I think we all know that they best time to address overall efficiency is when each home is built.

It is with that in mind that the rebates developed by City Utilities for new home construction are there to help you make that incremental increase in efficiency, with little impact on the bottom line. With the efficiency bar constantly raising, the requirements that are there for the new construction today may soon be the standard tomorrow – therefore we are encouraging builders take that next step.

Incentives specifically for new home construction

Programmable Thermostat Rebate

CU customers can receive $15 back on the purchase of ENERGY STAR® labeled programmable thermostats that automatically adjust temperature settings, allowing customers to save energy during periods it is not needed.

Efficient Toilet Rebate

CU water customers who purchase and install a High Efficiency Toilet – that uses 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf) or less – are eligible for a $75 rebate. That increase over the standard can mean real water savings for years to come.

ENERGY STAR® Heating & Cooling Rebates

Possibly the most significant addition to the efficiency portfolio is this program that encourages the installation of highly efficient heating and cooling systems – the largest energy users in a home.

Natural Gas Furnaces

CU natural gas residential new construction customers who purchase and install a 92% efficient or higher furnace may qualify for a rebate of up to $400 per unit . This means that furnace is at least 12% more efficient than the standard model that is rated at only 80%.

Central Air Conditioners

CU electric residential new construction customers who purchase and install a central air conditioning system with a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of 15 or higher may qualify for a rebate of $100 per Ton and $25 for each additional SEER for each unit. The standard central air conditioner efficiency is now 13 SEER.

Air-Source Heat Pumps

CU electric residential new construction customers who purchase and install an air-source heat pump with a SEER of 15, 11.5 Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) and 8.2 Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) rating or higher may qualify for a rebate of $100 per Ton and $25 for each additional SEER for each unit. Electric air-source heat pumps use the difference between outdoor air temperatures and indoor air temperatures to cool and heat your home.

Geothermal Heat Pumps

CU electric residential new construction customers who purchase and install a geothermal heat pump system may qualify for a rebate of $200 per Ton and $25 for each additional EER over the ENERGY STAR minimum efficiency standard qualifications. Geothermal heat pumps are similar to ordinary heat pumps, but use the ground temperature instead of outside air to provide heating, air conditioning and, in many cases, hot water. Because they use the earth's natural heat, they are among the most efficient and comfortable heating and cooling technologies currently available.


ENERGY STAR Home Rating Service

To help measure the efficiency of your homes, CU offers an ENERGY STAR Home Rating Service so you can have an objective, standardized assessment of a home’s energy performance. This service is performed by a certified Home Energy Rating System (HERS) professional who will compare a home’s energy performance to a standard measurement of energy efficiency.

Homebuilders can use the rating to verify the increased energy performance of the home, homeowners may qualify for an energy-efficient mortgage, and the ENERGY STAR label brings added value to the home.

ENERGY STAR qualified homes must meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 15% more energy-efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20–30% more efficient than standard homes.

The ENERGY STAR Home Energy Rating Service is performed for a fee of $350 for any CU customer (normally over $500). This cost includes two thorough on-site inspections of a home by a certified HERS energy rater.

Green Building

Because "Green Building" incorporates so many different aspects, the HBA is a natural partner for CU to provide information and resources to assist local builders as they work to construct environmentally responsible, energy efficient and affordable homes in greater Springfield – and perhaps most importantly, educate potential homeowners. CU will be offering green building verification – a key component of the entire program.

CU, community derive benefits from wise use of resources

Sometimes we get asked what the utility gains by encouraging energy efficiency and water conservation with programs like these. Basically, encouraging wise use of resources helps to extend the utility’s assets and resources, both natural and man-made, further into the future than they would otherwise. When utility customers take action to use energy and water more efficiently, they not only impact their individual usage, but conserve the resources our entire community depends upon to sustain an excellent quality of life.

Learn more about EnergyWise

For more information about any of these programs, or any of our other resources and tools to help customers save energy and water, contact me at 874-8200. You can also find all program details at our website, www.cuenergywise.com.