Triple Play:
New Energy Bill Saves Three Times as Much as 2005 Act
Courtesy of ACEEE
The energy and consumer cost savings from the
energy bill to be voted on today by the House of Representatives
would triple the savings from Congress' 2005 energy bill, and would
save more than five times as much as the Energy Policy Act of 1992,
according to a preliminary analysis released today by the American
Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The House bill
would reduce 2030 U.S. energy use by almost 8% and U.S. carbon
dioxide emissions by 10%, relative to the current Department of
Energy forecast. ACEEE estimates that this legislation would save
consumers more than $450 billion dollars through 2030.* The Senate
is expected to vote on the bill in the next few days.
"By tripling the dollars, consumers will
save and the carbon emissions that drive global warming will be
reduced. This bill is a major win for consumers and the environment," stated
Executive Director Steven Nadel.
More than half the energy savings in the bill
come from the biggest increase in vehicle fuel economy standards
since the 1970s plus initiation of a program to develop fuel economy
standards for medium and heavy trucks. "This is a big step
toward getting a handle on the oil consumption of highway vehicles
and putting the auto sector back in gear to meet coming global
challenges," said Transportation Program Director Therese
Langer.
The bill also includes major savings from new
efficiency standards for lamps, appliances, and other products
(accounting for about 20% of the 2030 savings); extensions and
enhancements of tax incentives enacted in the 2005 energy bill;
a new commercial building program designed to dramatically reduce
commercial sector energy use over several decades (about 8% of
the savings); a new tax incentive for combined heat and power (CHP)
and recycled energy; and a Renewable Electricity Standard that
includes energy efficiency.
Earlier this week, ACEEE issued an analysis of
the Renewable Electricity Standard provisions, showing that this
key policy would reduce electricity prices while cutting carbon
emissions and saving billions of dollars for consumers. This analysis
runs counter to the claims expressed in some lobbying campaigns
that the bill would raise energy prices and hurt the economy.
"This legislation triples consumer savings
by blending the best features of this year's House and Senate bills," noted
Deputy Director Bill Prindle. "They took the Senate fuel economy
provisions, the House tax incentives and Renewable Electricity
Standard, and equipment efficiency standards from both bills in
order to produce a very strong bill," he continued. According
to ACEEE, the only important efficiency provision that was dropped
was a national building code requirement calling for 30% energy
savings in new homes and buildings by 2010 and 50% by 2020.
According to ACEEE, while passage is likely in
the House, votes in the Senate are likely to be close since the
bill will need support from 60 out of 100 Senators in order to
defeat a likely filibuster from bill opponents. "We hope that
Congress will heed objective analysis, not overblown rhetoric,
and pass this bill for the good of consumers, businesses, and the
environment," concluded ACEEE's Nadel.
Details on ACEEE's analysis can be found
at http://aceee.org/energy/national/nrgleg.htm.
This is a preliminary analysis. Relative to earlier ACEEE analyses,
some of the savings estimates were modified based on changes
in the bill and use of newly available data and estimates.
* Net consumer savings are preliminary estimates and assume Department
of Energy forecasted energy prices, which conservatively estimate
$46 per barrel of oil in 2020.
Top of Page
Petropolis,
D.C.
December 19, 2007 - Courtesy of www.Solar-Nation.org
A year’s work on and around Capitol Hill
came to an end this morning not with a bang but a whimper, as
President Bush signed HR6, the Energy Independence and Security
Act of 2007.
For those of us who have been following the
stumbling progress of the 2007 energy bill, the self-congratulatory
nature of the proceedings leave a sour taste in the mouth. Yesterday,
White House press secretary Dana Perino declared that the President
had pushed Congress to pass the bill, leaving unsaid what all
of Congress knows: that Perino’s boss had threatened all
year to veto the bill if it made life in the least bit uncomfortable
for utilities and the oil industry. And House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
told House members that they were present at a moment of real
change, presumably trying to make the best of a situation in
which Republicans had successfully resisted a national renewable
electricity standard and a tax structure that would have transferred
money from oil industry profits into the renewable energy sector.
What’s In
In a nutshell, here’s what the bill contains:
- Vehicle mileage Requires automakers
to boost fleetwide fuel economy for cars and light trucks to
35 mpg by 2020.
- Renewable fuels Calls for biofuel
production to be increased to 36 billion gallons by 2022.
- Light bulbs Phases out most common
types of incandescent light bulbs by 2020, and triples energy
efficiency standards.
- Greenhouse gases Boosts federal
research into ways to trap carbon dioxide emissions from power
plants and sequester them in the earth.
- Geothermal power Encourages new
technologies and creates tax incentives to expand the use of
geothermal energy.
Congress even managed to throw some bones to
solar energy in the final, much-abused version of the bill:
- 25-year federal power purchase agreements
(current maximum is 10 years)
- Federal solar hot water installations on
federal buildings
- Funding authorized for solar industry workforce
training
- Solar Innovation Manufacturing Partnerships
(awards for renewable energy R&D/demonstration projects)
- Feasibility study on PV installations on
Congressional office buildings
- Funding for PV installation for Department
of Energy
- Assistance in the form of grants and technical
assistance to states and non-profit entities, to deploy more
solar systems
- Loans, grants and technical assistance to
small businesses evaluating solar energy systems
- Funding assistance to support R&D and
commercial application of utility-scale solar technologies
- New Department of Energy R&D programs
to increase use of solar lighting and air conditioning systems
- Heightened cooperation between the U.S.
and Israel on innovative solar technology development
What’s True
But when the sounds of backs being slapped
and champagne corks popping have died away, you can hear, in
the awful silence, echoes of undeniable truths.
It’s true that this was the
country’s one great chance to show its commitment to renewable
electricity, with government support of investment tax credits
for solar and other clean energy sources.
It’s true that powerful lobbies
like oil & gas and the utilities put in a massive, largely
successful effort to keep Republican senators from voting in
favor of renewables.
It’s true that the proposed
tightening of tax and subsidy breaks for the oil & gas industry
would have amounted to a loss of only 1%-2% of their net profits.
It’s true that the renewable
fuels mandate garnered critical votes in red farm states, even
though there is considerable evidence that corn-derived biofuel
contributes little to global warming mitigation, does environmental
harm, and may have a net negative effect on world food supplies.
It’s true that most industrialized
countries are mandating or achieving average fuel efficiencies
today in the order of what the U.S. energy bill is aiming for
in the year 2020.
It’s true that Democrats could
have circumvented White House and GOP opposition by finding a
source of revenue other than the oil & gas industry to fund
solar and other tax credits.
What Might Have Been
Related to that last point, it’s true
that Democrats could have refused to take the bill forward
when they knew that revenue-raising from oil & gas was
an insurmountable obstacle for Republicans.* The total collapse
of the bill would have made it clear that the GOP was joined
at the hip to Big Oil, and that nearly half the U.S. Senate existed
merely to do the bidding of the fossil fuel industry. Going into
an election year, this might have been a powerful tool in many
Democratic candidates’ favor.
Had Democrats done this, of course, it would
have meant abandoning CAFE standards for the sake of an electioneering
ploy, which might well have redounded on them in other ways.
Instead, Congressional Democratic leadership put the country
on notice that they would reintroduce those provisions that were
stripped from the bill at an early stage next year. But we have
yet to hear an unequivocal statement from Democratic leadership
to the effect that their attempt at social justice—redirecting
a sliver of Big Oil’s obscene profits to the renewable
sector of the energy industry—was blocked by corrupt politicians
on the other side of the aisle. Playing nice still seems to be
a priority in the nation’s capital.
*and, lest we forget, one Democrat—Sen.
Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, whose main objection to adequate
funding of renewables was that the bill “left Louisiana
and America’s Energy Coast holding the bill.”
Survey
Says… Energy Efficiency Important to Home Buyers
Information courtesy of NAHB’s Nation’s
Building News- http://www.nbnnews.com/NBN/issues/2007-10-08/Green+Building/index.html
According to a September survey by Professional
Builder magazine (click link to read full article) energy
efficiency was the most important aspect of green building to
consumers. Of the builders surveyed, 97% said energy efficiency
was somewhat or extremely important to their buyers. Indoor air
quality followed at 83%, with sustainability at 56% and resource
conservation at 54%. The builders’ survey also
indicated that 87% of respondents said they were seeking a minimum
level of performance or sustainability to allow them to define
or market a home as green.
In addition, 61% of the builders said they wanted
to see a trade association, independent third party or another
entity set that definition. Fifty-three percent of those building
10 or more homes per year said green homes should meet the criteria
of a national certification program. Of the builders surveyed,
62% said they used Energy Star. Additionally, 32% of those surveyed
have used the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines and 19%
have used the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED-H pilot
program.
Top
of Page
Change
a Light, Change the World in Missouri
Consumers Save Money, Energy and the Environment
with The Twist of Energy Efficient Light Bulbs - Over 5.2 Million
CFLs Sold Through the Change A Light Program
October 01, 2007, CNN.com : JEFFERSON CITY,
Mo., Oct. 1 /PRNewswire
The Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
and AmerenUE, Aquila, Inc. , City Utilities of Springfield (CU),
Columbia Water & Light, Crawford Electric Cooperative,
Empire District Electric Company , Independence Power & Light,
Kansas City Power & Light (KCP&L), and The Missouri Department
of Natural Resources are launching the 2007 Change A Light, Change
The World campaign to help consumers save money and energy with
a twist of an ENERGY STAR(R) qualified compact fluorescent light
bulb (CFL). It's a quick and easy solution to lowering utility
bills in addition to saving energy and protecting the environment.
Since 2001, MEEA and its sponsors have sold more
than 2.5 million CFLs, saved nearly 1 billion kWh of energy, and
avoided the release of 2.7 million tons of CO2 emissions into the
environment. Change A Light, Change The World has attracted 17
sponsoring companies and over 500 retail organizations throughout
the Midwest to coordinate a public message and collaborate around
a critical initiative.
From October 1 through December 31, 2007, Missouri's
sponsor organizations and the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
(MEEA) are encouraging Missouri residents to "Change the World" one
light, one step at a time by replacing their home's five most frequently
used light fixtures, or the bulbs in them, with ENERGY STAR qualified
CFLs. In the average home, the most frequently used fixtures are:
kitchen ceiling dome light, living room table lamp, living room
floor lamp, bathroom vanity light and outdoor porch or post lamp.
By making this change, a household can save at least $60 a year
in energy costs in addition to protecting the environment.
The program is being held in conjunction with
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department
of Energy's (DOE) national "ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change
the World" campaign. MEEA and its sponsoring partner are helping
Missouri residents make the simple switch to energy-efficient lighting
by offering $2 instant rebates on ENERGY STAR qualified CFL purchases
while supplies last. With the instant rebates, the CFLs will sell
for as little as $0.99 at select retail locations.
Several HUEE member utilities participate in
the Change a Light, Change the World program including Kansas City
Power & Light, Independence Power and Light and Aquila. Participating
stores include:
Westlake Ace stores at:
- 10130 E State Rt 350 Raytown, MO 64138
- 1804 E. Ohio St Clinton, MO 64735
- 444 South West Ward Rd Lee's Summit,
MO 64081
- 58 Hardware & 71 Hardware Belton,
MO 64012
- 1205 N 7 Hardware Blue Springs, MO 64015
- 328 B East Young St Warrensburg, MO 64093
- 1010 Thompson Blvd Sedalia, MO 65301
- 918 SW 7 Hardware Blue Springs, MO 64015
|
- 9301 North St Clair Ave Kansas City,
MO 64151
- 1000 Westport Rd Kansas City, MO 64111
- 1020 W. 103 Street Kansas City, MO 64114
- 6201 Independence Ave Kansas City, MO
64125
- 5009 N.E. Vivian Rd Kansas City, MO 64119
- 5945 NE Antioch Rd Gladstone, MO 64119
- 4545B South Noland Rd Independence, MO
64055
- 415 E 24 Highway Independence, MO 64050
|
HyVee stores at:
- 7117 North Prospect Gladstone, MO 64601
|
- 207 Northeast Englewood Rd Kansas City,
MO 64118
|
CFLs and Mercury
Some who would like to use compact
fluorescent lamps have expressed concern about the mercury contained
in CFLs. CFLs do contain a small amount of mercury, a toxic
metal that should be kept out of the waste environment. A typical
CFL contains about 5 mg of mercury, an amount which would fit on
the tip of a ballpoint pen. An oral thermometer, by contrast, has
between 500 and 1,000 mg of mercury.
New reduced-mercury CFLs are currently
being developed by manufacturers, and efforts are being made to
limit mercury content under the new ENERGY STAR CFL specifications.
Even when accounting for a CFL’s inherent mercury content,
the amount of potential mercury exposure is still about half the
amount released freely into the environment by lighting an incandescent
bulb with electricity produced by fossil fuel-burning power plants.
While CFLs may be accepted by some municipal
landfills, MEEA recommends that CFLs be taken to a hazardous waste
collection center at the end of their life. Please contact your
local waste management service for recycling options and disposal
guidelines, or visit www.lamprecycle.org to
learn more about CFL recycling. In Kansas City visit MARC’s
recycling website at www.recyclespot.org. You
may also want to visit www.earth911.org or www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling to
search for recycling centers in your area.
Courtesy of Midwest
Energy Efficiency Alliance
For more information about the "Change a
Light, Change the World" campaign, call 888-476-9548 or visit http://www.mwalliance.org/cal2007.
Top of Page
U.S.
Plans a Switch to all Fluorescents for Efficiency's Sake
Wall
Street Journal, 9-13-07; WASHINGTON
The House and Senate
are working on legislation that over the next seven years would
phase out the conventional light bulb, a move aimed at saving energy
and reducing man-made emissions believed linked to climate change.
General Electric Co., Philips Electronics NV of the Netherlands
and other manufacturers have been meeting with conservation and
environmental groups and say they are close to agreement on the
general terms of a phaseout. Bipartisan coalitions in Congress
are likely to add these terms to a broad energy bill expected to
be voted on next month.
While manufacturers voiced some concerns about producing enough
bulbs to meet the new deadlines, they emphasized that they want
prompt federal legislation that would prevent states from setting
their own standards, creating a patchwork of differing requirements.
Nevada has already set its own standard, and California is considering
one.
Paul Waide, a policy analyst with the International Energy Agency,
based in Paris, told the Senate Energy Committee yesterday that
the European Union, Canada and Australia are planning similar phaseouts
of conventional incandescent bulbs, and China is beginning to consider
one.
"It is not inconceivable that over the next 10 to 15 years
that maybe all incandescent lights will be removed from the global
market," he said. If that happened, he added, the resulting
reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions might equal almost three-fourths
of the reductions that industrial nations have promised under the
Kyoto Protocol to curb global warming.
The U.S., which has four billion electric lights using such bulbs,
represents about a third of the world market. Installing more-efficient
incandescent or compact fluorescent bulbs would save consumers
about $6 billion a year in energy costs, said Jeffrey Harris, a
vice president of the Alliance to Save Energy, a nonprofit group
based in Washington.
Common incandescent bulbs, which have been around for more than
100 years, are able to convert only 5% of the electricity they
use into visible light. The rest is lost as heat.
Under the timetable proposed in both House and Senate versions,
incandescent bulbs would begin to disappear from U.S. markets beginning
in 2012, with 100-watt bulbs going first, then 75-watt bulbs a
year later and then the more popular 60- and 40-watt bulbs by 2014.
They would be replaced by compact fluorescent bulbs and more-efficient
incandescent lamps, which can cut energy use from 30% to 75%. By
2020, both bills call for lighting standards that can only be met
by the compact fluorescents or other technologies that can match
their efficiency.
Manufacturers hope to use a few different technologies to meet
the proposed standards, but they say it will be a challenge getting
new lamps out by 2012, the proposed starting date. The manufacturers
also had initially been looking for a longer phaseout period of
five years instead of three.
Randy Moorehead, vice president of government relations for Philips
Electronics, North America, said the industry mostly supports the
phase-in period but has problems with the 2020 proposed standards.
Mr. Moorehead said Congress should wait to set a 2020 standard
to see where the technology is headed. He said manufacturers will
have to scrap new multimillion-dollar investments in equipment
and employees to meet 2012 standards.
GE had announced a new energy-efficient incandescent lamp that
will be 30% more efficient by 2012. GE plans to roll out the first
version in 2010. GE indicated the bulb would likely be comparable
to a 60-watt or 40-watt bulb. Osram Sylvania, a unit of Siemens
AG, is also introducing an energy-efficient incandescent bulb.
Philips is unveiling a halogen light this fall that will be markedly
more efficient and three times longer-lasting than incandescent
bulbs -- but will also be more expensive initially than compact
and incandescent bulbs.
GE and the two other big light bulb makers, Philips and Osram
Sylvania, also are looking at light emitting diodes, or LEDS, as
new sources of residential lighting. "We'll certainly fill
in any gaps with other technologies," says Earl Jones, senior
counsel for GE's consumer-and-industrial unit.
Nearly all compact fluorescent bulbs are made in China. Although
they cost more than conventional bulbs, the energy savings over
their longer lifetimes are substantial. Noting that only 10% of
bulbs sold in the U.S. are compact fluorescents, Kyle Pitsor, vice
president of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association,
said the industry will mount a public-education campaign to push
the more efficient bulbs.
Top of Page
CitiMortgage
Promotes Energy Efficient Mortgages & Offers Savings on Closing
Costs
St. Louis, MO – CitiMortgage announced today a new program
to promote its Energy Efficient Mortgages with a $1,000 special
credit on closing costs for these types of loans through the end
of the year. This "green" offering from CitiMortgage
will be offered for fixed-rate first mortgages with 10 to 30 year
terms. The Energy Efficient Mortgage makes underwriting allowances
by permitting the savings from the cost of energy improvements
and/or residential energy efficiency tax credit to be added to
the borrower's qualifying "other income" for loan approval.
"At CitiMortgage, we are always looking for innovative ways
to provide additional value for our customers," said Bill
Beckmann, President and Chief Operating Officer of CitiMortgage. "We
believe customers who want to live in more energy efficient homes
will appreciate these loans and the special $1,000 closing credit
offer. It's a good program for customers; it's good for the environment;
and it's good for Citi in our efforts to support conservation and
other ‘green' endeavors," Mr. Beckmann added.
As part of its ongoing commitment to communities, Citi is aiming
to help make a beneficial difference in the environment. This year,
the company announced it will direct $50 billion over the next
ten years to address global climate change through investments,
financings and related activities to support the commercialization
and growth of alternative energy and clean technology among the
clients and markets it serves, as well as within its own businesses
and operations.
For the Energy Efficient Mortgage, a third-party must verify
that the property, whether newly constructed or already existing,
is energy efficient. An Energy Rater accredited under the National
Energy Rater and Certifying Standard, as adopted by the Residential
Energy Services Network (RESNET), must make the determination that
the property is energy efficient. The property must be rated as "energy
efficient" under RESNET's Mortgage Industry National Accreditation
Procedures for Home Energy Rating Systems. These loans will be
available through CitiMortgage's retail channel and to Citi employees.
Additionally, consumers may inquire about these loans through CitiMortgage's
partners, which include Citibank Financial Centers and Citi Smith
Barney.Also, the borrower's contribution to the down payment, closing
costs and/or prepaid items may be funded by energy efficiency rebates
from a government agency, utility or manufacturer. These mortgages
are available for construction loans, property purchase or rate
refinance loans.
For more information about energy efficiency accreditation, please
visit http://www.natresnet.org.
For more information about the loan offers, please go to www.citimortgage.com or
call 1-800-Mortgage.
Top of Page
House Bill
Amps Up Energy Savings
Washington, D.C. August 7, 2007
The American Council for an
Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) today released its analysis of
the energy bill passed by the House on August 4. ACEEE’s
assessment finds that the bill’s energy efficiency provisions
would reduce U.S. carbon dioxide emissions by 670 million tons,
or 8%, in 2030 relative to the current Department of Energy forecast.
Combining the best provisions of both the House and Senate bills
would yield emissions reductions totaling 1,530 million tons of
carbon dioxide, or 19%, in 2030 relative to the forecast. The final
House bill contained important amendments that increased emissions
reductions by 112 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2030, a 20%
increase from the version that was reported out of committee.
In addition to substantial energy savings and emissions reductions,
both the Senate and House bills would save consumers and businesses
a significant amount of money. ACEEE estimates that the efficiency
provisions in the final House bill would save consumers and businesses
a net $420 billion (in 2005 dollars) on a cumulative basis from
2008-2030, an increase of $80 billion, or 24%, from the version
sent to the floor. A bill combining the best efficiency features
of the House and Senate bills would save consumers and businesses
a net $850 billion.
"The House added major energy, carbon, and dollar savings
late in the process, making this bill a better investment in efficiency,
the nation’s ‘first fuel’ in the race for clean
energy," said ACEEE Executive Director Steven Nadel.
The two new efficiency provisions in the House bill are the inclusion
of energy efficiency as an eligible resource for a national Renewable
Electricity Standard (RES), and the addition of walk-in commercial
refrigerators and metal halide lighting to the list of appliance
efficiency standards. These augment provisions in the bill that
was sent to the House floor, which included improvements to national
and state building codes, efficiency standards for incandescent
lamps and other products, an update and expansion of the federal
appliance and equipment standards program, and provisions to increase
use of combined heat and power systems in the industrial and institutional
sectors. The House bill also includes a tax package that extends
and expands energy efficiency tax incentives.
The bill the Senate passed in June does not include many of these
House provisions. On the other hand, the Senate bill includes two
major provisions not in the House bill - increases to Corporate
Average Fuel Economy Standards for cars and light trucks, and steadily
increasing mandatory targets for oil savings over the 2016-2031
period. Neither provision is iron-clad, in that both allow substantial
regulatory discretion. The Senate Finance Committee also reported
out a more comprehensive set of energy efficiency tax incentives
than are contained in the House bill.
"We urge the House-Senate Conferees to adopt the best energy-saving
provisions of the House and Senate bills, especially the fuel economy
standard, renewable electricity standard, and appliance efficiency
standards," concluded Nadel.
Details on ACEEE's analyses of both the Senate and House bills
can be found at http://aceee.org/energy/national/nrgleg.htm.
Top of Page
SBIC’s
New Green Guidelines Now Available
Courtesy of WinterGreen
The newly updated, 5th edition of the Green Building Guidelines
has been released by the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council
(SBIC). The publication, subtitled “Meeting the Demand for
Low-Energy, Resource-Efficient Homes,” contains many lessons
learned through the Building America program, and was developed
with the support of the U.S. Department of Energy. New in this
edition is a copy of the National Association of Home Builders’ Model
Green Home Building Guidelines on a CD as a resource for local
homebuilding associations looking to start a green building program
in their area. The new Guidelines can be ordered directly from
the SBIC website: sbicouncil.org/store/index.php.
Top of Page
Nearly
$88 million released for home weatherization
U.S. Department of Energy, July 31, 2007 - DOE announced $88
million in July for weatherization grants to 20 states to make
energy efficiency improvements in homes of low-income families.
This funding is the second installment of the $200 million in total
weatherization grants for fiscal year 2007. Thirty other states
received funding in April. DOE expects to weatherize approximately
70,000 homes nationwide this year.
Top of Page
U.S.
Mayors Leading the Way in Reducing Energy and Emissions
Courtesy of Alliance to Save Energy
According to a new survey, our nation's cities are taking the
initiative to implement energy-efficient practices and actions
aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The survey, released
by the U.S. Conference of Mayors' Climate Protection Center, shows
local governments are acting independently and finding innovative
ways to reduce energy.
Actions by mayors include the installation of energy-efficient
lighting for streetlights, traffic signals and in public buildings
and parks; running city fleets on hybrid-electric and alternative
technologies; raising sustainability criteria for city buildings;
and encouraging Congress to create a grant program for cities that
conduct green projects.
Top of Page
NPC
Study Backs Broader Energy-Efficiency Proposals
Courtesy of Alliance to Save Energy
The National Petroleum Council (NPC) has completed its report
and assessment on the future of U.S. oil and natural gas supply.
The 400+ page study titled "Facing the Hard Truths About Energy" was
delivered to the Department of Energy on July 18 and calls for
aggressive policies to moderate a projected 50-60 percent growth
in energy demand by 2030. Among its suggestions, the petroleum
council recommends increasing vehicle fuel economy standards, improving
energy efficiency in U.S. buildings, and adopting polices to price
carbon. The report is the product of more than a year's work by
analysts and executives from the nation's leading oil and gas companies,
as well as the Alliance to Save Energy and other leading energy,
environmental, and consumer organizations.
For a full copy of the report and the executive summary, go to, www.npc.org.
Top of Page
Project
Living Proof, What’s That?
The Heartland Utilities for Energy Efficiency has helped fund
the renovation design of a demonstration home that is planned to
help KC area homeowners and the home building and remodeling industry
move toward sustainability in housing and communities. Project
Living Proof was conceived in late summer 2004, when a group of
people met at the Missouri Department of Conservation's Anita B.
Gorman Discovery Center to discuss the possibility of turning a
home in the historic Rockhill neighborhood, adjacent to the Discovery
Center, into a demonstration of healthy, well built residential
living as a part of the growing Kansas City urban conservation
corridor. In early February 2005 the Metropolitan Energy Center
purchased the house at 917 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd (old 47th Street)
and then embarked on Project Living Proof. The first step
was to engage neighborhood residents, businesses, for profit and
non-profit developers and builders, academic institutions and other
interests along with design professionals in active participation
to design the renovation parameters through a series of charettes
(visioning sessions). A design/build team made up of BNIM
Architects, Henderson Engineers and Rothers Design Build is now
undertaking the task of preparing plans for the renovation, the
integration of educational components and the construction process. The
Design Team is now about half way through the design process with
construction estimated to begin in September of 2007. It
is hope that construction can be completed by mid-spring 2008.
The short-term purpose of Project Living Proof is to restore
the home in order to create a living proof example of sustainable
living in urban homes. The Project Living Proof house, called the “Peter
Dreyfuss Living Green Home,” in honor of the MEC founding
director and community activist, will be renovated to highest green
standards to demonstrate health and comfort benefits of energy
efficiency, green building technology, native landscaping and appropriate
accessibility. The final challenge that the Energy Center welcomed
was to include all of these elements in an historic home in an
historic district. The “Peter Dreyfuss Living Green Home” will
serve as a model house and demonstration of related outreach and
technology that is easily accessible to homeowners, the home building
and remodeling industry, local government and the public at large.
For more detail about Project Living Proof go to http://www.kcenergy.org/plp/index.htm . If
you would like to find out how to contribute to the completion
of Project Living Proof, contact MEC Executive Director Bob Housh
at (816) 531-7283.
Top of Page
HBA Adopts
National Green Building Guidelines
Article courtesy of THE
HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF GREATER KANSAS CITY
The HBA’s Board of Directors
voted Tuesday to adopt the National Association of Home Builders
green building guidelines. George Schluter, 2007 HBA Vice President,
was appointed to chair the Build Green Task Force, which will guide
the HBA as it looks how to implement practices into the association’s
program.
During the Spring Board of Directors
meetings in Washington, D.C., earlier this month, the national
board of directors approved the creation of a national green building
program to provide a template for voluntary, market-driven green
building practices across the nation.
In a major move to illustrate the
home building industry’s commitment to going green, NAHB
also passed an emergency appropriation request for more than $2
million in funding during the June meetings. More than $1.5 million
of the funding will go directly to the development of a national
green building program by the NAHB Research Center, including ANSI
accreditation support. Approximately $230,000 will go toward a
state and local monitoring system that would identify municipalities
that are considering green building mandates. It would also help
create a toolkit for HBAs to promote a proactive response to state
and local governments.
To jump start local involvement
in green building, the HBA will offer Green
Building for Building Professionals July 17-18. Approved for eight
hours of contractor licensing credit for Kansas City,
Mo., Johnson County and Miami County, the course will cover how
to educate consumers on green homes, the benefits of green housing,
sales and marketing strategies and more. To register, visit www.kchba.net .
For more information, contact Kristin
Vaughn-Petersen at (816) 733-2226.
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Low
Interest Financing Available For Energy Conservation Projects
Summer is a great time to make improvements on your home to
help ensure that you use energy wisely during the winter
months. If you do make improvements and your home
is in Kansas, then you should know about the Kansas Energy Efficiency
Program (KEEP). The program is designed to allow income-eligible
homeowners obtain low interest loans to purchase energy efficient
heating systems and to make other energy conservation home improvements.
The program is sponsored by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation
(KHRC) and funded through Governor Kathleen Sebelius’ Warm
Homes Project.
How It Works: KEEP saves homeowners money because
KHRC funds half of the home improvement loan amounts up to a maximum
of $7,500 at a zero interest rate. (Total loan amounts may be higher
as determined by the lender.) This zero interest rate on KHRC funds
translates into a lower blended rate which saves money compared
to taking out a normal second mortgage loan.
Qualifying home improvements include:
- Installing specified ENERGY STAR furnaces, central air conditioners,
heat pumps, water heaters and ventilation systems.
- Installing wall & floor insulation, new doors, windows
and weather-stripping.
- Sealing air leaks, installing duct work and purchasing certain
ENERGY STAR appliances such as refrigerators, washers, dryers,
dish washers and programmable thermostats.
How to Apply: Interested applicants should apply
directly to the lender, Sunflower Bank,
by calling 888-827-5564 or visit www.sunflowerbank.com .
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Energy
Star Program Is Still A Bright Idea
By Gary Dymski, Tribune Newspapers: Newsday. Jun 28, 2007 Chicago Tribune Page
9
Article Courtesy of ALLIANCE TO SAVE ENERGY
Are Energy Star appliances really a better buy? Do they really
use less energy and save money in the long run?
Absolutely, says the Environmental Protection Agency's Maria
Vargas, a spokeswoman for the Energy Star program. Despite some
negative press, Energy Star is reliable and effective, she says. "Energy
Star is a government program, and our goal is to make it as easy
as possible for consumers and businesses to be as energy-efficient
as possible," Vargas says. "The idea is to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions through energy efficiency.
"Last year, Americans saved $14 billion -- that's billion
with a 'B' -- on their energy bills and reduced greenhouse gases
to the equivalent of 25 million cars."
Those numbers, she says, speak volumes on the success of the
Energy Star program, established in 1992 by the EPA and joined
in 1996 by the U.S. Department of Energy. A huge success with consumers,
the program got some bad press last year in a Smart Money magazine
article titled "Energy Star Unplugged," in which the
program's testing of appliances and electrical devices was criticized.
The same article was reprinted on several Web sites, and CBS' "Early
Show" followed up on the piece with a segment in which it
described Energy Star's testing as "flawed."
Not true, counters Vargas, who says the Smart Money article "got
a lot of things wrong." First, she says the method for testing
products, from appliances to personal computers, is established
through congressional regulations. "If they have a problem
with the testing," she says, "they should talk to the
Department of Energy.
"And, the standards for devices, including appliances, are
subject to frequent change."
According to Smart Money, Energy Star's testing of refrigerators
is extremely thorough. That's good news, because refrigerators
are among the largest household users of energy. But the magazine
piece criticized the testing of air-conditioning systems, among
other appliances. According to the article, the AC test isn't tough
enough because it simply measures energy used when cooling a room
from 80 degrees to 75 degrees. Only 20 percent of the units tested
met the standard. And the article states that testing in a humid
environment, such as Florida, would deliver different results than
testing in a desert environment, such as Arizona. (Most of the
energy used by an air conditioner goes to dehumidification.)
Vargas says that a single humidity level is a testing requirement
established by federal guidelines. She says the Department of Energy
is aware of the issue and could make adjustments. "Energy
Star is a voluntary program that keeps pace with the marketplace," Vargas
says. "New testing protocols are always being implemented
and specifications for different products are always going into
effect."
For example, 85 percent of dishwashers and 98 percent of desktop
computers were awarded Energy Star certification last year, an
issue with Smart Money. Originally, only the top 25 percent of
products in one classification were supposed to receive the Energy
Star label.
Vargas says that such criticism is unfair because as technology
improves the standards are raised. "The new specifications
for dishwashers were effective Jan. 1 of 2007," she says,
and fewer units are likely to get the Energy Star label.
Consumers should be aware that as the standards are revised,
older Energy Star products are not simply eliminated. Although
manufacturers can't make products that fall below minimum standards,
Energy Star products manufactured before the effective date of
a new standard still can be sold.
EnergyStar.gov lists electronic devices and appliances that meet
current and previous standards and also reports deadlines for selling
labeled units under expired standards.
The article also stated that testing is largely left up to the
manufacturers. Vargas says verification by Energy Star is a process
that is taken very seriously. While manufacturers do test their
own products and submit results to the program, random testing
is done "all the time," she says.
Vargas says one procedure, called "mystery shopping," allows
an unidentified representative of Energy Star to purchase an item
at random; it's then tested by the program. Vargas suggests the
best policing, however, is done by rival manufacturers. "Believe
me, if there is a product in the marketplace that should not be
Energy Star-rated, a competing manufacturer lets us know at lightning
speed," she says. "The policing by the competition is
amazing."
Smart Money said its investigation found "outdated testing" and "lax
enforcement." The magazine also said an Energy Star label
may amount to "little more than a marketing gimmick." For
instance, the story said one retailer, a Best Buy store in Manhattan,
was selling clothes dryers with Energy Star labels. Because virtually
all clothes dryers use about the same amount of energy, Energy
Star does not rate them.
Vargas said the store was a new partner and that the situation
was quickly corrected. "We don't tolerate product mislabeling," she
says. "We can't be in every retail store every minute of the
day, but we see very little misuse of labels."
One reason is that more than 30 states and 450 utility companies
have adopted Energy Star as a platform. The testing and policing
are not perfect, Vargas says, but they are consistent and thorough.
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WINDY
KANSAS
2007 Renewable Energy and
Energy Efficiency Conference - After a record attendance
of nearly 450 participants from a dozen states in 2006, the 8th
Annual Kansas Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Conference
is shaping up to be bigger and better, educational and exciting,
covering a wide range of topics of interest to Kansas citizens.
Conference organizers at the Kansas
Corporation Commission announced that Wes Jackson will be the Keynote
speaker in 2007. Dr. Jackson was recognized in a Special
Anniversary Edition Smithsonian Magazine (November 2005) as one
of 35 scientists, artists and scholars Who
Made a Difference. Go to the Conference program
section on the Conference website for more information.
More Wind - 2007
is proving to be an exciting year for renewable energy in Kansas,
especially wind energy. Between December of 2006 and March of 2007,
about 1,000 megawatts (MW) of potential new wind was announced
by a number of the state's leading utilities.
The new Smoky Hill Wind Project,
along Interstate 70 in Lincoln and Ellsworth Counties (about 20
miles west of Salina), was developed by TradeWind Energy, LLC,
a Kansas developer and will be owned by Enel North America, Inc.,
a wholly owned subsidiary of an Italian utility. It will feature
100 MW of wind generation to be divided among Sunflower Electric,
Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Public Utilities, and Midwest Energy.
The state's largest utility, Topeka-based
Westar, announced on Feb. 26 a request for proposals RFP) for 500
MW of renewable energy. This was followed by a joint announcement
on Mar. 20 by Kansas City Power & Light (KCPL) and the Sierra
Club of a commitment of another 400 MW of wind generation. Westar
hopes to have about half of the development installed by the end
of 2008. KCPL already owns the Spearville Wind Energy Facility
in Ford County that was put into operation in the fall of 2006.
These announcements will assure
Kansas utilities will meet a voluntary goal of 1,050 MW of wind
by 2010 as announced by Governor Kathleen Sebelius during her State
of the State address on January 10. This equals about 10% of nameplate
electric generation capacity for the state's utilities. They had
also agreed to a commitment of 20% voluntary goal by 2020.
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NEW
OFFICE BUILDING RECEIVES LEED™ GOLD CERTIFICATION
Courtesy of Johnson County,
Kansas
The new Johnson County Sunset Drive
Office Building in Olathe has taken a “LEED” in environmental
sustainability by becoming the first building in the county to
earn gold-level certification, a rigorous process overseen by the
U.S. Green Building Council.
The facility, located at 119th
Street and Ridgeview Road, is only the second building in the Kansas
City metropolitan region and in the state of Kansas to be certified
LEED Gold.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally
accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation
of high performance green buildings. LEED promotes a whole-building
approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key
areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development,
water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor
environmental quality.
Construction of the 129,000-square-foot,
two-story Sunset Drive Office Building, costing $30 million, began
in late 2004 and was completed in January 2006.. A ceremonial opening
of the new building occurred in February, paving the way for six
county departments to begin moving into the facility.
The design-build project was done
by McCownGordon Construction as builder and 360 Architects as the
designer. Both firms have offices in Kansas City, Mo.
The Sunset Drive Office Building
also has been the recipient of numerous awards from a wide variety
of organizations on both a regional and national level. These include:
- A Design-Build Excellence Award from the Design-Build
Institute of America (DBIA)
- Merit Award for Excellence in Architecture
from the Kansas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects
(AIA)
- The National Association of Counties (NACo)
2005 Achievement Award
- An Excellence Award from the Mid-America Chapter
of the DBIA
- Aside from the Johnson County Sunset Drive
Office Building, the only other LEED Gold facility in the
- Kansas City region and state of Kansas is
the EPA Science and Technology Center in Kansas City, Kansas.
Johnson County has three LEED Certified
facilities at the base level: EcoWorks at Southlake in Lenexa,
Olathe’s Municipal Service Center, and Sprint, Building 14,
Overland Park.
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INCOME
TAX CREDITS HELP CONSUMERS MAKE ENERGY-EFFICIENCY HOME IMPROVEMENTS,
SAYS ALLIANCE TO SAVE ENERGY
Courtesy of the Alliance to
Save Energy
With the spring-summer remodeling
season underway, consumers who are undertaking home improvement
projects can look forward not only to lower home energy bills for
years to come, but also to lower federal income tax bills for 2007.
Federal income tax credits of up
to $500 are available to homeowners who make specific types of
energy-efficiency home improvements by December 31, 2007. All the
details can be found at www.ase.org/taxcredits – a bilingual
English/Spanish website developed by the U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) and the Alliance to Save Energy.
“The energy-efficiency tax
credits offer multiple benefits – just like energy efficiency
itself,” says Assistant Energy Secretary Andy Karsner. “Taxpayers
can reduce their tax bills, improve the efficiency of their homes,
and reduce their energy costs.”
“The average U.S. household
spent more than $2,000 last year on home energy costs,” notes
Alliance President Kateri Callahan. “Taking advantage of
the federal energy-efficiency tax credits can help ease those high
energy bills.”
Home improvement tax credits are
available for:
- Insulation and exterior doors, including storm doors: 10 percent
of the cost of the product (but not the installation), up to
$500. Includes materials to seal air leaks such as caulk, weather
stripping, and foam sealants.
- Central air conditioner, heat pump, or water heater: Up to
$300 towards the full purchase price, including installation
costs.
- Exterior windows, skylights, and storm windows: 10 percent
of the total cost, up to $200. All windows with the ENERGY STAR
label, the government’s symbol for energy efficiency, qualify.
- Pigmented metal roofs: 10 percent of the cost of the product
(but not the installation), up to $500 for metal roofs with pigmented
coatings that meet ENERGY STAR requirements.
- Furnace or boiler: Up to $150 towards the full purchase price,
and/or $50 for an efficient air-circulating fan in a furnace,
including installation cost.
The DOE/Alliance tax credit website
spells out the stringent efficiency requirements for heating and
cooling equipment.
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HEARTLAND
UTILITIES FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY SPONSOR SECOND ROUND OF ENERGY
EFFICIENCY TAX CREDIT WORKSHOPS IN KANSAS CITY AREA
In 2006 Heartland Utilities for
Energy Efficiency (HUEE) sponsored a series of six workshops on
the energy tax credits initiated through the Energy Policy Act
of 2005. For 2007, two more workshops have already been held
and 4 workshops are being scheduled for this summer and fall. HUEE
sponsors the workshops which are provided by the Metropolitan Energy
Center in partnership with Hathmore Technologies and H&R Block. The
workshops combine basic information about home energy performance
and effective energy improvements with details about the tax credits. Although
most of the material covered focuses on the home, information about
other available tax credits, such as alternative fueled and hybrid
vehicles. Keep an eye on the HUEE website, events section,
on updates for upcoming workshops.
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EASY
CONNECTION ACT PASSED
Courtesy of Missouri Coalition
for the Environment
Renew Missouri, a collaborative
of renewable energy and environmental organizations promoting sound
renewable energy policy in Missouri, applauds the Missouri General
Assembly's passage of the Easy Connection Act (ECA).
The ECA establishes uniform procedures
to allow Missourians to connect a small renewable energy system
to the electric grid in a quick, safe, and reliable manner. The
ECA also establishes "true net metering", implemented
in 41 states and Washington D.C., which credits an owner of a renewable
energy system at a one-to-one rate for electricity "sold" back
to the grid. Most basically, the Easy Connection Act makes it easier
and more cost effective for a Missourian to install a renewable
energy system onto a home or business. This victory is a critical
first step to bring Missouri's renewable energy policy up to the
national standard.
Representative Jason Holsman (D-Kansas
City) and Senator Joan Bray (D-St. Louis) sponsored the bill in
the Missouri House and Senate respectively. The Easy Connection
Act passed as an amendment to the "Green Power Initiative
Bill" in the House on May 8, by a vote of 146-6, and passed
the Senate on May 14 by a vote of 34-0. The Renew Missouri collaborative
is made up of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, the Heartland
Renewable Energy Society, and Missouri Votes Conservation, with
Sierra Club providing legal counsel. More information can be found
at the group's website, www.RenewMO.org.
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GREEN
BUILDING TO SKYROCKET BY 2010 TO HALF OF NEW HOMES
Courtesy of the U.S. Department
of Energy
More than 1,000 housing industry
professionals at the 9th annual National
Association of Home Builders' Green Building Conference heard
that sustainable building products and techniques are advancing
quickly into the mainstream. NAHB is moving aggressively to bring
the movement to national prominence.
As energy costs increase, home
builders and buyers become more aware of the advantages of energy
efficient home design. Based on a survey of NAHB home builders
conducted last year by McGraw-Hill
Construction, between 40 percent of the homes built in 2010
are expected to be green, containing at least three of five green
building elements. This represents a major jump in green market
activity. Last year, according to McGraw-Hill estimates,
about 2 percent, or $7.4 billion, of the residential construction
market was green.
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DID
YOU KNOW?
“Sleep” features that
power down home office equipment and other electronic devices that
are turned on but not in use can save households up to $70 annually. -Alliance
to Save Energy Power$mart Booklet.
The United States consumes almost
9 million barrels of gasoline daily – 44 percent of total
global daily gasoline consumption.
—Alliance to Save
Energy.
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