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Partnership to Promote Energy Code Awareness

Partnership to Promote Energy Code Awareness. Why Are Energy Codes Important?. We will cover the following topics: Energy use of buildings Costs to homeowners, state, and country of homes that don’t meet national standards Approaches for creating positive change

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Partnership to Promote Energy Code Awareness

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  1. Partnership to Promote Energy Code Awareness

  2. Why Are Energy Codes Important? We will cover the following topics: • Energy use of buildings • Costs to homeowners, state, and country of homes that don’t meet national standards • Approaches for creating positive change • Opportunities to get involved in national projects with multiple partner organizations

  3. Impacts of Energy Use in Homes: An Overview • Household budget • State/federal budgets • Energy supplies • Environmental

  4. Household Budget U.S. Household Energy Expenditures, for 2011: Residential: about $2,150 Transportation: about $3,050 Total: about $5,200 EIA, Short Term Energy Outlook & The Alliance to Save Energy The “energy burden” is larger for low income households; they spend almost 25 percent of household income on energy costs, while, alternatively, the average household spends around 5 percent on energy costs.

  5. State/Federal Budgets • The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) enables low-income families to permanently reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient.  • The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) assists low income households in meeting their immediate home energy needs.   • FY 2010 LIHEAP national allocations • $4.51 Billion Regular Block Grant Funds • $490 Million in Emergency Contingency Funds • $1 Million in REACH Funds

  6. Energy Supplies • Buildings consume 38.9% of end-use energy. (EIA) • Population growth from 1990-2000, +9.67% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census) • Energy codes can alleviate demand to the electrical grid and mitigate the high cost of adding and maintaining capacity. • How many power plants are planned for your state? What are the associated costs? How much CO2 will it emit? Example: Kentucky currently has three power plants in the planning stages that will cost billions and emit over 15 million tons of particulate pollutants and CO2 .

  7. Environmental Air pollutants include carbon monoxide, lead, sulfur dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter.

  8. Role of Energy Codes • National standard • Establishes energy performance baseline (not high performance like Energy Star) as a minimum level for all homes • Creates path for tracking and improving home performance by raising awareness of builders • New consumer protections: help homeowners manage growing energy costs

  9. Resistance to Energy Codes • Confidence in current practice, business-as-usual • Lack of information on quantity of energy wasted • Lack of information about new national minimum requirements, techniques, materials • Unsure of costs/benefits • Government as source of interference vs. protection

  10. Cost to Build Homes That Meet Energy Code Requirements • The costs of the building to the 2009 IECC will add 0.3% in incremental costs, for a total of $773.92 per new home in Kentucky. • For every month they own the home, however, homeowners will save $28—for a total of $336 per year. With these energy savings, the initial investment on their mortgage will pay of in only seven months, leaving them with an extra $25 per month, and a total of $148 extra in their pocket by the end of their first year in the house.

  11. Wise Use of Taxpayer Dollars • Building home “smart from the start” saves money; it can cost up to 5-times more to repair energy leaks and inefficiencies after the fact than building homes energy-efficient from the start. • Average cost of retrofitting homes is $4,800 each, compared to a cost of $773.92 for builders to install energy savings measures right from the start in compliance with the updated code.

  12. Energy Code Successes • Austin, TX • Seattle, WA • State of California

  13. Information on Energy Codes Home Builders Need • Introduction to energy codes • Information on costs and savings • Information on how to comply with code requirements • Energy codes compliance as an indicator of construction quality

  14. Information on Energy Codes Homeowners Need • Introduction to codes as lead-in to energy codes • Information on costs and savings • Information on how to identify code compliance - Provide action steps and tools for home buyers • Energy codes compliance as an indicator of construction quality

  15. Homeowners Need a Voice in the Negotiations Information needed: • Background information on energy codes • A few examples of simple energy code criteria • Action steps and tools for activists

  16. Examples of Energy Code Criteria Wood-burning fireplaces must have gasketed doors A home with a forced-air furnace heating system must have a programmable thermostat The IECC requires builders to post an IECC certificate near the electrical distribution box.

  17. Energy Codes Support Building Professionals • Consumers are happier with the performance and comfort of the homes they buy. They pay the upfront costs but also enjoy energy savings for a net benefit within a few short months. • Energy codes support local economic development by keeping money in the local economy and create jobs. For example, provisions in the code create private sector jobs for third-party verification of air-tight ducts and building envelope.

  18. Homeowners Can Support Energy Codes • Action steps homeowners can take: • Use the 2009 IECC checklist • Look to see whether your current home meets code requirements • If building a home, ask your contractor or builder questions about building to code requirements • If buying a home, have your home inspector use the checklist to assess code compliance • Contact local building officials and government representatives to inquire about the status of energy code adoption and enforcement as a local priority

  19. Activists Can Support Energy Codes Action steps • Visit BCAP webpage to determine state and local code status • Ask the local building department which energy code has been adopted and is being enforced • Go to city council meetings to initiate discussions on local energy code adoption & enforcement. Link energy code with: • “Greening” your community, • Ensuring quality home construction, • Protecting low income residents from unaffordable utility costs • Wise use of taxpayer dollars • Talk with area builders and architects – are they familiar with the energy code? • Contact your state energy office??

  20. How Partners Can Get Involved • Collaborate on information development • Collaborate on dissemination through events, meetings, newsletters, websites • Educate members and the community at large • Other?

  21. Next Steps • Develop revised drafts of materials/information • Circulate drafts for input by partners • Identify opportunities to educate groups • Schedule meetings/conference calls to promote materials and information • Post/distribute materials and information

  22. For more information, contact:

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