PATH TO
HOME ENERGY
SAVINGS
Presentation Outline
• Why Home Energy Efficiency?
• The Path to Energy Savings
• Financing Improvements and Choosing a
Contractor
• Resources and How You Can Help
• Questions
Presentation Outline
• Why Home Energy Efficiency?
• The Path to Energy Savings
• Financing Improvements and Choosing a
Contractor
• Resources and How You Can Help
• Questions
Individual Benefits
• Stop losing money
• Comfort
• Indoor air quality
Impact
TompkinsCounty
County
Impact
inin
Tompkins
50% reduction in residential energy use
$34.3 million annual energy savings
1,700 contractor job-years
412 permanent jobs from the on-going
multiplier effect
• 267,000 tons of carbon dioxide emission
reductions
•
•
•
•
Presentation Outline
• Why Home Energy Efficiency?
• The Path to Energy Savings
• Financing Improvements and Choosing a
Contractor
• Resources and How you can help
• Questions
Path to Home Energy Savings
Home Energy Use in Mid-Atlantic
States
Lighting &
Appliances
19%
Refrigerator
4%
Space Heating
57%
Hot Water
17%
3%
Air conditioning
Source:
Residential Energy Consumption Survey
Energy Information Administration
Common Misconceptions
• “My home is weatherized”
• “I’ll replace my heating
system first”
• “I need new windows”
• “I’m installing solar panels”
Path to Home Energy Savings
Step 1: No Cost / Low Cost
• Replace incandescent with compactfluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) or LEDs
• Weather-strip doors and caulk windows
• Install storm windows or plastic sheeting
Step 1: No Cost / Low Cost
• Reduce your hot water use:
– Reduce hot water temperature to 120 degrees
– Wash clothes in cold water and line dry
– Install low flow shower heads and faucet
aerators
• Turn off and unplug computers, TVs, and
other electronics. Stop Vampire power /
phantom load!
Path to Home Energy Savings
Step 2: Tune Up Energy
Users
• Turn down the temperature. Install and use a
programmable thermostat
• Insulate hot water pipes
• Seal leaks on heating system ductwork and around
furnace filter cavity
• Keep your heating system and appliances operating
efficiently:
– Change furnace filter twice a year
– Clean filters and coils of refrigerator, air conditioner, and
furnace
– Regular tune-ups of furnace and boiler (by professional)
Path to Home Energy Savings
A. Energy Assessments
A Building Performance Institute (BPI)-accredited
contractor will look at your house as a whole and
assess air leakage, insulation, appliances, and
lighting. The contractor will make recommendations
to help you decide how to upgrade your house in the
most cost effective way.
A. Energy Assessments
• Blower Door Test
– Fan that sucks air out of
your house drawing in air
through any gaps and
cracks
– Measures air leakage
– Simulates a 30mph wind
on a winter day
A. Energy Assessments: Thermal Imaging
Camera
Thermal Imaging Camera
– Detects air leakage and
gaps in insulation
Images Source: Massachusetts Infrared Imaging
http://www.massinfrared.com/files/infrared_insulation.jpg
A. Energy
Assessments
• Combustion and Distribution Efficiency Test
– Measures efficiency of heating system
– Identifies indoor air pollutants and improperly vented
appliances
• Scheduling an assessment
– Typically takes 3-4 hours
– Green Jobs Green NY provides free or reduced cost
assessments
• After the assessment
– Modeling
– Report of recommended measures, cost, energy savings,
payback
Step 3: Whole-House Energy
Assessment and Upgrade
A. Comprehensive energy assessment by
Building Performance Institute (BPI)
accredited contractor
B. Air sealing by BPI contractor
C. Insulation installation by BPI contractor
D. Furnace or boiler replacement with highefficiency model by BPI-contractor
B. Air Leakage
• Our homes are full of holes and cracks that
leak heated air out of the house and suck
cold outdoor air into the house
The Stack Effect
Infiltration & Exfiltration
Air out at upper levels
= Air in at lower levels
Neutral
Pressure
Plane
B. Air Leakage
• Because of the stack effect, priority spots to air seal
and insulate are the attic floor, basement ceiling or
walls, and where the house meets the foundation
• Can use caulk, weatherstripping, spray foam
insulation to seal air leaks
• Best to hire a professional to use a blower door
otherwise you will miss significant leaks
• Most insulation products don’t block air flow! You
should always air seal first then insulate
• Many Home Improvement contractors are not aware
of the above information.
C. Insulation
• R- Values
• Types of insulation
– Loose Fill
– Blankets and Batts
– Rigid Boards
– Foam
Increase Thermal Insulation
Levels
Only 20% of homes built before 1980
are well insulated
Recommended Levels
– Attics
– Walls
– Floor over non-htd space
– Basement walls
R-40 - 60
R-20 - 30
R-20 - 30
R-11 - 19
D. Upgrade heating system
• Do this after air sealing and insulation. Size
matters.
• Newest models are 80-95% efficient
• A model with a 60% efficiency is wasting
$.40 of every dollar
Photo Credit: Paul Myers, Upstate Energy Solutions
Photo Credit: Paul Myers, Upstate Energy Solutions
Path to Home Energy Savings
Step 4: Upgrade
Appliances
• Replace refrigerator and freezer (with Energy
Star models)
• Always buy energy star appliances!
• When buying new appliances buy the most
efficient model you can afford.
Refrigerators
Source: U.S. DOE Energy Star Qualified Refrigerators Partner Resource Guide
Path to Home Energy Savings
Step 6: Renewable Energy
• Solar, wind, wood or pellet, geothermal,
micro-hydro
Presentation Outline
• Why Home Energy Efficiency?
• The Path to Energy Savings
• Financing Improvements and Choosing a
Contractor
• Resources and How you can help
• Questions
Financing Improvements
Use our online financing guide: upgradeupstate.org
Choose your income
Homeowner Tier II
Green Jobs Green NY Energy Audits
NYSERDA’s Green Jobs Green NY program offers
free and reduced-cost residential energy
assessments. Here’s how it works:
1.See if you are eligible:
– Own 1-4 unit residential building
– Household income under 200% median income
($147,600) for free audit, under 400% median for
reduced-cost audit ($295,200)
2.Complete a program application. Must include
1 year summary of previous energy usage
3.Schedule an assessment with a BPI contractor
Choosing a Contractor
Choosing
Contractor
• Look for Building Performance Institute (BPI)
accredited Contractors
• Ask lots of questions
– What’s included in the assessment?
– Credentials, certifications, references?
– What incentives do I qualify for?
• Avoid single technology vendors
Presentation Outline
• Why Home Energy Efficiency?
• The Path to Energy Savings
• Financing Improvements and Choosing a
Contractor
• Resources and How you can help
• Questions
Home Energy Savings Site
Interactive Path
How-to
Videos
Check out our interactive Path
Some
Inspiration
Some Inspiration
How You
you Can
can Help
help
How
• Make energy improvements to your home and
share your experience with others
• Host a presentation at a community group
• Become a neighborhood block captain
• Host a home energy house party
• Become an energy steward
• Get on the path to Energy Savings. Take the
pledge.
Upcoming
Events
Upcoming Events
Energy Savings 101: Save Energy Save Dollars
Learn low- and no-cost ways to save energy and cut
bills. Learn about programs to help you afford energyefficiency improvements. Participants receive free
weather-stripping, shrink window cover, outlet and light
switch insulators, and more.
January 30• 6:00-8:00pm • Cornell Cooperative Extension of
Tompkins County
FREE. Pre-registration is required. To register call 272-2292.
Energy Corps Internship
Program
• Made up of 3-5 work-study students, mainly from Cornell.
• Over the summer, main focus was outreach for NYSERDA’s Green
Jobs Green NY home energy audit program. Ran a table at a variety
of events throughout Ithaca and Tompkins County (Green Gorges
Expo, Juneteenth Festival, Cornell Staff Development Day,
Grassroots!, to name a few)
• Followed up with “leads” gained at these events to maintain interest,
also held a weekly energy raffle.
Other Projects..To Name a Few
• Worked with Tompkins County Planners to write a grant for
New York’s Cleaner, Greener Communities Program, goal is
to mandate home energy audits for homes that are listed
for sale and create a market for energy efficient housing in
Tompkins County.
• Currently working with Off-Campus Housing on creating a
survey to gain data on student interest in energy efficient
housing, hope is to address the split-incentive barrier in
rental housing.
• Wrote DIY guides for home energy efficiency projects,
working on incorporating these with home energy
workshops.
Interested in Working With Us?
• We are looking for opportunities to increase our
presence on campus. If you have a project or idea
that you would like to collaborate on, please
contact me!
Chris Harvey
Economics ‘15
cph52@cornell.edu
(908) 763-9244
Questions?
Questions?
Dee Gamble
Senior Energy Program Manager
607-272-2292 ext. 267
dee.gamble@cornell.edu
ccetompkins.org/energypath