SOLAR TODAY - March 2009

CLICK: See a video and share your home retrofit experience: solartoday.org/upgrades

Efficiency, Conservation Are Included in Major Metro Area Climate Change Initiatives

huge. Rising consumer interest and a raft of new government regulations are driving green building forward, even as the larger real-estate industry craters. Builders who aren’t familiar with eco-friendly construction methods may be at a big disadvantage in this new market, experts say.

DaLLaS Su StaInabLe SKyLIneS InItIatIve

CIty of ChICaGo

In the past two years, the number of building professionals certified by the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program has doubled to more than 60,000, but this is still a small fraction of the U.S. building industry, according to the Journal report. To help address this growing concern, the American Institute of Architects recently passed a continuing education requirement for four hours of sustainable-design coursework per year. Also, some builder associations like the Associated General Contractors of America have begun offering LEED courses.

Dallas plans to increase energy-efficiency awareness among residents by promoting the purchase and use of energy-efficient household items.

Chicago hopes to reduce energy consumption in 65,000 homes and apartments each year, achieving efficiency savings of 30 percent.

The New York City Housing Authority is concerned about climate change, too. With assistance from the Clinton Climate Initiative, New York is implementing a multi-phase energy conservation and retrofit program. Already nearly 10,000 compact fluorescent light bulbs have been installed in public housing, reducing greenhouse gases by 1,400 tons per year and cutting electricity costs by 17 percent. The Clinton Climate Initiative has also begun a similar energy retrofit partnership with Arkansas.

Under the EPA’s Sustainable Skylines Initia-

tive, Dallas plans to increase energy-efficiency awareness among residents by promoting the purchase and use of energy-efficient household items, and Kansas City is looking at installing solar panels on schools and city buildings. Through public-private partnerships, the goal of the EPA initiative is to reduce air emissions in urban areas by integrating transportation, energy, land use and air quality planning.

Got Financial Incentives?

Energy Star details federal tax credits for energy efficiency: energystar.gov

Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency lists incentives by location: dsireusa.org

FindSolar.com links you to solar tools and local professionals: FindSolar.com

Getting the Job Done

With so many American homeowners interested in energy efficiency, are there enough workers to get the job done? A recent Wall Street Journal report (“Green Gap,” Nov. 17) concluded there will be a shortage of skilled workers as new-home sales plummet and green homes penetrate a larger percentage of the market. There currently is no lack of building contractors, but relatively few are familiar with green technologies and environmentally sound construction methods. According to the Wall Street Journal:

For builders, the stakes are potentially

Where Do We Go From Here?

Homeowners have many options for reducing energy consumption, some more effective than others and some more expensive. Improving insulation, sealing around doors and windows and installing energy-efficient lighting are smart choices for cutting home energy bills with a modest investment. Replacing worn-out heating and air conditioning equipment, appliances and electronics with energy-efficient models also makes sense, and installing solar water heating may be a viable option for many homes. Tax credits and manufacturer sales and rebates can make energy upgrades even more attractive.

Home energy improvements have other advantages — reducing global warming gases, increasing resale value and improving indoor air quality. More education of the American public about these advantages may help promote energy conservation and encourage upgrades in existing homes. And, with good planning and training programs, the supply of skilled and experienced green builders will keep up with demand. S T

About the survey: The Johns Manville survey was conducted by Forrest W. Anderson Research July 21–23. It was based on a national representative sample of 1,022 U.S. homeowners age 18 and older and had a sampling error of ± 3.1 percent.