|
Topics covered by the panel during the June 7, 2011 SPG meeting:
• Energy efficiency testing methods to determine home energy performance
•
Energy Upgrade California,
your one-stop-shop for home improvement projects that lower your energy use, conserve water,
and make your home healthier and more comfortable
• Availability of rebates up to $4,000 and financing options for properly tested and certified homes
• Availability of additional rebates from PG&E for new appliances and building upgrades
The slides that Aleah used to introduce and explain the various aspects of the program are
here.
( If you would like your own PDF copy of these slides,
click here.)
Here are the slides used by Sage Building, with many pictures and with extensive explanations of what an
upgrade is.
( If you would like your own PDF copy of these slides,
click here.)
( Look at
this page
for a list, with links, of organizations involved in various aspects of this energy upgrade program.)
Below are some of the pictures that were explained during the evening.
|
This is a thermograph ( a picture taken in infrared) of a house that shows, by color,
how much heat is coming through the various surfaces of the house;
red - - high heat loss
yellow - still major loss
green - some heat loss
blue - - least heat loss
As can be seen, the most heat is coming out the windows. The blue roof, and some walls,
seem to be fairly well insulated, since the least heat is come from them.
|
|
|
|
|
These pictures illustrate two of the tools that might be used to determine how efficient your house is.
The photo on the left shows a blower door, used to test how air tight your house is and identify
the worst air leaks. The picture on the right illustrates a duct blaster, used to determine how
much heated air leaks from the furnace duct system.
|
Various other tools may be used to test a house to deteremine its energy use efficiency.
The people on the panel were ( with helpful links);
• Aleah Lawrence-Pine
Energy Upgrade Specialist Climate Division,
Ecology Action
Santa Cruz
She is available to help to understand the
"Energy Upgrade California" program, what it is and how to use it.
Here is a page
with more information about Ecology Action programs.
Sage Building Solutions is one of the local contractors that has been certified to work with
"Energy Upgrade California" program.
• Craig Novak
He is the contact person for energy upgrades at
Sage Building Solutions.
831-214-0197
PG&E is offering
rebates
for many types of upgrades around your house.
| 
