If innovations are paired with stronger energy policies, the country will add $244 billion to the GDP and nearly 2 million jobs while saving home energy costs by $995 per household.

Check out their website here: http://www.google.org/energyinnovation/
And the full report here: http://www.google.org/energyinnovation/The_Impact_of_Clean_Energy_Innovation.pdf

Source: Forbes

Let’s get the obvious stuff out of the way first: Do you agree that energy-efficient homes can seal in and recirculate the same germs, allergens, and chemicals?

Do you agree that this can also cause health issues for occupants within the home?

Did you know that during a recession people spend more time at home?

If you answered “yes” to all three questions, then I bet you will agree with this next one: When you look inside a customer’s air return and see what appears to be a weasel wearing a Snuggie, the homeowners:

(a) have not changed the filters since the Clinton administration; and/or
(b) have nostrils that look like tiny versions of the air return. But I’m not going there.

The point is, you know all this, but your customers don’t. Thus, the largest issues facing IAQ in HVAC are your credibility and their awareness. No one wakes up and says, “Man, what a beautiful day to have my ducts cleaned.” Unlike preventive maintenance (which people recognize as a plausible need), IAQ has both the specter of skepticism and the lack of evidentiary proof needed to go along with it.

You can say, “Your ducts need cleaning,” or “UV lights will protect your coils” all day and have a hard time convincing anyone who doesn’t have sinus problems, allergies, or other health issues that this is a valuable service. Silly them. And considering how HVAC sold IAQ initially, silly us.

Selling healthy air doesn’t require a degree in molecular science. Ever heard of asthma? About 23 million Americans wish they hadn’t. A full 6.8 million of those are children who have parents who are worried sick as well. They’d much prefer to avoid the 19 million doctor, hospital, and emergency room visits spent trying to avoid death by asphyxiation. Ask them if clean indoor air is about microbes and formaldehyde and the technicalities of UV treatment.

Nope, it’s about cleaner, healthier air. Period.

Now consider, asthma is just one of hundreds of problems linked to IAQ. As a heating and cooling professional, that makes you uniquely positioned to both build your business and provide a beneficial and potentially life-saving service.

So what are they buying? They’re buying problem avoidance. It is not a thing; it is a benefit that erases sizeable doubt, fear, and concern with a healthy alternative. Kind of like breathing clean air.

You’re poised to offer problem avoidance and even a cure for certain airborne menaces. Aside from the obvious health benefits, a shorter supply of recession-era leads points toward maximizing each one with higher transaction sizes. Further, with the maintenance of UV lights, super filtration, humidifiers, and other better air solutions, you can lock in more customers.

How to Offer IAQ Now
Bad economies don’t improve air quality or health concerns. Allergens and molds refuse to invest in 401(k)s. So, please, don’t let the economy’s condition or your frightened competition make you think these concerns are equated. Position IAQ not as equipment, but as a packaged path to better health. Sell it against missed work, doctor visits, pharmacies, medication, family wellness — not microns and density depletion.

On a service call, you can offer a point-of-purchase healthy air solution based on an IAQ survey. Many of our clients sell humidifiers, UV lights, and filtration with or without duct cleaning jobs, straight from this survey.

For more complex solutions, consider utilizing in-home IAQ monitors, which help replace the doubt factor with scientific data. The sales cycle is a bit longer, but they can make the sale for you while they collect the data. Offering a free IAQ test has opened thousands of doors for our clients, who merely park the monitor for the appreciative prospect, and return with a diagnosis and options.

Always remember that customers will get what they want, whether it’s from you or from your competition. I find it sad to go into so many homes that have $499 “room air purifiers,” while stacks of superior solutions lay at your distributor’s warehouse. Once again, technical supremacy, greater reliability, and more longevity will not sell — if poorly marketed.

Though the HVAC industry has had IAQ solutions for years, it took Sharper Image and Oreck to show us how to sell over a billion dollars of equipment all without a single service appointment. How? Fact-based fear, evidentiary proof, and piles of compelling testimonials positioned their “solution” as an easier and less expensive alternative to illness and poor health. Oreck’s infomercials are marketing seminars — take notes.

Finally, ask yourself, what are you selling and why. Are you selling hardware (technical) or software (benefits)? IAQ benefits are huge for homeowners and contractors. This is especially true while others pull back on marketing or lower prices just to get the sale (creating their own worsened economy). But when you offer upsells, you create differentiation, enhance margin, and increase average transaction, while winning a longer-term customer with a higher lifetime value. Upsells are smarter than ever.

IAQ is right for the times. Customers are more health conscious and want to preserve dollars wasted on unnecessary doctor visits, more medications, and unpaid sick days. You can offer a superior whole-house solution easily, silently, and out of sight. They’d rather pay you for this anyway; all you have to do is effectively market it. And isn’t that a breath of fresh air?

This sale lasts as long as the weather is warm, so don’t delay – give us a call or email before it turns cold again.

(877) 303-0979
http://www.recurve.com/quick-start/

New economic analysis shows that clean energy legislation will create up to 1.9 million new jobs, increase annual household income by up to $1,175, and boost the GDP by up to $111 billion. Over the years, study after study, from groups like the Center for American Progress and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, have supported the direct correlation between green industry growth and jobs. Eighteen months ago, findings from a study by the Pew Charitable Trust found that green jobs are growing at a national rate of 9.1 percent, while traditional jobs are growing by only 3.7 percent.

Investing in energy efficiency is a win for homeowners, out-of-work construction workers, the economy, and the environment.

$241 billion. That’s how much consumers spend each year on energy for home use. About 1 in 5 of the nation’s energy dollars is spent in homes. Energy efficiency improvements could cut this number by well over half.

90% of your time. That’s the proportion of the average American’s time spent indoors. The quality of indoor air is often worse than the air outside. Moisture and gasses from building materials are some of the many invisible sources of indoor air pollution. When done right, energy efficiency upgrades will also improve indoor air quality and make your home safer and more comfortable.

1.2 billion tons of greenhouse-gas emissions. That’s what is emitted (as carbon dioxide) into the atmosphere as a byproduct of making the energy to power U.S. homes. Every single thing done to save energy at home trims these emissions.

Did you know that the typical U.S. family spends about $1,900 a year on home utility bills? Unfortunately, a large portion of that energy is wasted. And each year, electricity generated by fossil fuels for a single home puts more carbon dioxide into the air than two average cars.

Right in your own home, you have the power to reduce energy demand, and when you reduce demand, you cut the amount of resources, like coal and gas, needed to make energy—that means you create less greenhouse gas emissions, which keeps air cleaner for all of us…and saves on your utility bills! Plus, reducing energy use increases our energy security.

Your electric bill is probably increasing, even if you still turn off the lights whenever you leave the room. The Denver Post recently reported that the price of electricity for most residences here in Colorado jumped 15 percent in the past year. Both electric rates and additional fees on electric bills are going up around the nation. However, you can potentially minimize cost spikes by carefully reading your bill, checking your consumption and comparison shopping.

Check their Work

The convenience of automatic bill pay and online banking comes with a danger. We may be less diligent about reviewing utility bills, and may even miss a major spike or an erroneous charge. Even if you don’t have to write a check, review the usage listed on your bill every month. Compare electric usage to previous months in kilowatt-hours, not dollar amounts. The actual bill may vary for the same amount of electricity depending on added fees or rate hikes, but more on that later.

The average home uses 920 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per month, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. It’s fairly easy to use less than the average by switching out light bulbs, turning down the thermostat, turning off vampire appliances, etc. However, if your bill shows significantly higher consumption, either you or the electric company may have a problem.

• An unusually high bill may simply be an accounting error or a misread meter. You can double-check the electric company’s work by looking at your meter. It should be slightly higher than the meter reading at the end of your last billing period.

• If the meter and the bill match, but the usage seems unusually high, make sure the meter is working correctly. It should stop spinning when you turn off every appliance, light and gadget (though it’s easier and more foolproof to test the meter by shutting off all your breakers). If it still spins, it may either be broken or a neighbor’s circuit is inappropriately wired onto your meter. You can also ask most utility companies to test the meter for accuracy.

Shop Around

If the meter is working and the usage is reasonable, but the bill is unreasonable, you may have more options than you think. Many states have recently opened their utility markets to new competitors. Texas has a particularly robust electricity market. I found more than 20 rate plans from at least six providers for a ZIP code in Dallas.

You may still effectively have a monopoly, but the company may offer various rates. Look for long-term contract savings and low-income discounts. Also opt out of any renewable-energy premiums if your only goal is a lower electric bill.

Know Your Usage

If you are getting the best possible rates and the meter is working, faulty wiring or a faulty appliance may have cause the spike in your bill. If you switch off all the breakers and the meter stops running, test each circuit and each appliance. Unplug everything, then individually turn on breakers and plug in each item.

If the meter starts to spin with a breaker on but nothing running on that circuit, you may have faulty wiring. More likely, the meter will really get going when you turn on the air conditioner or other electricity hog. Use a watt-hour meter, such as a Kill-A-Watt, between the outlet and the appliance to check the true energy usage of your devices and appliances.

If you think you are overpaying for electricity, check the electric company’s numbers and meter, then check your wiring and appliances, and shop around if you can.

Source: Networx

The first 50 homes will receive double the incentive (normally $1,000), and the program is only open to 433 homes total.

More on the program details here.

Included are provisions limiting window incentives to $200, oil and gas furnace and boiler incentives to $150-200, and water heater and wood heating system incentives to $300. As part of the legislation, Congress tightening the specifications for oil furnaces and boilers and gas boilers to 95% efficiency, up from the 90% efficiency in current credit.

This chart shows how much energy a typical appliance uses per year and its corresponding cost based on national averages. For example, a refrigerator uses almost five times the electricity the average television uses. Visit www.energysavers.gov to learn how to calculate the electrical use of your appliances.

1. Maintaining a constant temperature

Cause: A persistent myth suggests that you can save energy by leaving the house at a comfortable 68 degrees (a widely recommended winter setting), even when you are sleeping or away at work.

The idea is that it takes more energy for the furnace to reach a comfortable temperature than to maintain that temperature.

Effect: You could miss out on significant potential energy savings by not using a programmable thermostat and adjusting the temperature overnight and during the workday.

Though the impacts of adjusting the thermostat vary based on your climate and other factors, studies show that knocking the temperature down by 10 degrees for eight hours per day can cut heating bills by 5 to 15 percent.

Sure, the furnace will cycle on for a longer period to return to the more comfortable temperature, but it will be far outweighed by hours of savings when it didn’t have to work as hard.

2. Cranking up the temperature to warm up the house

Cause: You come home in the middle of the day to a cold house. You want to warm back up to 68 ASAP, so you crank the dial up to 78 to get the furnace working harder and faster.

Effect: No time is saved in reheating the house. Most furnaces pump out heat at the same rate no matter the temperature. They just cycle on for a longer period to reach a higher temperature.

The furnace will take the same amount of time to return to 68 degrees regardless of the thermostat setting. By cranking up the thermostat, you are likely to overheat the house past 68 degrees and waste energy. Just reset the thermostat to 68, make some hot chocolate, and wait.

3. Closing off vents in unused rooms

Cause: You don’t want to waste energy heating rooms you aren’t using.

Effect: Again, this just wastes energy and makes your furnace run inefficiently because it changes the air pressure in the whole system.

Experts recommend never shutting off more than 10 percent of vents. Sealing your ducts is a more efficient way to save energy.

4. Using the fireplace

Cause: You found some free firewood on Craigslist and think you can burn up some free heating energy while enjoying a romantic fire.

Effect: While we can’t make any promises about increased romance, we can predict increased energy bills. An open fireplace flue may suck more cold air into the house than the fire can radiate into the living space.

5. Using electric room heaters

Cause: You spend most of your time in a couple of rooms, so you figure you will just heat them with space heaters.

Effect: This could lead to higher energy bills and greater fire risks. Generally, a central gas heating system is cheaper and more efficient than a set of electric room heaters. Electric heaters also can be a fire hazard.

There are exceptions. A single energy-efficient space heater in a small, well-insulated room can save energy if the central heater is switched off.

6. Switching to electric heating

Cause: Electric heaters are more efficient than fuel-based systems, so they must be cheaper and better for the environment, according to this popular idea.

Effect: In most areas, simply switching to electric heat leads to higher energy bills and a bigger carbon footprint. Your heater may be more efficient, but most U.S. homes are still linked to coal-fired power plants. These coal plants and their transmission systems are extremely inefficient.

Of course, it’s a different story if you have a large photovoltaic solar array or your utility company uses renewable energy.

7. Replacing the windows

Cause: Those big pieces of glass get so darn cold. They must be the reason your house is so drafty.

Effect: You could spend a lot of money to only take care of part of the problem. Windows must be installed properly to avoid drafts, gaps, and leaks.

Moreover, more heat is typically lost through poorly insulated walls and ceilings than through windows.

8. Replacing the furnace first

Cause: You blame high energy bills on an old, inefficient furnace.

Effect: Your energy bills will still be higher than necessary if you don’t start with cheaper, smaller upgrades to improve the energy efficiency of your home, such as caulking around windows and doors and adding insulation.

9. Upgrading to the most efficient furnace on the market

Cause: You want the sleekest, most energy-efficient furnace available because it will be the most cost effective as well.

Effect: You may end up replacing an over-sized furnace with another (albeit more efficient) over-sized furnace. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that most U.S. homes have over-sized HVAC systems.

Again, insulate and weatherize to maximize efficiency, then get the smallest system that will comfortably meet your heating needs, which will be substantially reduced. Also make sure it is professionally installed.

10. Using incandescent light bulbs for heating

Cause: Incandescent bulbs give off more heat than light, so they must be warming up the house.

Effect: It is hard to see this logic as anything but a weak excuse for holding on to the Edison bulbs rather than switching to CFL and LED lighting.

In fact, one German entrepreneur is marketing incandescent bulbs as “heat balls” to skirt EU laws against the old-style bulbs. However, I doubt he is keeping cozy this winter simply by sleeping with the lights on.

Source: Yahoo Green

A product can be theoretically green for the environment, but yet completely energy inefficient when compared to other products in its category. Bamboo flooring is a perfect example. It may be renewable and not involve clear-cutting, but it has to come on freighters from across the ocean and then be trucked or train-ed all the way to you. That’s a tremendous amount of embodied energy compared to reclaimed oak flooring that comes from a barn right up the road.

Conversely, spray polyurethane foams (SPF) are shown to be super efficient insulators, but the isocyanate chemicals they use have some of the worst offgassing of global warming potential (GWP) VOCs of almost any chemical made.

So what you’re looking for is that happy middle ground. An insulation product that is acceptably friendly to the environment while still doing a verifiable job of reducing the energy required to maintain your interior temperature.

And what’s the deal with “bio-based” insulation?
The “bio” to which they are referring is soy-based oils vs. petrochemical oil. The problem is that none of them have more than single digit percentages of soy-based oils in their contents.

Compare that with the new FTC-recommended advertising guidelines, which say to claim that your product is “bio-based” it should be AT LEAST 51% of the ingredients. Unfortunately, those guidelines are voluntary, so manufacturers are still getting away with hyping bogus quantities.

“Together, these programs will grow the home retrofit industry and help middle-class families save money and energy,” says Vice President Biden

The program is designed to encourage homeowners to make energy-saving upgrades and to jump-start the industry for home energy retrofits, Biden said in a statement. It will also include financing for homeowners (up to $25,000) and software that will let energy contractors give consumers the home efficiency equivalent of miles per gallon for cars.

Sources:
CNET
USA Today

Cut home energy use by 20-40% just by doing basic measures such as sealing and insulating your house. Find out how you can benefit from these tax credits before they expire on December 31, 2010.

Bring home real results by encouraging games and activities such as:

• Keep count of how many times your kids turn off the lights in unoccupied rooms, and reward them after they reach a certain number each week.
• Ask your children to track down all the incandescent lights in the house, and replace them with efficient bulbs together.
• Use a Kill-A-Watt electricity usage monitor with your kids to identify which appliance or electronic in the house is the biggest energy hog. If you decide it’s time to replace it, shop for a new one with an Energy Star label together.

Check out the U.S. Department of Energy’s site for other games, tips, and facts.

Consumers who heat with oil will see the biggest hike in expenditures up an average of 11.5 percent to $1,906. That’s followed by propane (up 7.5 percent to $1,830) and natural gas (up 3.6 percent to $751). Consumers who heat with electricity will actually see their bills go down 1.9 percent on average to $959.

Make sure you follow these easy steps to help winterize your home so you can stay comfortable without skyrocketing energy bills.

1. Dodge the Draft(s)
   According to the U.S. Department of Energy, drafts can waste 5% to 30% of your energy use. Start simple and adopt that old Great Depression fixture — the draft snake, which you can easily make yourself. Just place a rolled bath towel under a drafty door, or make a more attractive DIY draft snake.
2. Change Furnace Filters
   Yes it’s easy to forget, but it’s important to replace or clean furnace filters once a month during the heating season. Dirty filters restrict airflow and increase energy demand. Here’s a worry-saving tip: mark a monthly check on your calendar.
   Better, consider switching to a permanent filter, which will reduce waste and hassle. Did you know that disposable fiberglass filters trap a measly 10 to 40% of debris? Electostatic filters trap around 88%, and are much better at controlling the bacteria, mold, viruses and pollen that cause illness and irritation.
3. Run Fans in Reverse
   Most people think of fans only when they want to be cool, but many ceiling units come with a handy switch that reverses the direction of the blades. Counterclockwise rotation produces cooling breezes while switching to clockwise makes it warmer: air pooled near the ceiling is circulated back into the living space – cutting your heating costs as much as 10%!
4. Turn Down Your Water Heater
   While many conventional water heaters are set to 140 degrees F by installers, most households don’t need that much steam, and end up paying for it — in dollars and the occasional scalding burn. Lowering the temperature to 120 degrees F (or lower) would reduce your water heating costs by 6% to 10%.
5. Give Your Heating System a Tune-Up
   You probably already know that cars need periodic tune-ups in order to run their best. Well the same is true for heating equipment. Keeping your furnace clean, lubricated and properly adjusted will reduce energy use, saving up to 5% of heating costs.
   If your entire furnace is in need of replacement, it will cost a lot more — but replacing an inefficient burner for a modern machine will save you every month through the heating season. Be sure to take advantage of federal tax credits for new furnaces, which can cover 30% of the cost, up to $1,500.
6. Mind That Thermostat
   It’s easy to forget to turn down the heat when you leave the building, but doing so is one of the surest ways to save money. Most households shell out 50 to 70% of their energy budgets on heating and cooling, so why pay for what no one uses?
   For every degree you lower the thermostat during heating season, you’ll save between 1 and 3% of your heating bill. Make it easier with a programmable thermostat; they are widely available for as little as $50, and the average family will save $180 a year with one.

For even higher impact on your home’s comfort and energy bills, contact Recurve so we can provide expertise on projects such as:

• Air sealing – simple leaks can sap home energy efficiency by 5% to 30% a year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
• Insulation – it may not seem sexy, but insulation is one of the best ways to save energy and money at home.
• Duct sealing – studies show 10% to 30% of heated (or cooled) air in an average system escapes from ducts. Properly sealing ducts can save the average home up to $140 annually, according to the American Solar Energy Society.
• Upgrade to an efficient furnace – if your furnace is old, you could save a lot of money in the long run (and improve your home’s value) by upgrading to a new unit.
]]> http://blog.recurve.com/6-easy-weekend-winterization-projects/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/where-does-your-money-go http://blog.recurve.com/where-does-your-money-go#comments Thu, 30 Sep 2010 00:23:21 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=776 The average yearly energy bill for a typical single-family home is $2,200. Where does it all go?



Source: Energy Star

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/where-does-your-money-go/feed 1 http://blog.recurve.com/stay-warm-save-money-this-fallwinter http://blog.recurve.com/stay-warm-save-money-this-fallwinter#comments Mon, 27 Sep 2010 20:05:30 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=763 Fall is the perfect time to start prepping your house for winter. The U.S. Department of Energy suggests these 5 steps to ensure that your home stays comfortable this winter without costing you an arm and a leg:
1. Look for rebates from your utility or state. Recurve has put together a handy resource for available incentives on our website.
2. Get an energy audit. In order to know how to save energy, you have to first find out where you are losing energy – and money.
3. Have your heating system serviced. Keep your system operating efficiently, and don’t forget to replace your furnace filter once a month or as needed.
4. Find and seal your air leaks. This includes less obvious gaps such as recessed lights and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets.
5. Check your insulation and add more as needed. Insulation is often the most cost-effective energy improvement you can make in your home.
]]> http://blog.recurve.com/stay-warm-save-money-this-fallwinter/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/recurve-named-to-prestigious-inc-5000 http://blog.recurve.com/recurve-named-to-prestigious-inc-5000#comments Tue, 21 Sep 2010 21:22:42 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=754 The results are in: we are honored to be named to the Inc. 5000 list, ranking #24 in Top Energy Companies, #39 in San Francisco, and #682 overall.

The Inc. 5000 list was based on revenue growth from 2006 to 2009 and had to meet certain qualifications, such as being privately held and for-profit.

Perhaps as a harbinger of things to come, Inc. Magazine remarks about their list:

More encouraging are the companies sprouting in industries such as health (32, compared with 15 in 2000), energy (16, compared with three in 2000), and education (six, compared with one in 2000). These sectors represent teeth-grindingly tough issues, on which entrepreneurial zeal and fresh thinking are sorely needed.

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/recurve-named-to-prestigious-inc-5000/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/sf-offering-more-efficiency-rebates http://blog.recurve.com/sf-offering-more-efficiency-rebates#comments Tue, 07 Sep 2010 18:56:09 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=728 The city of San Francisco has started to offer up to $2,000 in incentives for energy efficiency improvements. According to the San Francisco Business Times, the program is funded by a $3.2 billion program from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. California was awarded $49.6 million from that for its Energy Efficiency Conservation and Block Grant Program. San Francisco got $7.7 million, which is enough to fund 400 energy efficiency upgrades, said Raymond Manion, energy specialist at the San Francisco Department of the Environment.

These rebates can be used on top of the latest incentives from PG&E (up to $3,500). And combined with federal rebates and the Cash for Appliances program, homeowners can get a total of up to $8,000 for making their home more energy-wise. Sounds like a win-win situation for everyone!

Contact Recurve today at 877.303.0979 to get started. Hurry though – these funds are extremely limited. Cash for Appliances is 60% gone and tax credits expire this year.

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/sf-offering-more-efficiency-rebates/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/americans-don%e2%80%99t-know-jack-about-saving-energy http://blog.recurve.com/americans-don%e2%80%99t-know-jack-about-saving-energy#comments Thu, 19 Aug 2010 23:44:05 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=716 In this illuminating post by Grist, we learn through a recent survey by The Earth Institute at Columbia University that Americans really don’t know jack about saving energy.

The largest group, nearly 20 percent, cited turning off lights as the best approach—an action that affects energy budgets relatively little. Very few cited buying decisions that experts say would cut U.S. energy consumption dramatically, such as more efficient cars (cited by only 2.8 percent), more efficient appliances (cited by 3.2 percent) or weatherizing homes (cited by 2.1 percent).

About 2.8 percent of those responding said they could save energy by sleeping or relaxing more, compared with 2.1 percent who said they could do so by insulating their homes (can you guess which is actually more effective?).

Jonathan Hiskes of Grist asserts:

The theme of the confusion was that participants tended to name steps that involved doing less or using less of things — turning off lights, turning down thermostats — rather than solutions that allow them to get the same amount of light and heat through less energy (via insulation and LED bulbs). That gets at a key difference between conservation and efficiency. The first means using less; the second means getting the same results through more intelligent use of resources. Both have a place, but it’s a problem if people understand all of efficiency as “sacrifice.” A home retrofit that cuts $500 off your heating bills for the year isn’t a sacrifice — it’s a financial and environmental win.

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/americans-don%e2%80%99t-know-jack-about-saving-energy/feed 1 http://blog.recurve.com/eco-cooling-tips-for-your-home http://blog.recurve.com/eco-cooling-tips-for-your-home#comments Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:30:36 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=712 Here’s a piece written by Matt Golden and Jess Chamberlain for Sunset Magazine on best practices for keeping your house cool, the environmentally friendly way.

To keep a house cool, it’s really about either:

• Keeping the sun out, or
• Keeping the air cool/conditioned

In a retrofit situation, you have to first assess what your possibilities are:

• Is there an attic we can insulate?
• Are there eaves that are blocking some of the summer sun?
• Is there an existing cooling system?

This really affects what the best approach to take is.

For an average house in a cooling climate with an attic, we’d recommend reducing the cooling load as much as possible and utilizing passive cooling:
1. Air sealing
2. Adequate attic insulation (min. R-38) to create a thermal barrier
3. Radiant barrier, if there are ducts in attic; on roof decking or in attic
4. Low-E glazing on windows
5. Whole-house fan

This route is very cost-effective from a long-term standpoint; i.e. you’re not paying to condition the air, you just pay for the equipment and installation.
The other option is to actively cool the house, in which case you’d invest in the fundamentals (such as air sealing and insulation), then install a high SEER-rated AC unit (min. 16-18 SEER rating) designed to ACCA’s manuals J, S, D & T. If air handling equipment is located in the attic we would recommend encapsulating the attic with air-impermeable spray foam and bringing the attic into the building envelope. This prevents hot attic air (150˚F+) from infiltrating the duct system.

Easy Cooling Tips:

• Keep your AC unit in the shade
• Keep the coils clean
• Install high efficiency lighting (it keeps house cooler)
• Turn plug loads off
• Stop the sun before it gets into your house – use external shading, overhangs, and deciduous trees
• Low-E coating on windows
]]> http://blog.recurve.com/eco-cooling-tips-for-your-home/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/review-the-metlund-hot-water-d%e2%80%99mand-system http://blog.recurve.com/review-the-metlund-hot-water-d%e2%80%99mand-system#comments Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:18:39 +0000 Adam Winter http://blog.recurve.com/?p=696 Cold water that goes down the drain while your customers are waiting for hot water to reach sinks and showerheads is like money flowing through their fingers. Here’s a relatively simple and affordable fix that can help most American homeowners save thousands of gallons of water every year – and take a slice off their energy bills to boot:

The Metlund Hot Water D’MAND System
http://www.gothotwater.com

• A fast on-demand recirculation pump diverts ambient-temperature water in hot water pipes back to the water heater until hot water reaches the tap.
• Water moves more rapidly from the hot water heater to the point of use, so your customers won’t have to wait long for a hot shower.
• D’MAND pumps may be activated by wired-in buttons, motion sensors or wireless remotes.
• Can use the existing cold water line as a return line, so special plumbing is not required for retrofits.
• Less heat radiates from water pipes than with timed or continuous recirculation systems, potentially saving homeowners $50 to $300 a year in energy costs alone.
• Can extend water heater life by enabling lower thermostat settings and reducing sedimentation in the bottom of the hot water tank.
• Unlike timed or continuous recirculation systems, D’MAND does not void most tankless water heater warranties (check with the heater manufacturer to confirm)
• D’MAND pumps are available in retrofit and new construction models.
• Multiple pumps may be required in homes with complicated plumbing loops or additions.

According to Metlund’s own calculations, a typical household that saves 20 gallons of water a day by installing a D’MAND system would save anywhere from $151 to $242 a year in water, sewer and energy costs (depending on the type of hot water heater). For every year of its 15-year lifespan, the system would take a 7,300-gallon load off of local water and wastewater treatment systems, and prevent about a ton of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.

Our take: On-demand recirculation pumps can be somewhat less convenient for homeowners than timed or continuous pumps, but Metlund’s system provides a highly effective and economical solution to water waste for homeowners who use it properly. Just be sure to educate your customers and set appropriate expectations before installing.

Note: Recurve does not endorse this or any other product. We encourage qualified Home Performance contractors to gain hands-on experience with products profiled in this newsletter before making their own assessments.

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/review-the-metlund-hot-water-d%e2%80%99mand-system/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/home http://blog.recurve.com/home#comments Fri, 13 Aug 2010 21:42:14 +0000 Daniel Bell http://blog.recurve.com/?p=677 The first in the Green Footprint series, Home Performance 101 focuses on your home as a system and presents ways to cost-effectively improve your home’s energy efficiency.

This video features one of Recurve’s Home Performance Specialists, Daniel Bell.

Green Footprint: Home Performance 101 from Foster City TV on Vimeo.

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/home/feed 1 http://blog.recurve.com/up-to-3500-in-pge-rebates-for-home-energy-upgrades http://blog.recurve.com/up-to-3500-in-pge-rebates-for-home-energy-upgrades#comments Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:12:17 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=656 PG&E has just announced an exciting new rebate program for energy efficiency.

Here’s how it works:

• The rebate amount is based on the software-modeled energy use reduction in your home as a result of a home energy upgrade
• A 20% reduction earns $2000 in rebates. Each 5% reduction beyond that earns another $375, up to $3500
• This is a limited pilot program

Here’s how you get the money:

• Hire a home performance contractor (that’s us!) to perform an energy audit of your home
• Work with your specialist to choose and implement cost-effective improvements to achieve the desired energy use reduction
• Receive your rebate money as you enjoy your newly efficient, comfortable home!

Why Recurve?

• We provide all necessary steps in one place (audit, remodel, retest) and we manage the application process for you
• Our team is the most experienced in the Bay Area in comprehensive energy audits and home energy remodels
• We’re Building Performance Institute (BPI) Accredited

Learn more here. Call (415) 728-9726 or click here to get started!

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/up-to-3500-in-pge-rebates-for-home-energy-upgrades/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/tanks-a-lot http://blog.recurve.com/tanks-a-lot#comments Thu, 05 Aug 2010 00:02:14 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=600 In the average American home, the water heater is the second or third largest energy user.

As long as you can get a hot shower in the morning, you probably don’t think too much about your water heater. But this mysterious appliance has a huge impact on the environment. Based on the California Energy Commission’s estimate of energy use in a typical household, water heating consumes about 31% of the energy used.

Energy Facts

• Between 15%-30% of the energy your water heater uses goes to keeping a tank of water hot, just in case you need it.
• Hot water heaters have adjustable thermostats. For every 10° you lower the water temperature, you can save 3%-5% of your water heating energy.
• The heat that escapes through the sides of the tank is especially important if it’s in an unheated spot like a basement or back porch. A water heater blanket can save 5%-10% of the energy you’ve been using.

Simple Ways to Save Energy

• Adjust the temperature setting on the water heater to 120°F. If you have a dishwasher that cannot heat water with a built-in booster heater, set the water heater to 140°F. Electric water heaters have two thermostats that should be set the same. Use a thermometer at the faucet to gauge water temperature. Don’t rely on the dial on the heater; they’re generally inaccurate. With electric water heaters, turn off power to the tank before adjusting the themostat.
• Put your hand on your water heater. If it feels warm, install an insulating blanket around it. The colder the area the heater is in, the greater the heat loss. So if it’s in the garage in the winter, you’re going to lose a lot of heat.
• Insulate the hot and cold water pipes leaving the tank, wherever they are accessible. Cover at least the first five feet (preferably ten) and keep the insulation three inches away from gas flues. Foam sleeves or adhesive-backed foam tape are available at hardware stores.
• When replacing an old tank, make sure the new one is the correct size for your family and is energy efficient.
• Electric water heaters should be turned off if you leave home for more than a few nights. It takes about four hours to reheat the water when you turn it back on.

Excerpted from 30 Simple Energy Things You Can Do To Save The Earth, by The EarthWorks Group.

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/tanks-a-lot/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/home-energy-fixes-for-under-100 http://blog.recurve.com/home-energy-fixes-for-under-100#comments Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:43:06 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=139 Here are some easy and effective home energy fixes you can do around the house for $2 to $90:
• Light switch and outlet sealers: under $5
  Two of the most frequently overlooked sources of air leakage in a home are light switches and outlets. Dodge those drafts by sealing up any switches and outlets where you can feel a draft on your hand.
• Hot water heater pipe insulation: $2 per foot
  Use this cost-efficient fix as a quick way to reduce wasted energy on water heating. Insulating just the first 6 feet of pipe from your water heater will cost $12 and will save you over $5 a year on water heating while reducing CO2 emissions by more than 55 pounds. We typically recommend insulating the first 10 feet of pipe.
• Monitor your meter: $20
  Purchase a Kill A Watt electricity monitor and plug in your appliances and electronics to find out which ones are the biggest energy culprits. Use this to inform your future upgrade decisions or see how much energy you can save with easy adjustments like turning down your refrigerator’s temperature.
• Smart powerstrips: $20-90
  Cut back on phantom power by plugging electronics into smart powerstrips, such as the one by Wattstopper which turns devices on and off based on occupancy and uses a motion detector to manage energy use. Our recommended smart strip is Belkin’s Conserve.
• Faucet aerator: $2
  These handy products are one of the least expensive ways to increase your water efficiency by mixing air into the water stream. When installed, each aerator will save 500-2,000 gallons of water a year.
• Chimney balloon damper: $35-50
  The fireplace is a common area for heat loss in your home, as most dampers don’t work well and many older homes don’t have them. Inflatable balloon dampers fit in most chimneys to keep heated air in, and you can remove them whenever you want.
]]> http://blog.recurve.com/home-energy-fixes-for-under-100/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/the-great-escape http://blog.recurve.com/the-great-escape#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:41:41 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=605 The gaps you can find around the windows and doors of the average American house add up to the equivalent of a hole in the wall that measures 10 inches by 10 inches.

Your house has more leaks than the CIA. There are cracks all over the place. Your doors and windows don’t quite meet their frames; there are tiny spaces where the walls almost join the floor; there are open areas around your electrical and plumbing outlets. And these little gaps eat energy. In fact, an amazing amount of heat in the winter – or cool air in the summer – escapes through them. But you have two simple weapons to fight with: caulking and weatherstripping.

Energy Facts

• Caulking and weatherstripping an electrically heated home can keep some 1,000 pounds of CO2 out of the air. So if 1,000 of these homes were weatherized, over a million pounds of CO2 would be saved.
• Believe it or not, stopping air infiltration can reduce your home’s heating and cooling bills by up to 40%.
• People are concerned that although weatherstripping may save energy, it will keep fresh air out of their homes. While it’s true that some ventilation is necessary, it’s really not much of a problem – a typical house may get twice as much fresh air as it needs. In other words, the air is probably flying out of your house as quickly as you’re heating or cooling it.

Caulking vs. Weatherstripping

• Cracks without any moving parts – like the places where a wall in your house meets the outside edge of a window frame, or two other dissimilar materials come together – can be sealed with caulk.
• The places where doors and windows close into their frames can be sealed with weatherstripping – cleverly designed strips of felt, rubber, metal, or plastic that fill the spaces around doors and windows, and compress when you shut them.
• Weatherstripping materials come in many styles. Some are self-sticking, so you don’t even need a hammer to install them. Others must be nailed on. Still others are crafted so pieces on the frame and the door lock together when the door closes.
• One of the trickiest places to weatherstrip is where the door meets the threshold. Special “shoes” and “sweeps” are available to stop these air leaks.
• Besides saving energy, weatherstripping and caulking have an additional benefit: By stopping drafts, they’ll make your home more comfortable.

Leak Patrol

• Some evening, when your house is at least 20°F warmer than the outdoors, hold your hand up to various places around windows and door frames. If you feel any drafts, the windows and door frames need weatherstripping.
• You can also use a smoking incense stick to look for drafts. Hold the stick near places you think might have cracks; if the smoke dances or gets sucked in, you’ve found a place to seal.
• Many of the biggest air sealing opportunities are up in the attic and below your floors. For these harder-to-reach leaks, it’s a good idea to call in a trained professional such as Recurve to quickly identify and remedy your home’s major leakage areas.

Excerpted from 30 Simple Energy Things You Can Do To Save The Earth, by The EarthWorks Group.

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/the-great-escape/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/a-bird-in-the-flue http://blog.recurve.com/a-bird-in-the-flue#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:11:59 +0000 Trey Muffet http://blog.recurve.com/?p=582 Simple proactive measures can prevent hours of head-scratching and time wasted trouble-shooting problems that could have been avoided in the first place. But unfortunately, we can’t always predict the scenarios might diminish the performance of installed equipment—or even render it useless, as happened to us on a retrofit job we completed last summer. In this case, we learned the hard way that putting stainless steel mesh covers on intakes is a pretty good idea.

The job in question involved installation of a 95% sealed combustion furnace as part of a performance package. After installation, the furnace was tested for combustion safety and commissioned. A few months later, when outdoor temperatures began to drop, the client turned up the heat. Nothing. The inducer motor was running, but the blower wasn’t kicking on and the furnace wasn’t firing. After much deliberation, we found that the inducer motor wasn’t creating enough pressure, so we replaced the bad inducer motor. After that the furnace worked fine.

Why would a perfectly good inducer motor that worked flawlessly upon installation fail in a matter of months, even though the furnace had been sitting idle the whole time? The answer became clear when further inspection revealed a sparrow’s nest in the intake, which was blocking the flow of air to the motor. And that’s not the only time we’ve seen evidence that intake and exhaust vents can be attractive hiding places for curious critters. A similar situation lead us to find a stash of acorns in an intake (the elusive squirrel was never found).

Now our standard practice is to install mesh covers on all external vents—a quick and affordable fix that can save us and our clients a lot of headaches in the future.

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/a-bird-in-the-flue/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/dialing-for-dollars http://blog.recurve.com/dialing-for-dollars#comments Fri, 16 Jul 2010 19:21:01 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=585 Is your thermostat accurate? If not, chances are that the temperature sensor is being affected by cold air coming through the opening where the thermostat is mounted.

Keeping control of your thermostat is one of the simplest ways you can save a great deal of energy – and money – all year round.

Energy Facts

• During the winter, you can save as much as 2%-3% of the energy your furnace uses simply by lowering your thermostat 1°F (if it’s set between 65°F and 72°F).
• In the summer, the process is reversed. You save 3%-5% of the energy used by your air conditioner for every degree you raise the thermostat setting (if it’s set between 70°F and 82°F).
• Do you chronically forget to turn down the heat? There are low-priced, easy-to-install thermostats that adjust the temperature automatically. The simplest have built-in clocks; the more advanced models are computerized. An advanced model will, for example, turn your furnace on 30 minutes before you wake up, turn it off when you leave for work, turn it on just before you return home, and then set it for 55°F when you go to bed. Some also have a “minimum energy use” setting that monitors temperatures when you go on vacation.

Simple Ways to Save Energy

• Keep the thermostat under control. Recommended winter settings for heaters: 68°F in the daytime, 55°F at night. In the summer, turn the air conditioner’s thermostat to 78°F.
• Check the temperature. Using an accurate thermometer, make sure that the temperature near your thermostat is representative of the rest of the house. If it’s located in a drafty or sunny spot, you may be getting false readings and wasting energy.
• Plug the hole in the wall behind the thermostat with a piece of fiberglass insulation.

Excerpted from 30 Simple Energy Things You Can Do To Save The Earth, by The EarthWorks Group.

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/dialing-for-dollars/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/recurve-software-update http://blog.recurve.com/recurve-software-update#comments Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:33:59 +0000 Adam Winter http://blog.recurve.com/?p=572 When we presented Recurve home performance software at the 2010 ACI Conference, we introduced a next generation application.
• Recurve offers one-of-a-kind home performance software built for contractors, by contractors.
• The software has a no-nonsense interface that’s easy to learn and can be used anywhere (with or without an Internet connection)
• Recurve users get audits done faster and they collect more valuable data than they did without the software
• High quality, personalized reports help homeowners understand why they should retrofit their home
• Recurve’s solution engine creates scope items that calculate the price of the work and the building performance improvement caused by each one

In case you haven’t seen it, check out our software demo: http://software.recurve.com/demo

Since we introduced Recurve software at ACI, our developers have been hard at work on additions to the software that will allow our users to:

• Show estimated annual dollar savings for each solution package
• Comply with local and national rebate programs
• Calibrate audit findings to the homeowners utility bills, to draw a comprehensive detailed picture of how the home’s appliances use energy

Interested in learning the latest on Recurve Software? Register for our next webinar on August 11 at 9-10AM PDT: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/487007865

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/recurve-software-update/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/review-the-vertex-100-an-efficient-hydronics-ready-water-heater http://blog.recurve.com/review-the-vertex-100-an-efficient-hydronics-ready-water-heater#comments Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:42:18 +0000 Adam Winter http://blog.recurve.com/?p=548 President Obama has told us that insulation is sexy—but what about water heaters? If you’d like to add an efficient, hydronics-ready water heater to the mix of products your shop sells and supports, check out this hot performer:

The Vertex 100 from Tennessee-based A.O. Smith Water Products
http://www.hotwater.com/products/residential/rg-vertex100.html

• 96% thermal efficiency
• True sealed combustion for greater efficiency and safety
• Accurate, easy-to-use digital controls
• Higher output for combined hydronics
• Side taps for combined hydronics
• Significantly quieter than competing 90% efficient water heaters
• Significantly less expensive than competing 90%+ water heaters with stainless steel tanks
• Provides a nice mix of 50 gallons of hot water storage and 100,000 BTU/h of burner power, thereby reducing standby losses incurred with very large tanks and natural draft flues
• Accommodates high hot water demands without requiring a high-capacity gas line to supply 250,000 BTU/h as is typical of tankless water heaters

Our take: This is a great product for the price point, efficiency level and footprint.

Note: Recurve does not endorse this or any other product. We encourage qualified Home Performance contractors to gain hands-on experience with products profiled in this newsletter before making their own assessments.


]]> http://blog.recurve.com/review-the-vertex-100-an-efficient-hydronics-ready-water-heater/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/pace-shut-down-by-loan-giants http://blog.recurve.com/pace-shut-down-by-loan-giants#comments Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:25:46 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=539 Discouraging news on the status of PACE financing began to leak out of Washington this holiday weekend with reports that the Obama administration has failed to persuade the Federal Housing Finance Agency to allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to accept mortgages on properties with PACE liens attached. Late Friday, PACE financing pioneer Cisco DeVries of California-based Renewable Funding circulated an e-mail message to PACE advocates stating that:

Unfortunately, the discussions between the Obama Administration and the FHFA have not been successful. DOE and the White House have informed us that the senior lien — regardless of how structured, accelerated, or insured — is not acceptable to the regulators. New guidance from Fannie and Freddie to this effect is due out soon. DOE has begun notifying ARRA grant recipients that they probably want to start moving their grant funds away from residential PACE.

A subsequent report in the New York Times confirmed that Cathy Zoi, the DOE’s Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, had contacted DeVries to say that “the administration needed to begin contingency planning on what to do with stimulus funding for PACE.” The Times also quoted Ben Pearlman, a county commissioner in Boulder, Colorado, who received a similar call from Secretary Zoi saying that “in light of the circumstances we should look at other ways of financing energy efficiency with the stimulus money.”

Although Fannie, Freddie and the FHFA have yet to issue formal guidelines regarding PACE liens, local governments across the country are freezing their property-assessed lending programs pending government action that would clear the way for PACE lending to resume.

Meanwhile, Rep. Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, and Rep. Henry Waxman, head of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, have sent a letter urging administration officials to “quickly identify, agree on and publish guidelines that would allow PACE financing programs to continue while ensuring that both taxpayer and private mortgage investments are protected.” And the Washington Post has cited an anonymous source within the Department of Energy saying that the DOE is “seeking protection for homeowners who have already taken on PACE financing.”

Minimal financial impact: Earlier on Friday, before these latest reports began to surface, the Times‘ Todd Woody posted a thought-provoking analysis suggesting that the potential liability related to PACE liens would be tiny:

Putting aside whether such liens are any different from the property tax assessments commonly used to finance municipal improvements, how big a potential liability would Fannie and Freddie face?

Not very big, according to an analysis by the California attorney general’s office.

In a June 22 letter to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which oversees Fannie and Freddie, Ken Alex, a senior assistant attorney general, cited the example of a homeowner who obtains $15,000 in financing from a PACE program to pay for a solar array and energy efficiency upgrades.

With a 7 percent interest rate and a 20-year payback term, the annual assessment on the homeowner’s property tax bill would be about $1,500.

“At the time of foreclosure for failing to pay the mortgage, it is likely that at most, one PACE assessment of $1,500 would have achieved priority lien status,” Mr. Alex wrote.

“This exercise suggests that with a portfolio of Fannie/Freddie mortgages that have PACE liens, assuming a high foreclosure rate of 10 percent, PACE seniority would average $150 per home,” he added. “Using a more reasonable foreclosure rate of 5 percent, average PACE seniority per home would be a mere $75.”

More on this topic:

• Energy Lien Is Little Threat to Loan Giants (New York Times, 7/2/2010)
• Obama Admin Unable to Resolve Shutdown of PACE Clean-Energy Program (Grist, 7/3/2010)
• Loan Giants Opt to Block Energy Programs (New York Times, 7/3/2010)
• U.S. Lawmakers Urge Guidance for Clean Energy Loans (Reuters, 7/3/2010)
• Green Initiative’s Future Murky as Regulators Weigh Risks to Homeowners (Washington Post, 7/4/2010)
• Fannie and Freddie to clean-energy program: Drop dead (Grist, 7/6/2010)
]]> http://blog.recurve.com/pace-shut-down-by-loan-giants/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/duct-soup http://blog.recurve.com/duct-soup#comments Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:49:16 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=530 Leaking ducts can reduce the efficiency of your heating system by up to 20%. Ducts are a critical part of making your home energy efficient. If they’re leaking air – which they almost always do – or if they’re losing heat because they’re uninsulated, they’re contributing as much to global warming as they are to keeping you warm.

Energy Facts

• You can save up to 10% of your heating or cooling costs by insulating and tightening up ducts.
• Even if the air isn’t actually escaping from an uninsulated duct, you lose a lot of heat through its thin metal walls.
• When the first air that comes out of the vent after you turn on the heater is chilly, and stays chilly for a long time, you know your ducts are uninsulated and you’re wasting energy.

Simple Ways to Save Energy
If your ducts aren’t insulated: Turn on your furnace and feel for air escaping around the duct joints. If you feel any (and you probably will), hire a certified contractor such as Recurve to seal them with mastic.
If your ducts are already insulated: It’s harder to find out if your ducts leak. You can expose the joints (where the ducts bend, for instance) to check – but it’s best to leave it to an expert.

• Before you start examining your ducts, check to make sure the insulation isn’t asbestos (looks off-white, stiff, heavy cloth). If it is, stay away! It’s in your best interest to get it properly removed ASAP.

Excerpted from 30 Simple Energy Things You Can Do To Save The Earth, by The EarthWorks Group.

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/duct-soup/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/berkeley-residents-new-program-gives-you-money-to-upgrade-your-homes-efficiency http://blog.recurve.com/berkeley-residents-new-program-gives-you-money-to-upgrade-your-homes-efficiency#comments Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:45:37 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=527 Berkeley’s ME2 Program (Money for Energy Efficiency) program provides up to $5,000 in rebates to qualifying homeowners in single-family residences and duplexes. Rebates go up to $8,500 in conjunction with a PG&E program (PG&E’s Comprehensive Residential Retrofit Pilot Program).

How Does the ME2 Program Work?

• You must get a home energy audit to qualify for the rebates
• Since the program is sponsored by the city of Berkeley, you must own a single-family home or duplex in the city and meet certain income guidelines. You must be up-to-date on your taxes and liens.
• Recurve will help you apply for the ME2 rebate program which is available based on a lottery system based on applications received during a 2 week period (July 6- 20). People who will get the rebates will be selected at random from the pool of applicants after July 20th at midnight
• Special financing is available through Recurve – if you want to finance the net (after rebate) cost of your home improvements

When is the ME2 Program Available?
Sign up for a home energy audit now. The ME2 Program is taking applications for the lottery July 6 – 20, 2010. It’s likely the money will run out during these 2 weeks, but if it doesn’t, they’ll accept applications on a first come, first serve basis after the 20th. The PG&E Pilot Program will have money available for a longer timeframe.

Full details here: http://www.recurve.com/what-we-do/financing/berkeley1/

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/berkeley-residents-new-program-gives-you-money-to-upgrade-your-homes-efficiency/feed 0