Thanks to Department of Energy funding, the City of Somerville is able to provide its residents with a representative to assist you through the process of making your home more energy efficient. There are many different improvements that can be made to a home in order to make it more energy efficient. This program and the Program Specialist can help you with information that will assist you with the deciding which improvements will be most beneficial to you and your home, and in some cases help you secure funding for potential projects. The first step toward a more energy-efficient home is to schedule a NO COST energy audit. By calling your City of Somerville program manager rkoty somervillema [dot] gov (Russell Koty) at 617-625-6600 ext. 2568, or by completing the intake form. - A Mass Save® Home Energy Assessment is a home visit that helps identify cost-effective energy improvements or replacement opportunities in your home. You may receive some products for instant energy savings opportunities during the assessment, but most of the incentives and rebates are available only after a Home Energy Assessment has been performed at your home.
This is the first step in whole-house weatherization, and perhaps most important one. Trained technicians use advanced computer software and diagnostic equipment to identify the most cost-effective energy-saving improvements for your particular home during this energy audit. To do this you can contact your Program Manager at the City of Somerville; Russell Koty 617-625-6600 ext. 2568, or by compleing the intake form. After scheduling an appointment, an energy specialist will assess your home’s current energy usage and provide a list tailored specifically to your home recommending ways to make energy saving changes in your home. The audit will show you problems that may, when corrected, save you significant amounts of money over time.
- During the audit, you can pinpoint where your house is losing energy. Audits also determine the efficiency of your home's heating and cooling systems. An audit may also show you ways to conserve hot water and electricity. A Home Energy Assessment can help you make smarter, more cost-effective energy-saving decisions:
A Home Energy Assessment usually takes 1 - 2 hours to complete but can vary depending on the size, style, and age of the home. You should provide access to all areas of the home as the evaluation will include a basement-to-attic inspection. You should provide a copy of your gas and electric bills and a year's worth of usage for other fuels such as oil or propane. During the Assessment homeowners can expect to have CFL light bulbs installed, low flow shower heads, and in some cases even new programmable 7 day thermostats will be installed, all at no cost to you
All the decision makers of the household should allow time to participate in the assessment to understand the impact of the recommended improvements as well as the installation process necessary to complete the improvements. From here you can develop your own energy plan and make your way toward an energy efficient home. A wide range of incentives may be available for many of the measures that will be included on your list. Customers who own and reside in a one-to-four-family residence and obtain a Home Energy Assessment may also be eligible for a HEAT loan.
- To apply for participation in the city’s residential energy efficiency, the applicant must own a one-to-four-family residence and obtain a Mass Save Home Energy Assessment, and fall within the income limitations.
| FAMILY SIZE | 60% INCOME LIMIT | 120% INCOME LIMIT | | 1 | $41,100 | $82,150 | | 2 | $46,980 | $93,900 | | 3 | $52,860 | $105,600 | | 4 | $58,680 | $117,350 | | 5 | $63,420 | $126,750 | | 6 | $68,100 | $136,150 | | 7 | $72,780 | $145,550 | | 8 | $77,460 | $154,900 | | | |
After having an Energy Audit done, and securing funds necessary to begin these improvement projects the program specialist with the City of Somerville will assist the home owner in making sure rebates that are currently available are utilized. As an added incentive to reduce energy consumption throughout the city, Somerville is providing participating residents with rebates beyond the ones already available to every homeowner in the city. Contact your program specialist Russell Koty today. 617-625-6600 ext. 2568 Homeowner must sign up for a Home Energy Assessment with your City of Somerville program specialist. A Mass Save representative will assess your energy efficiency improvement needs and determine what improvements are eligible for financing. The representative will provide a HEAT Loan Intake Form, Program Steps, and Minimum Standards and Requirements. Homeowner obtains pre-approval from a participating lender if you choose to fund the improvements through the 0% interest HEAT loan program. Homeowner obtains written contractor price proposal(s) for the installation of the improvements. Homeowner forwards the proposal(s) for eligibility review and approval to your program specialist at the City of Somerville representative along with the HEAT Loan Intake Form. Once approved you will receive a HEAT Loan Authorization Form. Homeowner applies for the loan with a participating lender or funds the upgrades themselves. Once homeowner obtains an approval from a lender the funds will be provided in the form of two party checks. Measures are installed and Mass Save representative conducts a post-installation inspection on the installed improvements. After satisfactory inspection of the new energy efficient upgrades installed, the homeowner will receive a rebate from the city.
*Pre-weatherization guidelines must be met before any of these energy saving measures and programs can be taken advantage of. To find out if you meet the pre-weatherization requirements schedule a no-cost home energy audit today. .
- If you fall below or above the income thresholds set, assistance and rebates are still available to you. Please contact you’re the City of Somerville’s program specialist at 617-625-6600 ext 2568 for more information.
Energy Efficiency Improvements Eligible for the HEAT Loan Program: Interior Insulation High Efficiency Heating Systems High Efficiency Domestic Hot Water Systems Solar Hot Water Systems 7-Day Digital Programmable Thermostats ENERGY STAR® Qualified Replacement Windows
..
- Weatherization (Sealing drafts/insulation)
Possible improvements Adding insulation to the attic, walls and/or floors. If insulation is added, holes may be drilled in the siding and vents may be added to the roof. RESULT: The amount of heat loss through the walls, ceilings and floors will be reduced making your heating and cooling systems more efficient. Replace broken glass in primary windows. RESULT: The amount of cold air coming into your home will be reduced. Sealing open draft holes; installing or adjusting door weather-stripping, thresholds, and/or door sweeps. RESULT: The amount of cold air coming into your home will be reduced. Mechanical Systems (Heating system/hot water system) Perform an efficiency inspection on natural gas, propane and fuel oil furnaces, boilers and water heaters. If the system is outdated and replaced, significant savings and more efficient fuel use may occur. If a system is new perhaps a tune-up will help it perform more efficiently. RESULT: More heat will be gained from the same amount of fuel used. Replace older thermostats with new Energy Efficient thermostats. Result: A More accurate heating and cooling systems.
..
- Cost to you? There are many different programs available to Somerville residents many at very little cost. The city, in some cases, offers grant programs to help lower the cost of making Energy Efficient improvements to your home. Some of the energy efficient improvements made are even tax deductable. By making energy efficient improvements you can reduce your energy consumption between 20%-50% of your annual energy bill while reducing green house gas emissions at the same time.
Has the city done its fair share with energy reduction and sustainability? In 2007 the City of Somerville entered into a $7.8 million performance contract with an Energy Services company (ESCO), Honeywell Inc., with the goal of achieving dramatic reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas generation at its 14 existing municipal buildings and 10 schools. It also committed to the highest standards for energy performance and sustainable development in the construction of any new buildings and to the greening of its 100-vehicle fleet of cars, trucks, and emergency vehicles. The City has developed its Energy Use baseline using fiscal year 2009 as the base year in order to acknowledge the significant reductions in energy use achieved through the ESCO project. The City anticipates achieving a 20% reduction goal by the end of fiscal year 2014 through three major goals:
A 25% reduction in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from buildings through pursuance of its ESCO contract. This will result in a savings of 2,200,000 mmBTUs per year, or 18% of the 2007 overall city fossil fuel use;
A gradual improvement in the City’s vehicle fleet’s average gas mileage through the purchase of more fuel efficient vehicles, use of B5 biodiesel in all fleet vehicles and continuance of a strong idling reduction program; and Installation of LED lighting for all city owned street and area lights. The City estimates a percentage savings per light of 50% per year, and an annual savings of 445 mmBTUs. Long-term goals focus on replacement of standard streetlights throughout the City with high efficiency LED lights and increasing the number of renewable energy installations on City buildings.
In 2007, Somerville published “Sustainable Somerville: An Environmental Strategic Plan”. This document laid out an ambitious plan to change the way City government operates, making it more sustainable and reducing its impact on the environment. Among the commitments in this plan were:
A dramatic reduction in building energy use through a $7.8 million performance contract with an Energy Services company (ESCO) for existing buildings; A commitment to utilizing the highest standards for energy performance and sustainable development in the construction of any new buildings. In 2003, the City opened the Michael Capuano Early Learning Center, which is certified as a Green School by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) and is LEED Silver compliant. In 2007, the City opened the Argenziano School, which is also an MTC Green School; The greening of the City’s vehicle fleet through the use of biofuels and an improvement in the fleet’s average fuel efficiency
|
|
|
Printer-friendly version