San Gabriel Valley Energy Wise Blog

Successful Title 24 Workshop

2007-12-10T13:13:00.000-08:00

As new Title 24 codes will be enforced starting in April 2008, it is important to be well informed and equipped for these measures. On December 3rd, the San Gabriel Valley Energy Wise Partnership hosted a seminar dedicated to Title 24. This was a time for building inspectors, city officials, and the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments to learn the latest information pertaining to compliance with Title 24 measures. Title 24, California Code of Regulations, is a vital mandate that has saved more than $56 billion in electricity and natural gas since 1978. An additional $23 billion is expected to be saved by 2013. This workshop successfully provided codes for energy efficiency technologies and methods that will be incorporated into residential and nonresidential buildings in hopes of contributing to these statistics.

The San Gabriel Valley Energy Wise Partnership hopes to provide this great opportunity again soon in the future.

If you would like to find out more information or details about Title 24, please click here

New Plan to Cut Energy Use Growth by 50%

2007-11-30T14:57:00.000-08:00

By bringing together more than 100 organizations and 10 recommendations, the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency has found a way to cut energy use growth by more than 50% in 18 years.

This plan is being implemented in response to the challenging high energy bills, air pollution, global climate change, and energy security. If this energy efficiency process is implemented correctly, over 500 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year and $500 billion dollars in the US could be saved by the year 2025.

Their main strategy is to increase energy efficiency use in homes, businesses, schools, and governments, which consume 70% of the natural gas and electricity in the United States. In order to accomplish this, the Plan has provided ten implementation goals:

1. Establish Cost Effective Energy Efficiency as a High Priority Resource

2. Develop Processes to Align Utilities Incentives Equally for Efficiency and Supply Resources

3. Establish Cost-Effectiveness Tests

4. Establish Evaluation, Measurement, and Verification Mechanisms

5. Establish Effective Energy Efficiency Delivery Mechanisms

6. Develop State Policies to Ensure Robust Energy Efficiency Practices

7. Align Customer Pricing and Incentives to Encourage Investment in Energy Efficiency

8. Establish State of the Art Billing Systems

9. Implement State of the Art Efficiency Information Sharing and Delivery Systems

10. Implement Advanced Technologies

This plan should provide a great incentive to take advantage of the benefits and sustainability that energy efficiency can offer. This is a chance for utilities, governments, and consumers to do their part in taking care of the environment and improving the future.

Energy Efficiency is Best Investment for Countering Rising Winter Heating Fuel Costs, Says Alliance to Save Energy

2007-10-12T09:48:00.000-07:00

Consumers facing higher winter heating costs of 4 to 22 percent - depending on which fuel powers their home - can use energy efficiency to keep those costs in check while remaining comfortable, advises the Alliance to Save Energy.

EIA is projecting that the average U.S. household will have to spend about $88, or 10 percent, more than last year on heating fuel this winter, for a total of about $975 in heating costs. The largest increase will hit users of heating oil, who face a 22 percent, or $319, increase. Natural gas costs are projected to increase by 10 percent, or $78; propane by 16 percent, or $221; and electricity by 4 percent, or $32.

"Energy efficiency is the best way to counter this continuing trend of rising winter heating costs," Alliance President Kateri Callahan advised. "Not only can energy efficiency lessen the increase in winter energy bills fed by higher fuel costs, it also will ensure that consumers remain warm and comfortable in their homes this winter, regardless of the weather.

"The Alliance also encourages consumers to take advantage of the last few months during which they can receive a federal income tax credit of up to $500 for certain energy-efficiency home improvements. Those tax credits will expire at midnight on December 31, 2007."

Consumers can learn how to arm themselves against rising fuel costs with simple yet effective energy-efficiency measures at www.ase.org/consumers.

Information about the federal income tax credits is at www.ase.org/taxcredits, a site developed by the Alliance in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy.

Source: PRNewswire-USNewswire

Play the Planet Green game

2007-10-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

Starbucks has released a new online game that allows users to discover ways of reducing CO2 emissions to minimize the impact of global warming. Several locations are profiled including a service station, house, school, and city park. Try it here.

LEED moves into community development

2007-08-24T09:02:00.000-07:00

The US Green Building Council (USGBC) has developed a new LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system for neighborhood developments. Original LEED certifications focused on individual buildings, nut this new standard will look at community development as a whole - "It integrates the principles of green building, smart growth, and "new urbanism," a concept that involves a range of housing types in a compact neighborhood, incorporating mixed uses with well-designed streets that allow easy access for pedestrians, bicycles, transit vehicles, and other vehicles. A key aspect is to create green communities that encourage people to walk to their destination rather than drive."

238 new developoments have signed up to participate in the pilot program, including communities in 39 different US States as well as 6 other countries. "According to USGBC, the projects range from urban infill projects that are less than an acre in size to whole new communities that are more than 12,000 acres."

Read more about it here.

City of Claremont signs incentive application

2007-08-03T12:17:00.000-07:00

On August 1, the City of Claremont signed an application to commit another 385,433 kWh in energy savings with the San Gabriel Valley Partnership. The commitment covers five lighting projects taking place at the City Hall, Police Dept, Hughes Center, Taylor Hall, and one of the city's parking garages. The projects all involve conversion of inefficient T-12 fluorescent fixtures to energy-saving T-8 fixtures with electronic ballasts. The city expects to save almost $60,000 a year just by implementing these measures.

Find answers to all of your questions about T-12 vs T-8 lamps here (pdf).

Green Technology News

2007-07-31T08:21:00.000-07:00

The partnership received a very nice write-up in Green Technology Magazine. The article specifically mentions projects currently on-going in West Covina, and one recently completed in Alhambra. Read the whole article here.

Solar Cities

2007-07-27T08:28:00.000-07:00

13 cities were named as "inaugural solar cities" by the US Department of Energy on Wednesday. Three of those are located in California: Berkeley, San Francisco, and San Diego. Those cities gained that recognition by adopting comprehensive plans toward solar energy.

"Selected cities demonstrated a level of commitment to promote solar throughout the city, involving local government officials, utilities and private partners. City goals include the integration of solar energy into city planning and emergency preparedness plans; development of a comprehensive city government approach to solar implementation, involving key stakeholders, utilities, and private partners; large-scale solar installations; reduction in market barriers by activities such as streamlining solar-friendly permitting and zoning; creation of city-level solar incentives such as solar rebates, financial assistance, tax credits, property tax abatements, and/or tax incentives to solar manufacturers who locate in the city; increased public awareness through inclusion of promotions and city-wide education; inclusion of renewable energy curriculum material in public schools; and widespread increase in solar adoption."

Significant financial assistance will be provided to these cities as well: "Each winning city is eligible for US$200,000 in DOE funding, with $2 million available in technical assistance to support projects this year with an additional $600,000 for projects in 2008. Technical assistance is provided by DOE, its national laboratories, and experts in city planning, technology selection, project financing, building codes, architecture, and community outreach communications."

You can read more about it here.