http://www.topeka.org/pdfs/RESIDENTIALCONSTRUCTIONWORKSHOP.pdf
JJ
Waste of time and your money.
Announced this morning, KCPL wants to raise electrical rates 12%.
I do not care how much energy anyone saves; you will never save money.
The utility companies will just raise rates, all to keep the revenue flowing.
http://www.kansascity.com/2012/04/21/3567793/kcpl-seeks-129-percent-rate-increase.html
There are only 16 of us in the State of Missouri who are certified and approved to participate with the state university’s efforts to upgrade older farm homes and help them become more energy efficient, comfortable and sustainable. Our fee is paid by the state but the greatest benefit is having my analyses reviewed by the department heads at the college. It’s like being paid to go to school as we work together to upgrade the energy efficiency of homes that were not even originally designed for indoor plumbing or electricity.
I did such an audit, yesterday, for a family friend of one of the professors who help manage the project and spoke with her at length.
Glad to see more and more cities and states incorporate the IECC. I use it (but do not refer to it) as a standard for defining several material defects in home inspection reports, as well.
The sky is falling, The Sky is falling… yep, Gary, its individuals like you that makes life interesting… I suspect that your Momma dropped you as a baby and now you have this “the sky is falling” syndrum (ms).
My cable bill is larger than my gas, electric, and water combined. I guess KCPL just wants to catch-up.
Everything is going up in price but my inspection fee. Some say to raise my price and my business will increase. Wrong.
The only way to get inspections is to be below $199. That is what is falling.
If there’s only 16 guys doing the audits and doing so well, why don’t you get certified Gary. The class is 4 days long and almost everyone passes. The ROI is quick.
I just see no demand for it here. There are 2 to 5 homes empty on most every street. More forclosures are coming. It is just real show here, and most home owners are just hanging on. It is not how it is, compared to what is being said in the media. Several HVAC and utility companies are offering free energy audit services. Until some national standard is set, I see little return on investment. IMO.
What a crock of ****…:roll:
Go here to learn something…
On the Kansas Side of the KC metro area:
http://www.efficiencykansas.com/addinfo_faq.php#1
Read the FAQ and then the answer…
On the Missouri side of the KC metro area:
http://www.kcenergy.org/residential.aspx
I am still trying to find information about all these free energy audits you keep spewing about in the KC area.
Gary do us all a favor and go get a job to keep you busy… your negative crap has become tiresome…
I’m not directing this at any particular individual … but if ignorance about energy efficiency can ever be developed into an energy source, the world could enjoy a never ending supply.
The amusing argument that “utility rates are going to go up, anyway, so why be more energy efficient” is silly, indeed; but it’s not the only incoherent and mindless babble taking place, today.
When I upgraded my own home and reduced my own electric and gas consumption by 64% … I saved three times the money in 2011 than what the electrical provider paid me in the form of a rebate and five times what the tax deduction netted me. Yet, more and more people (utility companies, governments and service providers) are pushing these small and meaningless rebate incentives in their marketing rather than educating the public on the greater benefit(s).
Increased levels of comfort, healthier indoor environments and improved sustainability are even better reasons for energy efficiency than the money that I no longer pay to the utility company.
The better educated consumers and property owners are taking advantage of these opportunities, today. It will filter down, eventually, to others someday.
The adoption of the IECC in Topeka (and elsewhere) will take care of the newer homes … but those living in existing residential units will be carrying the brunt of the increases.
Owners of rental properties will soon find the need to increase the efficiency of their units in order to be able to maintain current rents and collect higher rents in the face of utility rate increases.
My gas, electric, and water total less than my cable/internet service bill.
Many procedures are listed on the internet that any home owner can do to save energy, many of which are low-cost, some are free. Heck, check out InterNACHI home inspection article listing.
Having a home owner pay for someone to tell them how to save energy is a scam that takes money from home owners, IMO.
Getting a home owner to pay $5K for a new HVAC system to save $50 a month is not in their best interest, unless their system is over 20 years of age, which is what these HVAC companies hope for. Several here are offering them for free. Just check your junk mail.
LOL.
On a more serious note, it looks like the entire state of South Carolina has also adopted the 2009 IECC, along with Topeka.
Missouri did the same a couple of years ago and this year reports a 2% reduction in overall energy use/cost in State buildings.
The energy code works, as can be clearly seen.
Home owners who wish to keep more of their own money have the same opportunities as do city and state governments to implement upgrades that will help them improve their levels of comfort, protect family health with improved indoor air quality and improved sustainability of their home.
Jeeeesh. Just what we need. More regulation. KCPL wants to raise rates 12% in Kansas and Missouri. Again, you may save energy, but will not save money.
LOL.
Just out of curiosity and for the benefit of members of the public who read these threads …
Let’s say that I reduced my energy use by 64% (which I did) and yours remains the same.
The utility company increases its rates for both of us this year by 12%.
While you pay the additional 12% over last year’s expenses, I am still saving 52% from last year’s expenses.
In fact … let’s take it further and say that the utility company increases its rates 12% per year for the next five years. You will be paying over 60% more for your energy than you did last year while I am still paying 4% less than I did last year.
How did I lose anything through my improved energy efficiency?
The bottom line is this: Everyone will be paying for energy to heat and cool their homes. Period. Some will be paying the higher premium rate while others will be paying less than them — while also improving their comfort, air quality and increasing the sustainability of their home and its systems. It’s simply a matter of choice as to which type of consumer one chooses to be.
I accept that there will be people who will not improve the energy efficiency of their homes and will continue to climb at the 12% annual rates that you mentioned … just as I accept that there are people who smoke cigarettes with full knowledge of the issues that result from that choice, as well. Just as negative tax incentives and lawsuits have jacked up the price of a pack of cigarettes … more and more people and businesses using less and less energy will force the utility providers to charge more to those who use more in order to make up the difference and to preserve their own bottom line, as well. And there are people who will continue to pay the premium rates for both.
The utility company shareholders will continue to profit, without a doubt. The question is … which type of consumer will be contributing the largest share into the utility company’s (and tobacco company’s) bank accounts … and which type will be able to keep more of their own money while maintaining a comfortable, healthy and sustainable home?
Just a side note for you to ponder … You do realize that a large chunk of that 12% increase in utility rates that you will pay is used to pay rebates to their customers for energy efficiency upgrades, don’t you? You really don’t think they are taking that rebate money out of their own profits in order to provide an incentive to their customers to buy less of their product, do you?
In that sense, your increased utility rate is paying my fee to do the energy audit that the utility company rebates back to the customer as he works toward reducing the amount of energy he uses. That has to really tick you off. LOL
Since your rate increases are already being used to pay for others to save energy in their homes while increasing their levels of comfort, health and sustainability — why not apply some of that money toward your own home instead of mine, eh?
But … back to the topic … consider this article written by Colin Genge, the ECO for Retrotec:
IECC adoption is already in Missouri … a state so committed against building standards that has no building code or licensing requirement that would prohibit your youngest grandchild from wiring a hotel.
It makes sense to move in this direction … particularly when the next generation is likely to be paying more for their heating and cooling energy than their rent.
Looks like New Hampshire is just about there. Ohio is having a public forum on the adoption of the IECC, today.
Gary, Jim B. has responded very well to your posts in a positive manner and has given you some good information to digest and ponder… I do not consider myself a scammer and I know for sure there are other Energy Professionals on this message board as well as in the KC area that are not as well. BUT, now don’t fall out of your rocking chair here, I do agree with you that there are HVAC companies here in KC that are doing what you are saying. They are getting caught and it was annouced on Thursday afternoon (at the MEC meeting) they will be prosecuted for misrepresentation… I was talking with one of my new EA clients on Wednesday and she was telling me that a HVAC heavy hitter here in KC was using scare tactics on her and her husband about getting a energy audit done so they (HVAC salespuke) could qualify them for the new 20 seer A/C and 95% furnace they could get through a city program available here. The bottom line, they didn’t fall for his tactics and then called me via a friend who had recommended me to them. It’s everywhere Gary, I know there are bad HIs in KC and I am keeping an eye on one HI (ASHI member) right now, that if he brings his crap as a HI to the EA side of things, I will do everything (with verifiable proof) I can to have him de-certified as a EA. This particular ASHI HI has a “F” rating with Angie’s List and classifies himself as a level 1 thermographer and he is loose in KC to ply his trade, I believe he lives in your neck of the woods.
Jim, thanks for the energy saving analogy and links…
The reason for my edit, I forgot to let you know the homeowners mention above, did not need a new HVAC system, they needed to seal up some air infiltration points discovered with IR during the Blower door test… $ 1,700 worth of air sealing work (complete perimeter of home) versus a $12,000 HVAC system…
In fact, most states have IECC codes.
http://www.energycodes.gov/states/state_status_full.php
has a rather detailed listing.