We propose to do for homes what ENERGY STAR had done for appliances

General Inspection Topics General Inspection Discussion
1

"We propose to do for homes what ENERGY STAR has done for appliances."

That is a direct quote from “Recovery Through Retrofit,” written by:

  • Office of the Vice President,
  • U.S. Department of Energy (DOE),
  • Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),
  • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and
  • Department of Labor.

** Have **you read it? You should… “Recovery Through Retrofit.”
Why? The Federal Government is developing a national campaign to inspect 130 million U.S. homes.And it starts with a non-diagnostic energy assessment called the Home Energy Score.

Don’t be left out…

2

If the government subsidizes it, it will be done through the individual States, which would be a big mistake.

3

I thought something like this was part of the Cap and Trade Bill. Retro fitting older homes will not be cost effective. Homes have decreased dramatically in value, and spending thousands on homes to “bring them up to efficency standards” will cause owners to spend more on them than what they are worth. Anytime you increase energy efficencies in homes, it will just cause the utility companies to raise rates. They have to make the same revenue as they do now. Changes in any home can save energy, but you will not be saving money, just spending more in higher rates, and paying for windows, doors, insulation, HVAC and thousands of dollars in replacements.

This is all a ploy for contractors, manufacturing companies, installation people, and repair persons of all types to get more income. This is also a way to get you to save gas and electric consuption, so these utility providers can sell the saved consumption to someone else; pretty much a way to make more money.

4

Free enterprise and the freedom to make money…That’s pretty much the system for all the western democracies.

*When demand for oil and gas goes down, prices should drop also! (unless you can prove that the law of supply and demand is wrong!)

5

I just cannot understand the spending of $25k on a $80K home just to save $100 per month in energy costs. And, that home will still only be worth $80K after the upgrades. And, their energy bills will eventually go up to where they were before. Utility companies have records, and they are using them. Sure, energy will be saved, but not much money long term.

6

I think $25K is a bit much for the average home.

Window replacement is usually a long term payback of 15/20-30 years. The government energy retrofit programs here in Canada do not give much for windows, usually $30-$60 each, versus much more for wall/attic insulation and lesser amounts for airsealing (IMO, should be more but was reduced from early levels).

Having been in the industry, I have seen houses where the payback of the initial $$$ has been as little as 3-5 years…where else can you make that kind of $$$$ on invested dollars…certainly not in banks!!

Many average houses can get great returns with $6-$10,000 invested wisely.

7

Wait and see what happens after the budget battles…
There may be NO funds for things like this anymore.

8

No need to wait.
The National Guidelines and a national roll-out campaign will begin in a few months. All the money shall be spent by Summer 2012. The Federal Government is developing a national campaign to inspect 130 million U.S. homes. And it starts with a non-diagnostic energy assessment called the Home Energy Score.
Don’t be left out…

9

The U.S. Department of Energy recently entered into an agreement with InterNACHI to create and co-brand (with us) all the marketing material needed for this project. Hm, I wonder why they chose InterNACHI? :cool:

More to come.

10

when does training start???

11

http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/Recovery_Through_Retrofit_Final_Report.pdf

Like all government stimulus programs, they have something to sell.
Windows, doors, HVAC equipment (and yes even insulation) which are the last things you need to save money. This specifically means energy Star appliances (such as the Energy Star rated gasoline powered alarm clock).

So were going to promote Chinese products like light bulbs and Japanese products like Sanyo refrigerators and HVAC etc. to the general populace after we give them a bad score…

There is no such thing as a non-diagnostic energy assessment that will save you money without spending twice as much as you’ll save.

When you purchase a product to save money and it depreciates, your throwing money in the hole. When you invest in building performance improvements that last a lifetime, it is an investment and will generate a return on your investment. There is a difference!

This assessment cannot be generated without performing a “diagnostic assessment”.

However, I’ll be more than happy to give them a score and convert them to “Dave’s program of actually saving energy”! [size=2](That is if I can stomach the B.S. that goes along with the program).

Don’t get me wrong I was probably one of the biggest tree huggers of my day! Back in the day! You know, back in the day before the government and those like Al Gore started manipulating the facts?

Back then a group of people actually cared about our environment and the earth. Our environment was actually in a polluted mess and has since been cleaned up significantly just through public awareness and education. Now the politicians have jumped on the wagon to try to manipulate those that were there for their own political reasons. Now I look at everything with the microscope. And most of the time I do not like what I see. The numbers just don’t add up. Someone always has another agenda.

[size=2]If you don’t believe it, join one of these energy assessment groups and see how it turns into a political circus after you become certified.

There’s a lot of starving home inspectors out there they can use some help, so go for it! Just be careful about getting caught up in the program. You seldom get anything for nothing and you will be expected to repay your gatherings in one form or another. Just don’t sell your soul to the program.
[/size]
I make $thousands, my clients save $hundreds by simply utilizing a caulking gun, HVAC mastic and Great Stuff.

I’m heading out to do two of these $640 jobs this afternoon.

“How does he do that?”
Referrals from past clients who have “experienced the difference”!
The more work you do, the more you get.

Start farming now and in a couple of years you too can give up basic home inspections…
I’m just waiting for gasoline to hit five dollars per gallon to open a franchise! :slight_smile:
　
　
[/size]

12

This makes me slightly uneasy.

13

Exactly.

Federal Government is laying the groundwork for a self-sustaining home energy efficiency retrofit industry.

There are 3 barriers preventing that from happening:

  1. Access to information

  2. Access to financing

  3. Access to skilled workers

InterNACHI inspectors can play a vital role in helping to knock down all three of those barriers.

It starts with a home performance label (similar to Transportation, Air Pollution, and Climate Change | US EPA).

It’s generated by the Home Energy Score, and InterNACHI has licensed the engine that drives it. That’s Solution to Barrier #1.

14

Ben, I’m skeptical but definitely interested.

15

Im not going to jump on the bandwagon of neigh-sayers, however my experience on a local level leads me to want to seriously run away from this one. My experience is that this is a short lived cash cow which can only be eaten by a few.

edit I will admid that the scoring program looks good.

16

Ben, This all looks intesting. I took the RESNET class 18 months ago and passed the test. I never went forward with anything because it would have cost $4000 for a blower door and possibly $2000 a year to stay certified. With no real prospect for any business I just let it drop. I know this is quite different but as you are involved with RESNET I was wondering if they have changed the way they do things. Looks like blower doors are out. What other changes?

17

Then, Ben, why aren’t you still doing home inspections?

This is government inaction at it’s best, all to give the “current president’s” buddies billions of dollars in repairs and replacements, and China manufacturing the components.

You guys are not getting it. Just wait until all of the appraisers and insurance agents, contractors, roofers, HVAC, plumbers, electricians, start doing these audits for free.

We will not get any business, unless we do them for free. These people mentioned above will then bill the government for their “fees”, and pocket all of the income. This is nothing but big business and big government scamming the American public.

18

Gary, If not mistaken this will be quite different from the ~$300 one needed to charge for a blower door assessment. I think this will be much less work per unit and we would be an affordable third party inspector between the client and the contractor. But I’m waiting for some details that may not be available yet.

19

Federal Government is spending money ($80 billion) to make American homes and buildings more energy efficient through energy efficiency retrofit (energy upgrades). http://www.nachi.org/recovery-through-retrofit.htm

Federal Government intends to lay the groundwork for a self-sustaining home energy efficiency retrofit industry.

There are 3 barriers preventing that from forming:
#1 Access to information
#2 Access to financing
#3 Access to skilled workers

InterNACHI can play a vital role in helping to knock down all three of those barriers.

Solution to #1: www.HomeEnergyScore.gov
“The new home performance label will be accompanied by a national marketing campaign to increase consumer awareness and expand the demand for home energy retrofits. This campaign will build on the market that the Federal Government already does in conjunction with ENERGY STAR labeling on products and the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program for whole-home retrofits.”

The HomeEnergyScore Tool is a standardized home energy performance measure. Makes it much easier for consumers to understand how much they can save by retrofitting (energy upgrading) their home. And it gives lenders the information needed to work with homeowners.

The Score will provide consumers consistent, accessible and trusted information. The lack of a standard rating, lack of consumer recognition and awareness keeps demand for energy audits low and investors out of the market.

A uniform and nationally-recognized measure will be incorporated in home inspections at the point of sale and utilized in energy retrofit transactions.

The DOE and InterNACHI will collaboratively develop and deploy model training programs will lower barriers to entry for programs needed to train workers (energy auditors and inspectors), allowing an expanded offering of quality training opportunities.

Business skills training and business development must be a key component to ensure viability of small businesses in the open market over the long term. See http://www.nachi.org/success.htm.



20

We had our gas company come out and do a Free Energy Audit,
on our 1985 stick-built, 2-story, 3,000 sq.ft. home.

They sent an EnergyLogic trained employee, who was reimbursed by the gas company, Black Hills Energy.

A nice enough young man, very intelligent, and energy aware, offering tips and tricks to help lower our bills.
The thrust was conservation, and not spending a ton of money on low pay-back items…
Biggest things recommended to us was, attic sealing all cracks and crevices, and finding a way to stifle a lot of the
“vampire” electrical devices ubiquitous throughout the home. (TV’s, appliances, clock radios, etc.)
Those simple things would have the biggest, and quickest paybacks.

The free audit was basically a “quick walk-around” looking at everything, inside and out, including a peek into the attic to see our insulation level.
It took about an hour, and he said that was typical for their free audits, but if you wanted a more thorough audit with the blower door, etc.
we’d have to schedule it, and would then be paying about $350 for the service.

He had to write up the audit recommendations, so that he could submit the paperwork (electronically)
and subsequently get paid from the incentive program, from Black Hills energy.

He didn’t think this would last much longer, once the stimulus monies ran out…:roll:

That said, I’m not seeing what kind of impact that NACHI can achieve, and offer to us as members,
if these guys are already doing free audits now?