\nThe Congressional Research Service, the Department of Energy, and a
\ncollection of business, utility, and state advocates all testified yesterday along those lines. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Home Star is a $6 billion proposal that would create incentives for
\nhomeowners who choose to make their homes more efficient. Silver Star
\nwould offer rebates for individual measures like insulating your attic
\nor installing an efficient new furnace (capped at $3,000 but always
\nrequiring at least a 50 percent match from homeowners), while Gold Star
\ncreates a performance path where the homeowner and their contractor
\nfigure out what measures to undertake, and the size of the incentive is
\ndetermined by the percent improvement of the home’s efficiency. Gold
\nStar incentives start at $3,000 for a 20 percent improvement and go up
\n$1,000 for each additional 5 percent from there<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
From the hearing, it sounds like we all emphatically agree – it’s a great idea. We are big supporters of the program and a member of the Home Star Coalition<\/a>. But the details matter.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And there are details upon details. Arguments about AFUEs, SHGCs, <\/p>\n Some of the issues came up during the hearing yesterday are crucially important. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Do we need an incentive for do-it-yourself insulation?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n A tough call, since this wouldn’t create jobs in installation and <\/p>\n Should we lower all the efficiency requirements that equipment <\/p>\n NO – and I can’t say that emphatically enough. <\/p>\n The levels currently in the bill were negotiated with industry and <\/p>\n Should we relax the certification requirements for contractors?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I don’t think so. We need good contractors doing the work right to <\/p>\n Should states with existing programs play by the same rules?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Everyone wants to see Home Star build on the great work that is <\/p>\n These are all tricky issues, and we will see how the political <\/p>\n Of course, whole lot more work has to be done by Congress to make Related Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n For green homes, should energy trump everything else?<\/a><\/p>\n Daylight saving time doesn’t save energy<\/a><\/p>\n The other half of Kerry-Graham-Lieberman is weak too<\/a><\/p>\n
\nSEERs, and EERs and other esoteric concepts that most people don’t want
\nto know about. But these nasty acronyms are crucial to making sure
\nthis program actually saves energy and creates jobs and doesn’t just
\nsell a bunch of stuff with no long term benefit. In other words, we
\nshouldn’t just spin our wheels.<\/p>\n
\nthe insulation, if not installed properly, may not save energy. But,
\nas someone who likes to DIY whenever possible, I understand the
\nappeal. I think we should be able to figure out some way to make sure
\nthe DIYers get the installation right and get the energy savings.<\/p>\n
\nmust meet to receive incentives in Silver Star to Energy Star?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nJust based on last years sales of Energy Star products, free ridership
\n(folks who would have bought these units anyway) would suck $3 billion from the program budget and no additional energy would be saved. That’s almost 90 percent of the proposed Silver Star budget! These products will be purchased, incentive or no incentive. Bad idea. <\/p>\n
\nadvocacy groups at the table, and they thread the needle on maximum job
\ncreation and energy savings. We should leave them where they are.
\nCathy Zoi, DOE’s Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and
\nRenewable Energy, said as much in the hearing.<\/p>\n
\nactually save on energy bills. And beyond that, there are safety
\nimplications of improper installations. Contractors who aren’t
\ncertified but really understand how to improve a home will have no
\nproblem getting certified. The extra business they will get as a
\nresult of this program will more than outweigh certification costs. <\/p>\n
\nhappening in the states, largely as a result of the Recovery Act, but
\nwe also need to make sure we have consistent standards and quality
\nassurance everywhere. Basically, you should be able to do the work,
\nplay by the rules, and get the money whether you are in Ketchikan,
\nAlaska, or Miami, Florida. <\/p>\n
\nprocess plays out. Home Star is tantalizingly close to being the
\nperformance-based program that will create jobs in the ailing
\nconstruction industry and make American homes much more energy
\nefficient that everyone wants to see. Home Star, in its current form,
\nhits the bulls-eye on job creation and energy savings. It would
\nsuccessfully jumpstart the home retrofit industry and be the bridge to
\nthe efficiency programs that accompany comprehensive climate and energy
\nlegislation.<\/p>\n
\nsure that the program mechanics are right and the work can start as
\nsoon as possible, and that is significant. Congress, President Obama,
\nand the broad based Home Star Coalition have worked incredibly hard to
\nget it this far and we will all keep pushing it forward towards the
\nfinish line.<\/p>\n