PowerPoint Presentation - Weatherization Assistance Program

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Weatherization
Assistance
Program
Mission
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Increase the energy efficiency of
dwellings occupied by low-income
Americans
Reduce monthly heating and cooling
expenses
Safeguard the health and safety of
household occupants
Mission
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Prioritize those households with elderly
residents, individuals with disabilities,
and families with children
Benefits
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Reduce energy costs
and alleviate high
energy burden for lowincome families
Decrease nation’s
energy consumption
and reduce emissions
created by burning
fossil fuels
Improve housing stock
and neighborhood
conditions
Benefits
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Provide economic boost and create
more disposable income in low-income
communities
Educate consumers in energy efficient
practices
Operation
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Program created in 1976
Program utilizes partnerships with the
Department of Energy and state and locallevel Weatherization agencies
Operates in all 50 States, D.C., and among
Native American Tribes
Local agencies provide weatherization
services to every county in the nation
Oldest and largest residential energy
efficiency program in America
Funding
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Core funding for the program is provided by
the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Low
Income Home Energy Assistance Program
(LIHEAP) block grant
This funding allows states and local agencies
to leverage additional funding from:
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Other housing programs
Utilities
State and local government
Rental property owners
Needs Assessment
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Over 100,000 homes
are weatherized
each year
Even at this rate,
only 16% of
currently eligible
households have
received
weatherization
services
Income Qualification
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Eligibility for weatherization services is
determined by income
Any household at or below 125% of poverty
is considered low-income. A state may elect
to use 150% of poverty as the guideline
Over 90% of low-income households have an
annual income under $15,000
Two-thirds have an annual household income
under $8,000
Energy Burden
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Low-income households spend, on average,
14% of their annual income on energy vs.
3.5% spent by other households
The average annual energy expenditure in
low-income households was $1,871 in 2007
Weatherization services can dramatically
reduce annual energy costs thus creating
more disposable income for other important
household needs
Technical Advancements
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The Weatherization program has pioneered,
tested, and utilized sophisticated building
science technology to provide cost-effective
energy efficiency measures
Blower door directed air-sealing is utilized to
produce higher energy savings and to
determine appropriate air-tightness of a
dwelling
Technical Advancements
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Advanced energy audits are used to
determine the most cost-effective
measures
Technical Advancements
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Duct systems are accurately tested for
leakage
Technical Advancements
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Pressure differentials
are measured to
determine if
combustion
appliances are backdrafting
Technical Advancements
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Heating and cooling systems are tested
for efficiency and safety
Jobs Created
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Fifty-two direct jobs
are created for
every million dollars
invested
Current federal
program funding
supports about
8,000 jobs
nationwide
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Professionally
trained crews
weatherize singlefamily homes, multifamily dwellings,
and mobile homes
Numerous programs
utilize private
contractors to
provide services
Societal Improvements
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Weatherization agencies partner with
other government and community
organizations, public utilities, and the
private sector to maximize efforts and
better utilize tax dollars
Societal Improvements
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On average, a
weatherized home
realizes a 30%
reduction in
heating/cooling cost
For every $1
invested there is a
$2.69 return in
energy benefits
Societal Improvements
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For every $1 invested by DOE, the program
leverages an additional $3.39 from other
federal, state, local, and private sources
Weatherization measures reduce average
annual energy costs by $358 per dwelling
Weatherization measures reduce carbon
dioxide emissions by an average of one ton
per weatherized house
Societal Improvements
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Fossil fuel power plant emissions are reduced
Weatherization reduces energy consumption
equivalent to 18 million barrels of oil per year
Weatherization addresses health and safety
issues such as carbon monoxide and lead
hazards
Utility arrearages are reduced and eliminated
Consumers are educated in energy efficiency
practices
House As A System
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Achieving true energy savings is the result of
treating the dwelling as a system of three
interactive parts
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Part One is the shell of the house which keeps
cold air out in the winter and lets fresh air in
during the summer
Part Two is the equipment in the home that adds
to or makes the heat, air, and moisture move in
your house
Part Three is the people in the home who control
the shell and operate the equipment
Health and Safety
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Weatherization
providers encounter
health and safety
hazards during the
estimation and work
process and through
their efforts – lives are
saved on a daily basis
Unsafe heating systems
can create lifethreatening situations
such as carbon
monoxide poisoning,
back-drafting, and fires
Health and Safety
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Lead-based paint, the number one
environmental health threat to children, is a
serious problem that weatherization, in
conjunction with other funding sources,
addresses before work is completed
Mold, moisture, high and low humidity are all
health and safety issues that weatherization
crews address on a daily basis
Dangerous electrical problems can also be
addressed using weatherization funds
New Technologies
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The Weatherization Program is a professional
delivery system that continues to increase
technical capabilities by exploring new energy
efficiency and renewable energy technologies
for application in the program
Advanced energy audits are used to
determine the most cost-effective measures
to be applied
Blower-door directed air-sealing is utilized to
diagnose air leakage and pressure
differentials
New Technologies
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Base load measures are now being applied
which include the replacement of inefficient
appliances
Several states are now pursuing the
application of solar measures through pilot
programs in conjunction with weatherization
work. These include the installation of solar
water heaters and passive solar warm air
collectors
Applied Measures – Heating
System Safety and Efficiency
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All combustion appliances within the home
are tested for efficiency, proper draft, carbon
monoxide, electrical problems, and fire safety
before any weatherization work is done
Applied Measures – Heating
System Safety and Efficiency
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Unsafe, inefficient, and
inoperable heating
systems may be
replaced/repaired using
weatherization funds
Addressing inefficient
and/or unsafe
combustion appliances
has an immediate
impact on the energy
efficiency and health
and safety of a dwelling
Applied Measures - Insulation
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Attics are sealed, vented, and insulated
Sidewalls are insulated using blown
cellulose and a dense-pack method that
insures appropriate R-value as well as
preventing air infiltration
Applied Measures - Insulation
Applied Measures - Insulation
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Floors can also be
insulated as an
optional measure
Mobile Homes are
insulated in the
floors, ceilings and
sidewalls
Applied Measures – Blower
Door Directed Air-Sealing
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A blower door is a diagnostic and
measurement tool designed to assist in
locating air leakage in a house and measure
and quantify the airtightness of the dwelling
Applied Measures – Blower
Door Directed Air-Sealing
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The blower door
consists of a
powerful variable
speed fan that is
sealed into an
exterior doorway
and is used to
pressurize or
depressurize the
house
Applied Measures – Blower
Door Directed Air-Sealing
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Blower doors use gauges to measure
the pressure difference between inside
and outside of the house and to
measure the amount of air flowing
through the fan
AHRAE has established air exchange
rates for houses based on volume and
number of occupants
Applied Measures – Duct
Diagnostics and Repair
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Duct leakage can account for up to 30–
40% of a heating/cooling bill
Duct leakage can also be responsible
for distributing indoor air pollutants
throughout a house
Applied Measures – Duct
Diagnostics and Repair
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Weatherization uses
the blower door, a
manometer, and
pressure pans to
measure and
identify duct leakage
in all homes and
mobile homes
Applied Measures – Duct
Diagnostics and Repair
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Duct leaks are
repaired by using a
mastic sealant
Duct disconnects are
repaired and often
ducts are replaced
and/or re-installed
Applied Measures – Other
Weatherization Measures
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Duct systems may
be insulated with
duct wrap
Heating system
filters are replaced
Gas and oil leaks are
repaired
Applied Measures – Other
Weatherization Measures
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Water heaters may be
insulated with an
insulation wrap
Low flow water
reducers such as faucet
aerators, low-flow
showerheads, and
toilet-tank flush
reducers may be
installed
Programmable
thermostats may be
installed
Applied Measures – Other
Weatherization Measures
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CO detectors and smoke alarms are
installed
Applied Measures – Other
Weatherization Measures
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Chimneys may be
replaced, repaired,
and/or lined
Training
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Weatherization crews are the heart and
soul of the program
Training
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They are constantly being trained, retrained, and certified in the latest
energy saving technology
There are currently over fifty training
centers in twenty-seven different states
that provide weatherization and related
curriculums
Weatherization PLUS
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The Department of Energy is focusing on a
concept called Weatherization PLUS that will:
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Achieve significantly greater energy savings
Further reduce emissions of air pollutants and
greenhouse gases
Increase the leveraging potential of the
Weatherization network
Expand the program’s contribution to the
economic health and sustainability of the nation’s
communities
The Virginia Weatherization
Program
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Virginia’s Weatherization Assistance
program is administered by the
Department of Housing and Community
Development
Twenty-two agencies provide services in
every city and county in Virginia
The Virginia Weatherization
Program
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Each program is required to adhere to
an approved set of installation
standards
Each program is monitored for quality
control by the state office – this
includes field work and financial
management
The Virginia Weatherization
Program – Demographics 2006-2007
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Total number of weatherization completions – 3,863
Total funding allocation - $11,041,296
Per cent of weatherized households with elderly
occupants – 52%
Per cent of weatherized households with handicapped
occupants – 51%
Per cent of weatherized households with children –
45%
Per cent of households with annual income under
$10,000 – 60%