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Green Your Home-Combat Global Warming!
 Once again, Greening Oakland Homes is partnering with Energy Upgrade California in Alameda County and the City of Oakland in a Home-Energy Forum. If you are considering retrofitting your home and are looking for ways to make it easy and affordable, this seminar is a must as your first step!
Learn about real Rebates and Incentives, and talk to the experts.
Energy Upgrade California is a one-stop-shop for home improvement projects that will save you money, lower your energy use, and make your home healthier and more comfortable. Homeowners can get up to $4,000 back in rebates when you make your home more energy efficient, and there are local contractors who are trained and ready to do the work today. You can also get a $300 rebate on a comprehensive energy assessment through February 2012.
A new program called Energize for the Prize also donates money to local schools when you get an energy upgrade! Learn how it works and get your school on the list at here.
Please join us for a homeowner information event in Oakland where you can learn about these incredible opportunities, meet Participating Contractors, and have all your questions answered. This event is free.
Tuesday, January 31, 6:30 to 8:00pm
Rockridge Library
5366 College Ave, Oakland, CA
RSVP here
Join us for a FREE seminar to learn how to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient through Energy Upgrade California:
- Access new low-interest loans to help finance upgrades
- Get up to $4,000 in rebates for energy efficient home improvements
- Hear from a Rockridge resident who recently completed an upgrade to her vintage 1937 home
- Ask a participating contractor about energy upgrade work
- Learn how Home Energy Assessments evaluate individual building performance to identify energy savings
- Reduce your carbon footprint-Save the planet!
When: Tuesday, July 26th, 7 – 8:30 pm
Where: St. Peter’s Anglican Church
6013 Lawton Avenue (Lawton at Broadway)
Oakland
Sign up for FREE!
For more information call Jeffery Liang at (650) 387-5799 or email.
This free seminar is sponsored by Energy Upgrade California and Greening Oakland Homes affiliated with Volunteering For Oakland/Montclair Community Action Group.
The CHF Residential Energy Program helps homeowners to finance home energy efficiency improvements with a 3.00% fixed interest rate 15-year loan with no limit on loan amount as long as the savings can be verified by audit.
Upon qualifying for the loan, the homeowner will also be eligible for a grant, up to $1,250 per home, to be put towards the project cost and a grant to cover the before and after inspections of the home. Qualifications include verification that the homeowner is current on the mortgage, property taxes and have a current source of income within the Program limits. There are no minimum credit score or appraisal requirements. Additional guidelines apply and are available from CHF.
The energy efficiency program is funded through a $16.5 million grant awarded to CHF by the California Energy Commission State Energy Program as part of the federal stimulus American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
An example of 100% financing of qualified retrofit projects under the CHF Residential Energy Retrofit Program is based on a 15-year, fixed-rate CHF Loan: payment on a $10,000, 15-year fixed-rate CHF Loan at 3.00% interest would be $69.06/month and the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) would be 3.1083%.
The answer may be new window treatments — if you choose the right ones.
Let’s look at the ‘R Values’ for cellular shades vs. single, double and triple paned windows. (The R Value is a measure of thermal resistance used in the construction industry.) Most older homes in Oakland have single-paned windows that allow excessive heat loss and gain.
Comparing R Values:
 Here’s how the R Values for windows stack up:
| Window Type |
R Value |
| Single pane window |
0.09 |
| Double pane window with ¼” air space |
1.69 |
| Triple pane with ¼” air spaces |
2.56 |
Source: Colorado Energy.org
Here’s how a properly-installed cellular shade treatment compares when installed with single pane windows:
| Window Type |
R Value |
| Single layer shade |
2.6 |
| Double layer shade |
3.8 |
Double layer shade with side tracks
(Symphony by Comfortex-see photo) |
4.3 |
| Double layer room darkening shade |
5 |
Source: Comfortex Shades: Testing conducted by the Tokyo Laboratory for Construction Materials.
Even the single-layer cellular shade with a single pane exceeds the R Value of the double pane window!
 Symphony shade with side rails system has an R Value of 3.3! The R Value of other window treatments varies depending on how they are fabricated and installed. But should cellular shades not suit your needs, many other types of treatments can also make a big difference in your energy bill.
According to research results posted at energysavers.gov, with the right treatments:
- Up to 33% of heat gain can be prevented in warm weather
- Up to 10% or 25% of heat loss can be prevented during cold spells
Source: Energy Savers.gov
Save Energy-Save Money-Save the Planet
In addition to saving money, energy efficient window treatments also help the environment. And there’s good news for those of you who are interested in the decorative aspect of window treatments — there are many more eco-friendly choices available now than were available just a year or so ago.
There are 3 factors to look at when considering which type of treatments will work best for you.
- How well does the material work as a barrier to prevent hot and cold air infiltration into your home?Polyester fabric and cellular shade fabric (which is made of non-woven polyester) both insulate very well, as polyester doesn’t ‘breathe.’ Heavier cottons and linens rank next, followed by silks and then loosely woven fabrics.
Drapes, roman shades and woven woods work well if fabricated with an insulating lining.
 Drape with a batting weight lining provides extra insulation Wood or vinyl blinds and shutters also provide good insulation if ‘S’ shaped slats are used. Most roller shades and pleated shades don’t provide much insulation; nor do metal blinds.
- What kind of gap exists between the window trim and/or walls and the treatment?This is a key consideration. Although one type of material may inherently provide better insulation, the energy efficiency depends on how it’s fabricated to fit and how it’s mounted.
Fabric treatments such as drapes & roman shades and cellular shades can provide more insulation than wood shutters — if you use an insulated lining and close the gaps. (For more on this, see the ‘Best’ section of chart that ranks energy efficient treatments at the end of the article.)
- How well does the window treatment address aesthetic and practical needs?Not only can you increase your home’s energy efficiency by installing new window treatments instead of new windows, they also offer solutions for several other functional needs:
Providing privacy and controlling glare — while still letting light into a room or blocking light. Some designs let you enjoy a nice view while simultaneously maintaining your privacy.
Decorative value matters too. What look do you wish to achieve?
Finally, a combination of ‘layers’ of treatments on a window may ultimately provide the best solution for your home’s windows.
DeAnna D’Zamba, of Custom Creations in Oakland, has over 20 years of experience designing custom window treatments. She can be reached at: Custom Creations Interiors.
Energy Efficient Window Treatments — From Best to Least Effective:
| Best: |
Cellular shades — especially with a side
track system |
|
‘Hybrid-mount’ roman shades and woven woods
(if tightly woven) and fabricated with insulated linings |
|
Full length drapes — if a
board-mounted cornice or valance is included to seal the gap at the top |
|
Shutters (wood or vinyl) |
|
|
| Better: |
Roman shades and woven woods |
|
Full-length drapes |
|
|
| Good: |
Blinds (wood or vinyl) |
|
|
| Not as effective: |
‘Silhouette’ type shades |
|
Pleated shades |
|
Most roller shade fabrics (those with an insulated backing provide more insulation) |
|
Metal Blinds (which aren’t too much better than a bare window) |
|
|
| Warm Weather Only Insulation: |
‘Sheerweave’ type (solar)
roller and roman shades |
|
Pleated shades with a metallic backing |
 With today’s high energy costs and increased emphasis on energy conservation and environmental restrictions, more homeowners need an Energy Audit to improve energy efficiency, increase energy savings, lower heating costs and help the environment in the process.
Not only will a Home Energy Audit save you money in the future, it can help you:
- Prioritize home improvement projects
- Calculate your potential savings
- Help with choosing the right contractors
- Make you eligible for local, state and federal rebates and tax credits!
And now, Greening Oakland Homes is pleased to announce a new program jointly subsidized by the City of Oakland and PG&E that will reimburse $200 to any Oakland homeowner who gets a Home Energy Audit from an approved Home Performance Auditor. In most cases, this is enough to cover 100% of the cost for the Audit.
Not Just Solar
Audit analysis is not limited to just solar solutions for energy savings. They use a whole-house energy savings approach. Each on-site audit is customized to the property, and uses the latest technology and computer modeling to assess which measures will be most beneficial, both in terms of cost and actual energy savings.
This joint endeavor is administered by the COMMUNITY ENERGY SERVICES CORPORATION (CESC) SmartSolar Program. Here are the steps to apply for your $200 Home Energy Audit Reimbursement:
Step 1 - Visit their website at http://www.ebenergy.org/smartsolar-residential/
Step 2 - Click the ebenergy.org link to begin the enrollment process
Step 3 - CESC will do a free analysis of your energy usage and your home’s suitability for solar installation without obligation to initiate a project.
Step 4 - After your Home Energy Audit is completed and paid for, CESC will reimburse you $200 for the audits, which will be enough to cover the entire cost of the Audit in most cases.
Upon request, CESC offers independent consultation to help with decision-making and choosing green-certified contractors.
For more information and to apply for this Home Energy Audit reimbursement, contact CESC at 510.981.7750 or send an email to smartsolar@ebenergy.org – By Vicky Friedman
Have you been thinking about renovating your home, but are concerned about the chemicals you frequently smell when new carpet or cabinets are installed. Do you wonder how they may be impacting your health? Or does someone in your family have respiratory problems exacerbated by VOC-emitting building materials that you would like to identify and remove?
 Creating a home environment that is functional, beautiful, healthy and environmentally friendly can be achieved without the use of toxic building materials. Greening Oakland Homes can help to connect you to architects and contractors who have the expertise to work with you on your home renovation projects.
To help you get started, Greening Oakland Homes will be giving away two hours of professional advice from LEED-certified architect and prize-winning author Cassandra Adams at the Rockridge Out & About Street Festival on Sunday, September 26th from 12:00 – 6:00. Look for Greening Oakland Homes with other like minded green organizations on College Avenue between Claremont Avenue and Chabot Road.
Stop by to register to win and learn more about local resources for those projects you may have been considering but haven’t quite had the time to research, or know where to go to in order to get started. We hope to see you there.
Did you know that California is the first state to implement a green building ordinance? On January 1st, 2011, all existing and new buildings will face stricter code requirements – whether residential, commercial or multi-family.
 These statewide requirements are part of California’s CalGreen building standards, created to ensure that residential buildings become “carbon neutral” by 2020, and commercial buildings by 2030.
How it works
In the new year, our California state building code will require a basic level of compliance for green building. At some point of time on or after January 1st , Oakland also will ask for extra requirements based on our uniquely local conditions.
What does this mean for you, the homeowner? If you need a permit for renovating/improving/repairing an existing building, you will need to implement green building practices. And the same will be true for new homes.
How will you be evaluated? For homes, a system developed by a non-profit organization called Build It Green will be applied. Your home will be awarded a certain number of GreenPoints (GPR) for each green feature. Soon, homes will be required to have a certain number of GPRs to conform to code. Separately, commercial buildings will be evaluated by the more stringent LEEDS requirements.
Get prepared now
Want to know more about Oakland? Keep up with the latest requirements by reaching the Green Building Resource Center (GBRC), which is prepared to answer your questions about renovations, construction and other green conservation concerns. You may visit them near Oakland City Hall, at 250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, or else call them at 510-238-SAVE (7283).
What’s happening next? Stay tuned for July, when the next draft of California’s Green Building Ordinance will come out. As a homeowner, don’t expect to become an instant expert – but make sure you double-check your plans with suppliers to ensure compliance. It’s a great time to be involved with green building!
Want to dive more deeply? If you’re ambitious, then you should check out the California Green Building Standards Code presentation in its entirety. For Oakland details, please keep up with the green building codes and news at our Green Building Resource Center online.
Remember Bill Nye, the Science Guy on PBS years ago? Mr. Nye has been educating kids about science ever since – and he’s the real deal when it comes to teaching about the climate and greening his own home.
Together with Chabot Space & Science Center, the Science Guy has created Bill’s Climate Lab. This site launched today (!) and you can now check out all kinds of games and tasks about energy conservation.
We’re tickled by this brand-new climate lab, with a twist of interactive fun. Click on the “Waste Not” mission and try out the Vampire Hunt with your grade schoolers: it shows you home energy hogs.
In the fall, Chabot Space & Science Center will debut an exhibit that coordinates with the Climate Lab as well. We’re lucky to learn from Bill Nye, who has that special touch of edutainment which reaches kids well.
Nye tries to practice what he preaches at home. He started simply by replacing light bulbs, and has already progressed to solar panel installations. Outside, he has planted veggie beds. In a New York Times interview, he admits that his home and green lifestyle remains a work-in-progress.
Anyway, we wanted to get the word out about the online launch today. It’s exciting that Oakland’s Chabot Science serves as “Ground Zero” for responding to and teaching kids about climate challenges ahead.
Rain water is a consistently available natural resource, and collecting and conserving it is an efficient way to cut down on the cost of water in your house. Placing a rain barrel underneath the gutters of your home can provide a barrel full of rain water in a downpour, which in turn can be used to water your garden or wash your car. And rainwater is better for your plants anyway!
You can buy a rain barrel and water diverter from home and garden stores for a little as $100. Some cities, like right here in Oakland, have rain barrel programs where you can get them at deeply discounted rates. Check out one you can buy for $45 rather than $150 this weekend.
 - The Water Cycle and your Rain Barrel
Rain barrels can help the water cycle to normalize. In the water cycle, water that evaporates from lakes, streams and even the sea falls as rain and re-charges ground aquifers. This water again flows back to the lakes and sea, and is also used by people. Now with increasing concrete and buildings, the water does not fall into the ground anymore.
What happens when the water cycle breaks? The water table drops and water shortages occur, and we end up paying higher water bills. And the rain gets diverted into sewers so it flows into the bay with all the garbage and pollution, which also causes erosion. Inadvertently, through human activities, one part of the cycle is out of sync, causing a lot of harm.
Rain barrels act like your own reservoir! On one hand, they help you hold down water bills. On the other, they prevent erosion, which can be important if you live on a hillside. And you do your bit to prevent excessive runoff and pollution – how can you resist?
More info: Check out the Rain Barrel Guide website, to learn how to harvest and use rainwater. Oaklanders may purchase 65-gallon “Moby” barrels online here – and pick them up at Kaiser Elementary, 25 South Hill Court (map) on various Saturdays scheduled by the city.
Lose weight? Exercise daily? Maybe.
Yet there’s a new resolution coming into vogue as well. Some 53% of Americans are thinking more broadly and are planning to make a green New Year’s resolution!
According to the just-released Tiller Green Survey, 34% have felt guilty about not being more green – with women at 41% versus men at 27%. And that’s not a bad thing, says Tiller’s James Marren:
Women are clearly more focused than men on incorporating environmental responsibility into daily household activities….perhaps environmentally responsible behaviors will take root even more strongly.
Nearly everybody says they intend to reduce their own footprints. Some 85% of all survey-takers said they were at least somewhat likely to reduce household energy consumption in 2010.
Here’s to the New Year!
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