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HOME STAR: Putting Americans Back to Work

By Bracken Hendricks, Tom Kenworthy | February 23, 2010

As the nation struggles to recover from one of the worst economic recessions in decades, unemployment has recently shown some marginal improvement, falling below 10 percent in January. But for workers in the construction and construction-related manufacturing sectors, there is little relief as jobless rates remain at near-Depression levels.

Fortunately, help is on the horizon. This week a bill establishing a HOME STAR program of consumer rebates for home energy efficiency retrofits will be introduced in the Senate thanks to the leadership of Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), among others. Concerned members of Congress, with the Obama administration’s support, have crafted an incentive program to make millions of U.S. homes more energy efficient, swiftly create 168,000 jobs in construction and manufacturing among other industries, save homeowners nearly $10 billion over a decade through lower energy costs, and make a dent in global warming pollution.

The proposal for a $6 billion HOME STAR program enjoys broad and bipartisan support. It is backed by the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board and is part of a jobs agenda endorsed by some Senate Democratic leaders. A large and broad coalition including major corporations, organized labor, and energy nonprofits supports the initiative as well. In President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address he said that rebates for Americans who retrofit their homes should be part of a clean-energy agenda. “We should put more Americans to work building clean-energy facilities, and give rebates to Americans who make their homes more energy efficient, which supports clean-energy jobs,” he said. The Senate will soon consider jobs legislation and HOME STAR should be a key component.

HOME STAR, sometimes called “cash for caulkers,” is a proposal that makes sense. It makes economic sense because it can provide a quick employment stimulus putting 168,000 people to work—the overwhelming majority of them in jobs that can’t be outsourced overseas. It makes sense for homeowners who will be able to afford home improvements that will pay real dollar dividends for many years by reducing their energy bills 20 percent or more forever. It makes sense for businesses who will see demand for their products increase. And it makes sense for a more secure energy future since increasing the number of homes with energy efficient retrofits from 200,000 a year to 3 million a year will cut global warming pollution by the equivalent of taking 615,000 cars off the road or decommissioning four 300-megawatt power plants.

As important as these energy benefits are, however, HOME STAR is clearly a job creator and the right medicine for the economy.

Great Appliance Swap Out under way

By Samantha Maziarz Christmann
News Business Reporter
Updated: February 12, 2010, 12:07 pm

Consumers can get rebates up to $550 on Energy Star purchases

The Great Appliance Swap Out hits New York today, and dealers met it head on with extra early hours and all hands on deck.

As part of the federal stimulus package, consumers who buy qualifying Energy Star-certified home appliances starting today will receive rebates of up to $550. Rebate amounts rise if consumers prove their old appliances have been recycled.

The program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, runs until Feb. 21 or whenever the state’s allotted $16.44 million is gone.

“The challenge is that the money could run out very fast,” said Dean Rallo, president of Rosa’s Home Stores. “That money is for all of New York State, including New York City and Long Island.”

Those buying qualifying Energy Star appliances can apply for a rebate of $75 on refrigerators ($105 if recycled), $50 on freezers ($75 if recycled) and $75 on washing machines ($100 if recycled). Dishwashers are eligible as part of a refrigerator, clothes washer and dishwasher package, with a total rebate of $500 (or $550 if recycled). Clothes dryers aren’t eligible, as none are Energy Star certified.

Although most of the certified appliances are more expensive than others, companies argue that over time, energy savings will more than compensate for the higher price.

At the maximum, the rebate money would cover only an average of 227,835 single appliance credits and 2,350 credits for those buying a three-appliance combo. There are roughly 276,000 people in Buffalo alone.

Energy audit sheds light on costly appliances, electronics

By Ann Tatko-Peterson
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 02/12/2010 02:00:00 PM PST

PG&E brought my family an unwelcome gift in mid-November: a SmartMeter.

Since the Bay Area rollout last fall, these remotely read meters have come under fire. Consumers have complained that they do not accurately measure electricity usage, resulting in significantly higher utility bills.

I was worried. Reducing my carbon footprint and protecting the world from global warming hadn’t gotten my attention quite the way the SmartMeter, and more specifically the threat of losing money, had.

Never before had I considered auditing my energy consumption. I didn’t even realize that companies offered this service.

For me, the priority was avoiding a spike in my PG&E bill that wouldn’t require replacing major appliances, the furnace or water heater.

My family of three lives in a 30-year-old, 2,100-square-foot, two-story house with four bedrooms and 2½ bathrooms. The $2,027 we spent last year on utilities was almost in line with the annual U.S. average of $1,900, but well above the $1,206 average for homes in our city of Concord.

Hoping to bring down our energy use, I answered dozens of detailed questions in an online audit from Home Energy Saver (www.hes.lbl.gov). The resulting recommendations were what I expected: Switch to a natural gas dryer, replace our dishwasher and water heater with energy-efficient models, and have our ducts professionally sealed — all budget breakers.

But I found something I could do within our budget. The U.S. Department of Energy says energy used to power major and small appliances accounts for 17 percent of a household’s energy consumption. For us, that came to $750 a year.

Energy Savers: Approved Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Programs

Use this map or table to find information on the appliance rebates available in your state or territory.

DOE has approved the appliance rebate programs for the states and territories linked or listed on this page as of February 12, 2010. This list and map will be updated as additional program details are available.

Note: This Web site is the only official DOE-sponsored Web site; be cautious of “fake” Web sites.

States and Territories with Approved Rebate Programs

This table includes the full list of the states and territories with approved appliance rebate programs. For more details about an individual state or territory program, please visit the state’s Web site or call the contact number listed on the table.

You can also download the state-by-state listings table as a pdf.

Home energy retrofits: The bottom line

By Steve Hargreaves, staff writerFebruary 4, 2010: 12:38 PM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Investing to make your home more energy efficient may lower the bills, but it may not boost its price, partly because these investments aren’t fully valued by appraisers.

“Everyone is talking about return on investment, it’s the first thing customers want to know,” said Jeff Geoghan, a Coldwell Banker realtor in Lancaster, Penn. “But the appraisal industry is not up to speed on this at all.”

Nearly everyone agrees that performing an energy retrofit will make your place more comfortable and save a lot on bills. But if the retrofits don’t add value to the home’s price, will homeowners make the improvements, regardless of whether or not the government decides to pick up half the tab, as they are considering?

Details have yet to be ironed out and passage is not a sure thing, but it’s thought a new jobs initiative being pursued by Democrats in Congress may funnel some $11 billion towards home energy efficiency.

It’s designed primarily to put contractors back to work, doing things like adding insulation, caulking windows and doors, and upgrading heating units, air conditioners, hot water heaters and other appliances.

If passed, homeowners may be eligible for a tax credit worth up to $12,000, or half the cost of the retrofits, which ever is lower.

If a homeowner spends $24,000 and cuts its energy use in half – probably the most ambitions reduction that can reasonably be achieved – it would save the average homeowner $100 a month on their utility bills, said Lane Burt, manager of building energy policy at Natural Resources Defense Council.