New Programs Launching for Residents Looking to Green Their Homes

Want to green your home while saving some green?

Whether you're tight on cash or have several thousand dollars to spend, this summer Union City is making it easy for residents to reduce the energy consumption in their homes and cut the cost of utility bills.

The city is participating in the California Youth Energy Services program, which sends young people into homes to conduct free energy audits and offer simple retrofits, as well as Energy Upgrade California, a statewide collaboration between municipalities and utilities companies to provide rebates to homeowners who work with licensed contractors to stop air leaks and improve insulation in their homes.

CYES, operated by the nonprofit Rising Sun Energy Center, was established 11 years ago in Berkeley, where Rising Sun is headquartered.

The program has grown steadily ever since, expanding to cities in Alameda, Marin and San Mateo Counties. This summer the program will launch in several additional East Bay cities, including Union City.

Staff say in addition to helping residents save money, the program provides a valuable green career pathway for local youth, who are trained and employed by the organization.

"It's a no-brainer," said  Taraneh Arhamsadr, who manages outreach and marketing for CYES.

She said the program has recruited eight local young people—half under 18 and half over that age—who are relatively new to the job market and have an interest in sustainability and the green economy.

Once they complete an intensive 40 hours of training in June -- which focuses not only on technical knowledge but also professionalism and customer service -- the Union City teenagers will team up in pairs (consisting of one minor under 18 and one legal adult with a drivers license) to visit homes from July through mid-August.

During each free "green house call," the young energy specialists will measure household consumption of electricity, gas and water.

Afterward, they will offer residents help in reducing such usage by switching out incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescent bulbs and installing faucet aerators, low-flow showerheads and retractable clotheslines outdoors. They will also measure the insulation in the attic and check for toilet or air leaks. 

Arhamsadr said the program receives most of its funding from PG&E, but municipal governments also chip in money. Cities may also help to market the program to residents by providing informational links on their websites and staffing booths at local events, she said.

The young people will work eight-hour shifts four days a week, with minors earning $9 an hour and those between 18 and 22 years old earning $10 plus reimbursement for gas.

CYES's goal is to service 200 to 250 homes per city, Arhamsadr said.

Residents who might be reluctant to let young people into their homes should rest assured that applicants are screened for their maturity and responsibility, she said, in both individual and group interviews as well as role-playing scenarios that test how the teens would handle stressful situations. 

"The interview process is very successful in bringing out 'red flags' that indicate a lack of integrity or trustworthiness," Arhamsadr said, and for youth that are hired, managers conduct both ride-along and drop-in visits to homes.

Those who want to sign up for the program are encouraged to do so as soon as possible, as program managers are putting the wait list together now, Arhamsadr said.

Residents who sign up will be contacted in June to schedule appointments.

To get on the waiting list, call 510-665-1501 ext. 10, or visit CYES online. 

Energy Rebates

Union City residents who want more intensive energy-saving services now have that opportunity as well. The city is part of a new statewide program that provides financial rebates to residents who make "green" upgrades to their homes.

Energy Upgrade California, sponsored by the California Energy Commission in collaboration with local governments, agencies and utilities companies including PG&E, offers two packages of upgrades—basic and advanced—that homeowners can make through a licensed contractor participating in the program.

A basic upgrade package could result in a rebate up to $1,000 and energy savings of up to 10 percent. To be eligible, homeowners are required to perform attic air sealing and insulation plus duct sealing. The contractor may also insulate the hot water heater or install a carbon dioxide monitor and thermostatic shut-off valve.

Depending on the contractor's estimate, the work could cost between $3,000 and $4,000.

If a homeowner has already performed some of these basic upgrades they can utilize an advanced, or customized, package that could result in a rebate up to $4,000 and an energy savings of up to 40 percent.

Homeowners who choose the advanced option will likely spend at least $10,000, according to Judi Ettlinger, media and communications coordinator at StopWaste.Org.

Depending on what residents choose to do, the cost can go up from there, she said.

In both cases, the actual rebate amount will depend on the level of energy savings achieved. In the beginning of the process, the contractor will assess how much energy is leaking from the home. Once the work has been completed, he will then perform an additional measurement, and any reduction is translated into energy savings.

That assessment will then be submitted to PG&E, which is responsible for granting rebates.

Ettlinger said the contractors participating in the program are all veterans in the field, and are confident that homeowners will receive the rebate they recommend based on their energy calculations.

But she also said there are "a number of steps along the way" for homeowners to ensure they will see rebate money, including third-party verification of the contractor's findings.

Ettlinger presented the program to City Council at its May 10 meeting.

She said residents can add additional upgrades on top of either of the upgrade packages. The green upgrade package, for example, can result in a home being certified as GreenPoint Rated and make the homeowner eligible for a $1,000 rebate from StopWaste.Org. 

The green upgrade package was pioneered in Alameda County two years ago and has been integrated into the statewide program, she added.

While there is no deadline to when homeowners can take advantage of the program, "when the money's gone, it's gone," Ettlinger said.

Learn more at EnergyUpgradeCa.Org.