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VI. EFFICIENT BUILDINGS AND OTHER PROJECTS One of the easiest ways to achieve these objectives is to make sure municipal, residential, commercial, and important public spaces, including schools and places of worship, are as energy efficient as possible. This is an important first step. Committees use energy audits and building performance assessments to provide information on cost-effective energy retrofits that can save energy and money. Communities can also form their own Home Energy Assistance Teams of trained volunteers to implement simple weatherization measures in homes of those in need and community buildings. Below is a list of entities and resources that provide energy audits and assessments. Find the contact information for these and other valuable efficiency resources in the “Resource” list at the back of this document. Entities Providing Energy Audits and Assessments
Promoting Efficiency and Conservation In New Development Work with your local municipality in a proactive way to make certain that new development in town is as sustainable and energy efficient as possible. This might begin with amended policies for new development. Planning commissions, development review boards and zoning boards of adjustment can help by first greening their town plan and zoning and subdivision bylaws. Examine the plan and bylaws to remove obstacles and create opportunities for energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, and compact land use patterns. Many communities are leading by example by adopting minimum performance-based building standards including Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Before adopting a standard, communities might first assess the energy use of their buildings, schools and wastewater facilities. Environ mental Protection Agency’s “Community Energy Challenge” encourages communities to benchmark their buildings in accordance with Energy Star. This easy to use tool helps communities baseline the performance of their buildings as compared to similar public buildings. Learn more at http://www.epa.gov/Region 1/eco/energy/energy-challenge.html. Contact Lucy Edmondson with questions at (617) 918-1004 or edmondson.lucy@epa.gov. State law mandates that new buildings meet the New Hampshire Energy Code and show plans in compliance with the code prior to a building permit being issued. In towns where there is a building inspector, an inspection including, where possible, a blower door test, is a proactive measure which can be taken. In Towns where there is no means for inspection or the code official does not conduct such an inspection, the contractor is required by RSA 155-D to complete a certificat of code compliance prior to an occupancy permit being issued. Currently less than 50% of the towns in NH have code officials. Many code officials do not conduct energy inspections on buildings prior to occupancy. As a result many, perhaps a majority of buildings do not meet the minimum energy code, which in itself is not a high benchmark for efficiency. Other suggestions for town officials include: Distributing information about the following programs to individuals and developers seeking building permits:
http://www.puc.nh.gov/EnergyCodes/commercial.htm
Paul Leveille High-Performance
Building Coordinator Encourage your local planning board to adopt basic performance-based standards that will ensure that all new buildings are constructed to a minimum efficiency level. For example, work with your planning board to adopt language in your town plan, building code, and ordinances that require “all new construction to be designed and constructed to exceed Society of Heating Refrigeration Air Conditioning Engineers, ASHRAE 90.1, standards by at least 30 percent.” Change a Light Campaign A great way to increase community awareness and achieve very cost-effective electric savings in your community is to sell compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) or to undertake a community-wide “change a light” campaign. CFLs use about 1/3 the electricity and last 8-10 times longer than incandescent bulbs at comparable light levels. Over its lifetime, each CFL will save users $40 to $70 in electric savings and release 1/3 to 1/2 fewer tons of CO2 to the atmosphere. Communities have had tremendous success in organizing CFL “change-a-light” campaigns. Concerned citizens, business leaders, the town, legislators, and area school teachers and students can undertake an aggressive campaign to help save energy. In Vermont, the “Manchester Challenge,” was to replace 40,000 incandescent light bulbs with more energy-efficient CFLs. Organizers exceeded their goal, changing out 45,000 light bulbs and saving the community approximately $2 million in energy use over the life of the bulbs. A number of Manchester residents replacing all the bulbs in their home reported a 20 percent reduction in electric bill-over $300-$400 in energy savings annually. Project organizers give large credit for the success of this effort to the diversity of local leadership who championed it. The NH Core (Electric) Utilities offer an incentive program for lighting. For more information on organizing CFL sales, contact http://www.nhsaves.com/catalog/ More Resources
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NH Sustainable Energy Association Is the statewide local
branch of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association. NHSEA offers
information, education and resources on Renewable Resources in NH.
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NH Sustainable Energy Association Consumer Resource Guide · Plymouth Area Renewable Energy Initiative. Is a local Plymouth grass roots organization. Offers bulk purchasing, community installation of renewable resources, education and information. http://www.plymouthenergy.org · Plymouth Area Renewable Energy Initiative Resource Page http://www.plymouthenergy.org/resource.htm · Energy Services and Technology Program, NH Community Technical College at Laconia, offers Certificate programs, continuing education and resources for community energy development. For more information contact Wes Golomb, Program Coordinator at wgolomb@nhctc.edu or visit their website at Department of Energy Services and Technology
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