Austin Energy HPwES Evaluation Report 2012
Task 5: Conduct review of other utility HPwES and customer incentive programs, industry studies and other research to identify potential application to Austin Energy’s
6 Review of Regional Home Performance Program, Customer Incentive Programs, Industry Studies and Other Research
The following sections contain GDS’s findings from the following task:
Task 5: Conduct review of other utility HPwES and customer incentive programs, industry studies and other research to identify potential application to Austin Energy’s HPwES Program.
6.1 Findings
GDS reviewed the following programs and resources:
Arizona’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Program;
Oncor’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Program;
AEP – Public Service Company of Oklahoma Homer Performance with ENERGY STAR®
Program;
The Building Performance Institute;
Home Performance Resource Center;
The New York Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Program;
The New Jersey Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Program;
Residential HVAC Quality Installation and Maintenance;
Home Perspectives and Marketing;
McKinsey Global Energy and Materials U.S. Energy Efficiency Report; and
EPA Energy Management Guidelines and Benchmarking Best Practices.
For a complete synopses of the programs reviewed, please see Appendix D.
GDS also conducted a survey of program managers running HPwES Programs across the country. GDS received responses from the following programs:
APS Energy Services HPwES Program;
Fort Collins Utilities (FCU) Home Efficiency Program;
Home Free Nevada;
NYSERDA HPwES Program;
Xcel Energy HPwES Program;
Nevada Power Company – Under Home Free Nevada (NPC);
Rocky Mountain Power (RMP);
Questar Gas Company Program;
Utah Home Performance; and
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Tucson Electric Power BrightSave Home Program.
A summary of the survey responses is provided in Appendix C.
A summary of GDS’s findings is provided in the following table.
Austin Energy HPwES Evaluation Report 2012
Table 6‐1: Summary of HPwES Programs and Study Findings
CATEGORY SUB‐CATEGORY DETAILS SOURCE
Communication Internal Plan for sufficient staffing and efficient administrative processes to avoid delays in payment.
HP Resource Center Contractors Auditors Inspectors must have a building analyst certification, participate in
ongoing training, and have at least 2 years experience as a contractor
APS
Contractors Auditors BPI certified auditors. Home Free NV
Contractors Auditors BPI certification required. NY HPwES
Contractors Auditors Inspectors must complete QA/QC training. NPC
Contractors Auditors Inspectors are 3rd party vendors who must meet the requirements of the Regional Technical Forum.
RMP
Contractors Auditors Inspectors complete training through Questar. Questar Contractors Auditors Inspectors are required to have either BPI or RESNET certification. UT HPwES Contractors Auditors Inspectors are also required to have BPI certification. Tucson
Contractors Certifications BPI certified contractors. AEP
Contractors Certifications Licensed with BPI certification for every, maintain enrollment in the mentorship program, and pass a prescreening test. Also, requires contractors to take an energy modeling & software training course.
APS
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CATEGORY SUB‐CATEGORY DETAILS SOURCE
Contractors Certifications Partnership with Lightly Treading and Energy Logic for contractor certification and training.
FCU
Contractors Certifications BPI certified contractors. However, contractors must also meet insurance requirements and present valid business licenses.
Home Free NV
Contractors Certifications Most contractors generally specialize in a single construction procedure as opposed to whole building design. The growing HPwES Programs have helped to increase the BPI certified contractor base.
McKinsey Study
Contractors Certifications BPI certification required. NY HPwES
Contractors Certifications BPI or NATE depending on expertise. Require CAZ training as a "band‐
aid" for any training that may not include all concepts covered in CAZ.
Xcel Energy
Contractors Certifications Contractors are required to have BPI or RESNET certification. NPC Contractors Certifications At the moment contractors are required to provide references for
accreditations and must complete basic training through the utility. The technical requirements for contractors are set by the Regional Technical Forum, a division of the Northwest Power Planning Conservation
Console. The new system will require strict testing to enter RMP's network and will allow a limited number of project failures before contractors are dropped from the network.
RMP
Austin Energy HPwES Evaluation Report 2012
CATEGORY SUB‐CATEGORY DETAILS SOURCE
Contractors Certifications Weatherization contractors are required to complete training directly through Questar gas. Air sealing contractors are required to be BPI certified. All contractors must have prior experience in the industry.
Questar
Contractors Certifications Contractors who perform the work do not need any certification. UT HPwES Contractors Certifications At least one person in the installation crew visiting a household must be
BPI certified. The contractor must also be registered with the Registrar of Contractors.
Tucson
Contractors Communication Provide dedicated program administrator for responding to contractor inquiries.
BPI Study
Contractors Home Assessment Become contractor‐centric: contractors that are both auditors and installers enable the customer to experience a seamless and convenient sale.
APS
Contractors Home Assessment One contractor performs both initial audit and measure installations. AZ HPwES Contractors Home Assessment Deciding whether to implement an Auditor, Contractor, or Hybrid model
(Home Free Nevada still has not determined which model is the most effective).
Home Free NV
Contractors Home Assessment Encourage retrofits, not just audits, and support an integrated contractor model.
HP Resource Center
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CATEGORY SUB‐CATEGORY DETAILS SOURCE
Contractors Home Assessment Enabling the contractor to perform both the inspection and installation has facilitated a more seamless experience to customers and has also fallen in line with TEP's vision of having "knowledge embedded to contractors."
Tucson
Contractors Recruiting Successful HPwES contractors are those that view this as a viable business opportunity and are experienced in selling premium efficiency or renewable technologies.
BPI Study
Contractors Requirements After a year of participation, many of the subsidies are only available to companies who complete at least 10 jobs per year, which helps ensure that program funding is not being wasted.
NJ HPwES
Contractors Training Stimulate industry capacity by offering subsidies for training, equipment and marketing
HP Resource Center Contractors Training Oncor provides technician training on proper installation practices for
air conditioning and duct systems and small installer incentives are offered to offset additional labor and materials costs associated with a quality installation project. After a third party verification confirms that the installations meet program specifications, the homeowner receives a “High Performance Installation” certificate.
HVAC Quality Study
Contractors Training Stimulate industry growth by offering various subsidies for training, equipment purchases and marketing.
NJ HPwES
Austin Energy HPwES Evaluation Report 2012
CATEGORY SUB‐CATEGORY DETAILS SOURCE
Eligible Measures
Eligible Measure Seal Air Leaks Add Insulation Seal & Insulate Ducts Duct Replacement HVAC Improvements Water Heater Upgrades Fix Combustion Equipment Solar Screens/Film
Radiant Barrier Efficient Windows Lighting & Appliances
AEP
Eligible Measures
Eligible Measure Seal Ductwork Seal Air Leaks
Repair/Add Insulation Shade Screens
HVAC Improvements Lighting & Appliances
AZ HPwES
Eligible Measures
Eligible Measure According to the United States D.O.E, of the existing stock of refrigerators in U.S. homes, approximately 25 percent were
manufactured before minimum efficiency standards took effect in 1993.
Operating an appliance retirement and recycling program reduces energy consumption and peak demand and ensures that old models are not put back on the secondary market.
EPA Review
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CATEGORY SUB‐CATEGORY DETAILS SOURCE
Eligible Measures
Eligible Measure Seal Air Leaks Add Insulation Seal & Insulate Ducts HVAC Improvements Water Heater Upgrades Fix Combustion Equipment Solar Screens
Efficient Windows Lighting & Appliances
Oncor HPwES
Eligible Measures
Eligible Measure At least 3 measures must be implemented for participants to receive incentives (recently lowered from 5).
Xcel Energy
Evaluations Energy Savings Deemed savings based on measurements. APS
Evaluations Evaluations Collect data, analyze and adjust. HP Resource
Center Evaluations M&V Regularly conduct measurement and verification activities. APS Evaluations Savings Recently switched to Optimizer software and hires a 3rd party to verify
performance measurements for 5% of participants.
Home Free NV
Evaluations Savings TREAT computer modeling software and Real Home auditor software is used to determine the energy savings. Savings are not verified.
NY HPwES
Evaluations Savings Deemed savings. Xcel Energy
Austin Energy HPwES Evaluation Report 2012
CATEGORY SUB‐CATEGORY DETAILS SOURCE
Evaluations Savings Energy savings are determined from calculations performed by vendors and 3rd party data. Savings are not verified.
RMP
Evaluations Savings Deemed values. Questar
Evaluations Savings TEP hires a 3rd party to determine actual savings. The method used by the 3rd party is called "Math Sheets," (i.e., a "really complicated spreadsheet"). The Math Sheets take into account measurements such as the duct leakage reductions verified by the blower door test, utility usage data, and the market pricing of measures to calculate avoided costs.
Tucson
Home Assessment
Cost Flat $99.00 fee for audit. AZ HPwES
Home Assessment
Recommended Improvements
Homeowners feel less like they are being sold if they are told which measures should be done now and in combination with each other, and which measures can be done at a later date.
Homeowner Perspectives &
Marketing
Home Assessment
Tests Air Infiltration Tests Duct Blaster Tests Combustion Safety Tests
AEP ‐ Public Service Co. of OK
Austin Energy HPwES Evaluation Report 2012