Lorna Fear's blog

We've been hearing a lot about Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE), and Green Home Energy Programs Local governments and non-profits have been holding workshops to explain it all and I attended one recently. The idea sounds great -- jump-start the green economy with solar panel installations that provide meaningful jobs for at-risk youth plus new careers for seasoned employees in transition. Vocational colleges have popped up to offer classes in connection with the Solar Living Institute, Building Performance Institute and other non-profits. Some people can even get financial aid that covers the entire training.

So what's the controversy? There are several concerns.

FUNDING The proposed funding for PACE projects would have come from selling bonds, which would be paid off through special tax assessments for the homes on which the panels were installed. These assessments would run with the land, not with the owner. That means you could borrow the money to install solar panels and sell the house before you paid them off. The next owner would just finish paying for them. This approach is commonly used for municipal improvements, like streets. But that puts another creditor in line ahead of all the lenders. And panels on your home do not constitute a municipal improvement. Nice Try! Unfortunately, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have advised against granting loans on homes encumbered by PACE assessments. As a result, most PACE programs are now on hold, and some of the training is on hold as well.

TRAINING It should be called Green Job (singular) Training, because it's so narrowly focused on solar PV installation. In states like California, where solar PV doesn't really pencil out, it's hard to make sense of that approach -- especially in this economic environment. In addition, the training lasts about 5 weeks but does not count toward or prepare trainees for taking the state contractor's license test. To do this work, you must have a contractor's license or work for a company that has one.

EMPLOYMENT Another controversy is over how many trainees will be gainfully employed doing PV installation. A speaker from a well-known solar installation firm said his company looks for people with building trades experience. Unless forced to do otherwise, these companies will probably just hire the construction pros who are out of work right now -- people who are over-qualified for these particular jobs. But there is still hope -- if cities adopt plans like Richmond implemented, and require these jobs be given to their own at-risk youth and displaced workers who need retraining.

TAKE ACTION We must write letters and talk to our county and city representatives, and ask them to follow Richmond's example. Otherwise, the green jobs we think will provide hope for our at-risk youth and people whose jobs were sent offshore -- those green jobs will be a long time coming.

Thermal imagers have been used by the military and manufacturing facilities for a long time. Recently, they've been refined and specialized for building science applications and I just bought one. It's loaded with report software and using my laptop, I can burn a CD real time.

These imagers reveal temperature anomalies so you can see where a building leaks or is infiltrated by air and where it traps moisture. Having this information is crucial if a homeowner is going to make improvements in the right order. There is definitely a correct order for some projects. Here's an example.

Have you heard the horror stories about dual-pane windows? In the Q&As that follow my talks on How to Go Green without Going Broke, I certainly have! People are spending $15,000 and more to replace all their old windows, without getting more than a two-dollar reduction in energy bills.

Dual panes can't save energy unless your walls are insulated (this doesn't apply if you live in a fishbowl/Eichler). They can make rooms less drafty and quieter, but the warm air will still find its way out the uninsulated walls, like it always has. NOTE: replacing a window with dual panes reduces that window's heat loss by 50% or less. And because windows typically account for only 25% of a wall, the cost/benefit ratio is not that attractive.. As part of a whole house upgrade or new construction, dual panes make a lot of sense -- and they're the law. But before you decide to replace all your windows with dual pane products, determine whether and how well your home is insulated.

Until recently, that's been difficult to do. Now, a thermal imager can show you where and how badly your home leaks. You can also identify areas of potential mold growth. Some pest control companies are using them now, because thermal imagers can detect the presence of termite nests as well.