Recently in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Category

Green Building is an approach to sustainable development that is designed to result in a property that reduces energy demand, costs less to operate, improves the residents' quality of life, and reduces its impact on the environment. This Notice uses the terms "Green Retrofit Program" and "GRP" to refer to the various authorities discussed above. Issuance of this Notice implements the Green Retrofit Program.

Grants and loans will be made available through HUD's Office of Affordable Housing Preservation (OAHP) for eligible property owners to make energy and green retrofit investments in the property, to ensure the maintenance and preservation of the property, the continued operation and maintenance of energy efficiency technologies, and the timely expenditure of funds.

Physical and financial analyses of the properties will be conducted to determine the size of each grant and loan. Incentives will be made available to participating owners. The terms of the grants or loans will include continued affordability agreements. Grant and loan funds must be spent by the receiving property owner within two years. Full detail of how to apply, and grant and loan terms, will be published in a Housing Notice on May 13, 2009.

Green Retrofit Program (GRP) for Section 202, Section 811, and Project Based Section 8

Information from HUD

All materials noted as being available from the GRP web site may be found at http://portal.hud.gov/pls/portal/url/page/recovery/programs/green or www.hud.gov/recovery .

The Section 8 housing program is designed to increase the housing choices available to very low-income households by making privately-owned rental housing affordable to them. It provides rent subsidies, either rental certificates or vouchers, on behalf of eligible tenants.

These subsidies usually equal the difference between 30% of the household's adjusted income and the HUD-approved fair market rent (for certificates) or the PHA-approved payment standard (for vouchers). 

Elderly, Disabled, and Section 8 Assisted Housing Energy Retrofits

ARRA provides $2.5 billion to the Green Retrofit Program (GRP) for Section 202, Section 811, and Project Based Section 8.  These funds are to be used for projects that include measures to promote energy efficiency and sustainability such as Energy Star appliances and products, insulation, windows, etc.  These projects are to be administered by HUD OAHP.  Funds can be distributed as either grants or loans of up to $15,000 on an individual project, with an expected average of $10,000.  Funds may be applied for any time after June 15^th, 2009 until funds are distributed.  Properties that apply for the GRP do not have to refinance, and properties that have already participated in the HUD OAHP Green Initiative or that are described in Section 516(a)(4) of MAHRA are not eligible.  More details are available in the GRP NOFA.

Weatherization of Section 8 Housing includes improving the thermal integrity of buildings by the installation of energy saving measures or equipment.

HUD Incentives to Reduce Utility Costs

Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) can increase property values and improve the condition of the public housing stock. HUD incentives allow capital funds and any extra energy savings from ECMs to be allocated by the housing authority toward needed repairs and other eligible expenses. The incentives also reduce HUD's payments to public housing authorities for utility bills.

These incentives do not override the standard Performance Funding System treatment of savings from conservation measures but offer additional options for allocating savings.

If you are considering using these incentives read 24 CFR 990 and 24 CFR 905. Contact the HUD office in your region for approval and implementation.

Cost/Benefit Analysis of Energy Conservation Measures

U.S. Department of Energy  helps select appropriate cost/benefit analyses and helps select the actions that have the best savings potential. The DOE provides instruction on simple payback analysis, standardized payback equations, life-cycle cost analysis, and selecting the "best" alternatives. The site also includes a life-cyle cost calculator.

Simple Payback Analysis

A highly simplified form of cost/benefit analysis is called simple payback. In this method, the total first cost of the improvement is divided by the first-year energy cost savings produced by the improvement. This method yields the number of years required for the improvement to pay for itself. For new construction, it can be used to evaluate conventional construction to energy-efficient design alternatives.

In simple payback analysis, the assumption is that the service life of the energy efficiency measure will equal or exceed the simple payback time. Simple payback analysis provides a relatively easy way to examine the overall costs and savings potentials for a variety of project alternatives. However, it does not consider a number of factors that are difficult to predict, yet can have a significant impact on cost savings. These factors may be considered by using a more sophisticated life-cycle cost analysis.

Standardized Payback Equations

One option is to take advantage of a building energy measurement and verification guideline that standardizes procedures for quantifying energy savings from energy-efficiency projects. Called the International Performance Measure Measurement and Verification Protocol (PDF 2.5 MB) guideline reduces risk and standardizes paperwork. It also enables loans to be bundled together and sold on a secondary market, like mortgages.

Under federal 2009 ARRA funding, California Community Services Division is receiving $185.2 million for the Department of Energy Weatherization Assistance Program to install energy efficiency and health and safety measures in low-income California dwellings. Of that sum, CSD may use a portion to defray the cost of training workers in weatherization, energy audits, and post-installation inspection standards - all of which are considered "green" jobs.

Over the next 27 months, CSD estimates its local providers will expend approximately $15.7 million ($9.6 million per CSD's estimates and $6.1 million reserve set-aside to be used for the inclusion of new grantees) to support sending their field supervisors, weatherization and energy audit employees, and dedicated subcontractors to CSD-approved weatherization training centers to meet DOE training requirements.

Six Core Subjects of Weatherization Job Training

CSD's weatherization training curriculum consists of 6 core subjects, to include:

Basic Weatherization - instruction on performing the basic and more simplistic forms of energy-efficiency measures, including: caulking, CFL installations, weather-stripping of windows and doors, minor home repairs, etc.

Advanced Weatherization - instruction on performing the more advanced forms of energy-efficiency and health and safety measures, including but not limited to: lighting fixture replacements, window and exterior door replacements, small appliance assessment and replacements, CO alarm installations, advanced forms of minor home repairs, etc.

Diagnostic Testing - instruction on the protocols for carrying-out pressurized diagnostic testing to determine the integrity of heating/cooling duct systems for leakage and the extent of outside air infiltration with indoor condition living space

Combustion Appliance Testing - instruction on the proper testing methods for evaluating the operational safety (carbon monoxide emissions) of combustion appliance located with living spaces and procedures for mitigating appliance hazardous conditions.

Health and Safety Environmental Awareness - instruction on the proper techniques to minimize exposure to lead paint hazards during the course of performing weatherization measure activities, and other safe practices intended to ensure the safety and will being of both weatherization crew members and recipients of weatherization services.

Dwelling Assessment - instruction on the proper method for performing health and safety assessments and energy audits of residential dwellings.

Weatherization Training In The Classroom and Online

CSD's weatherization training curriculum is hosted and delivered at two training centers within the state, the PG&E Training Center located in Stockton, California and the Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County Training Center. CSD will further supplement training center efforts by developing a series of online training courses, employment recruitment tools, and field trainings all intended to further improve the competency and skill of the weatherization workforces. The online training will offer refresher courses and other educational resources to prepare new employees for the classroom training offered at the state's training centers.

Weatherization Green Job Training Recruitment Tools

Recruitment tools will assist agency providers in their recruitment efforts for hiring new staff or retaining the services of subcontractors to ensure that these recruitment efforts result in the hiring individuals possessing basic skills and aptitude to perform weatherization work, and competent subcontractors.

Quality Control

Lastly, CSD will retain the services of a third-party consultant to evaluate the quality of weatherization work and provide infield training to agency employees and subcontractor workforce.

CSD anticipates expending approximately $7.9 million for these various forms of training and technical assistance activities.

Funding announced June , 2009

California ($74,324,424 awarded today) will leverage a network of over 50 non-profits, local governments, and community action associations to perform weatherization services at over 50,000 homes.

Prior to weatherizing a home, weatherization providers will use national auditing tools to conduct home energy audits that will help inform which weatherization activities should occur in a particular home.

In order to ensure quality, the state will also mandate that a third party inspect all weatherized properties, measuring performance based on the quality of work and the speed in which it is implemented.

Additionally, since the program will greatly increase the demand for jobs in the energy efficiency sector, the state will follow the recommendations of the California Green Collar Jobs Council by employing members of the

• California Conservation Corps,
• Youthbuild,
• and other youth employment groups.

Outreach for the program will be conducted through canvassing neighborhoods, local advertising, and by cooperating with landlords and property managers.

After demonstrating successful implementation of their plan, the state will receive more than $92 million in additional funding, for a total of more than $185 million.

On June 18, 2009, the Department of Energy  announced provision of more than $453 million in Recovery Act funding to expand weatherization assistance programs in 15 additional states.

These funds, along with additional funds to be disbursed after the states meet certain Recovery Act milestones, will help these states achieve their goal of weatherizing more than 165,000 homes, lowering energy costs for low-income families that need it, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and creating green jobs across the country. 

The following states will receive 40% of their total weatherization funding authorized under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act today:

• California,
  
• Delaware,
  
• District of Columbia,
  
• Florida,
  
• Maryland,
  
• Montana,
  
• North Carolina,
  
• North Dakota,
  
• Nebraska,
  
• Nevada,
  
• Ohio,
  
• South Carolina,
  
• South Dakota,
  
• Utah, and
• West Virginia.
  

Under the Recovery Act, states may spend up to 20% of funds to hire and train workers.

"These awards demonstrate the Obama Administration's strong commitment to  creating jobs and doing important work for the American people--while ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly," said Secretary Chu. "Today's investments will save money for hard working families, reduce pollution, strengthen local economies and help move America toward a clean energy future."

DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program will be available to families making up to 200% of the federal poverty level--or about $44,000 a year for a family of four.

Weatherization projects allow low-income families to save money by making their homes more energy efficient, which results in average savings of 32% for heating bills and savings of hundreds of dollars per year on overall energy bills. States will spend approximately $6,500 to weatherize each home.

The funding allocations for the Weatherization Assistance Program follow a stage-gate process: on March 12, funding allocations by state were announced and the initial 10% of total funding was available to states and territories to support planning and ramp-up activities; comprehensive state applications were due on May 12; following a DOE reviews for each state, 40% allocations are awarded; and the remaining 50% of funds will be released when states meet reporting, oversight, and accountability milestones required by the Recovery Act.

This installment adds to the initial 10% of the states' funding allocations that were awarded previously for training and ramp-up activities. Following a review of their comprehensive state plans, these 15 states have now received 50% of their Recovery Act Weatherization Assistance Program funding. Arizona, Kansas, Mississippi and Oregon previously received this 40% funding allocation.

The Recovery Act includes a strong commitment to oversight and accountability, while emphasizing the necessity of rapidly awarding funds to help create new jobs and stimulate local economies.

The Clean Energy Corps being promoted as a way to implement the American Recovery Act (2009) will be a combined service, training, job creation and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction effort, concentrated in cities and struggling suburban and rural communities, to combat global warming, grow local and regional economies and demonstrate the equity and employment promise of the clean energy economy.

As a bottom-up rather than top-down effort, it will rely on partnerships at state and local levels--between the public and private sectors and between the key stakeholders of our economy and society--and as such will require more of government, business and civil society at every level. It will create new programmatic capacity and funding mechanisms, but will also rely on an unprecedented alignment of existing programs and funding sources.

Goals of the Clean Energy Corps

Launch a national effort for the comprehensive energy retrofit of our country's building stock, responsible for 40 percent of our energy consumption and GHG emissions; this part of the CEC program is largely self-financing and would create an estimated 600,000 local jobs and reduce energy costs and GHG emissions on a vast scale

Preserve and enlarge green public spaces, strengthen community defenses against climate disruption, and enlist America's public lands in the fight against climate change by planting trees and restoring wetlands and rivers.

Work with a wide array of employers, community organizations, educational institutions and unions to connect workers to high- quality, career track green-collar jobs, and specifically seek to develop "green pathways out of poverty" for low-income and unemployed people--providing them the training, work experience, job placement, and other services needed to gain family-supporting jobs in the green economy.

Directly engage millions of Americans of all ages in diverse service, service-learning, and volunteer work related to climate protection.

Created in 1993, the Corporation for National Service is a public-private partnership that engages Americans of all ages in service.

The Corporation for National and Community Service:

• Acts as a catalyst by providing strategic critical support to volunteer organizations that, in turn, deliver much-needed services to communities throughout the country.

• Promotes a healthy, vibrant non-profit volunteer sector that can deliver community services efficiency and effectively.

• Builds character and creates career and educational opportunities through the volunteer experience.

• Develops and cultivates knowledge that will enhance the overall success of volunteer and service programs.

• Cultivates the growth of a culture of citizenship and service in which contributing to your community becomes commonplace.

To accomplish these goals, the Corporation provides grants and training and technical assistance to developing and expanding volunteer organizations. In addition, the Corporation explores, develops, and models effective approaches for using volunteers to meet the nation's human needs and conducts and disseminates research that helps develop and cultivate knowledge that will enhance the overall effectiveness of national and community service programs.

The Corporation for National and Community Service provides grants to national and local nonprofits, schools, government agencies, faith-based and other community organizations and other groups committed to strengthening their communities through volunteering.

Programs

• AmeriCorps NCCC
• AmeriCorps VISTA
• Senior Corps - RSVP
• Senior Corps - Foster Grandparent Program
• Senior Corps - Senior Companions
• Learn and Serve America Program Director's Handbook

RESOURCE:
Corporation for National and Community Service
www.nationalservice.org/ 

David Rodgers, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency , appeared before Congress to discuss the potential for increased energy efficiency in new and existing buildings to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Despite today's focus on the cost of time on the road, Americans spend virtually their entire week working, eating, studying, recreating, and sleeping in a residential or commercial building.

The building sector represents 40% of the nation's primary energy consumption--72% of electricity and 55% of natural gas--exceeding any other sector of the U.S. economy, including transportation and industry. In 2007, GHG emissions from the built environment were 2,317 million metric tons or 39% of total U.S. emissions.

Unlike automobiles, whose life is comparatively short, buildings can last for decades. The median lifetime for commercial buildings is 65-80 years. Twenty-five percent of American homes were built before 1950 and overall, almost three-quarters of our nation's 88 million buildings were built before 1979.  Some were designed and constructed for limited service, and many will eventually require either significant retrofits or replacement. EERE estimates that an additional two million new buildings will be built between now and 2010, depending on economic conditions.  Together, aging buildings and new construction represent a tremendous opportunity to transform how we design, build, and operate buildings in order to decrease energy consumption in the built environment and reduce GHG emissions.

Energy efficiency is the quickest, least costly, and lowest risk path to achieving sustained reductions of GHG emissions. Efficiency bolsters the nation's economic competitiveness and enhances our security. Significantly, robust and evolving arrays of energy efficient technologies are market-ready today at attractive rates of return with enormous untapped potential.

In fact, in a 2007 report, McKinsey Global Institute identified energy savings from existing technologies sufficient to cut the growth in global energy consumption by half or more over 15 years.

Increasing the efficiency of new and existing buildings provides the nation with a tremendous opportunity to reduce both energy consumption and the GHG emissions, improving the environment and reducing energy costs for citizens and businesses. DOE's estimates of the cumulative avoided greenhouse gases associated with the FY 2009 Building Technologies Program ranges from 330 to 517 MMTC02 in the year 2020 and 1611 to 2141 MMTC02 in the year 2030, as reported in its official Congressional Budget Request.

Our goal is to promote cost-effective, reliable, market-available policies, practices, and technologies that will permanently reduce the trajectory of U.S. energy demand growth and the carbon footprint of the built environment, concurrent with economic growth.

Our efforts are focused in six key areas:

• Model Building Codes
• Appliance Standards and Lighting
• Research and Development
• Civic Infrastructure
• Public Education and Outreach
• Utility Efficiency

SOURCE: 
Testimony of David Rodgers, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency before the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality, United States House of Representatives. Topic: Buildings Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gases, July 17, 2008, http://www1.eere.energy.gov/office_eere/rodgers_testimony_071708.html

For the purposes of transparency, the Recovery Act requires a website to be established and maintained to track how and where tax dollars are being spent.  The url for this website is http://www.recovery.gov/.  Grantees are required to provide information regarding the expenditure of Recovery funds through this website.   
 
The transparency requirements of the Recovery Act are intended to ensure that the crucial
accountability objectives are met:  
 

• Funds are awarded and distributed in a prompt, fair, and reasonable manner;
• The recipients and uses of all funds are transparent to the public, and the public benefit of these funds are reported clearly, accurately, and in a timely manner; 
• Funds are used for authorized purposes, and instances of fraud, waste, error, and abuse are mitigated; 
• Projects funded under this Act avoid unnecessary delays and cost overruns 
• Program goals are achieved, including specific program outcomes and improved results on broader economic indicators. 

These stipulations may require additional information be collected from the Grantees and
subgrantees.  DOE will provide Grantees with guidance on any additional reporting
requirements, once available.

Even with the increase in funding, Grantees are reminded that leveraging remains an important component of the Program.  Otherwise, there are no changes to this section.Even with the increase in funding, Grantees are reminded that leveraging remains an important component of the Program.

Training and Technical Assistance Funding

The Recovery Act adjusted the allowable percentage DOE may permit the Weatherization Assistance Program to use for T&TA.  In the Recovery Act, allowance is made for the Program not to exceed 20 percent of the funds appropriated for T&TA activities. 

All other aspects of T&TA allowable expenditures remain the same. The percentage of funds for PY 09 reflects the full percentage of T&TA.  To effectively address the Weatherization
network's needs, DOE will retain 3 percent of the T&TA for national training and  technical assistance initiatives and transmit 17 percent to the Grantees. The Recovery Act adjusted the allowable percentage DOE may permit the Weatherization Assistance Program to use for T&TA.  In the Recovery Act, allowance is made for the Program not to exceed 20 percent of the funds appropriated for T&TA activities.  All other aspects of T&TA allowable expenditures remain the same. The percentage of funds for PY 09 reflects the full percentage of T&TA.  To effectively address the Weatherization network's needs, DOE will retain 3 percent of the T&TA for national training and technical assistance initiatives and transmit 17 percent to the Grantees.

ENERGY STAR^TM
Recommends Duct Sealing

SOURCE:

"Field Test of Advanced Duct-Sealing Technologies within the Weatherization Assistance Program" November 2001; Mark P. Ternes, Ho-Ling Hwang.  Prepared by the
OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.  This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States government. A copy of the complete research report is at:  http://weatherization.ornl.gov/Publications.htm

 

Grant guidance and management information for accessing funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act).

This guidance should be used in conjunction with Weatherization Program Notice (WPN) 09-1A, Grant Guidance for Program Years 2008 and 2009 to Access the $250 Million Supplemental Funding, dated October 27, 2008, and WPN 09-1, Program Year 2009 Weatherization Grant Guidance, dated November 17, 2008.

WPN 09-1B GRANT GUIDANCE TO ADMINISTER THE AMERICAN RECONVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT OF 2009 FUNDING

PDF Download:  Attachment 1 -- Allocation Chart, WPN 09-1, WPN 09-1A

Low-Income Weatherization Assistance Program

Title IV, Energy Conservation and Production Act, as amended, authorizes the Department of Energy to administer the Low-Income Weatherization Assistance Program.  All grant rewards made under this program shall comply with applicable law including regulations contained in 10 CFR Part 440 (issued February 1, 2002), the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and other procedures applicable to this regulation as DOE may, from time-to-time, prescribe for the administration of financial assistance. The use of Grants.gov for receipt of applications became mandatory for all programs in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007.  Additional discussion and instructions for using this system is provided in PY 2009 Funding Opportunity Announcement No. DE-PS26-09NT01243

Training and Technical Assistance Funds

The Weatherization Assistance Program statute permits DOE to use an amount not to exceed 10 percent of the fund appropriated, for T&TA activities. This percentage is reviewed annually and set only after considering the amount of funds appropriated to the Program and an Annual
Operating Plan is developed for Headquarters and PMC T&TA to address national program support needs.  The percentage of funds for PY 2009 reflects the full percentage of T&TA, and the division of funds for national is 1-1/2% and for Grantees is 8-1/2%.

Weatherization Plus

Weatherization Plus, launched in 1999, is the strategic plan to systematically promote the evolution of the Weatherization Assistance Program from a focus on heating and cooling energy conservation to an expanded focus on whole- house energy usage and whole-community efforts.

The  Weatherization Plus Committee, representing the diverse interests of the Network, recommended that the Program focus its efforts on four specific areas:

• Communication
  
• Expanded Resources
  
• Leveraging/Partnerships
  
• Consistent Delivery of Quality Services
  
• National Information Exchange Resource
  

To assist the Weatherization Network in obtaining the most up to date information on programmatic/policy issues, technical issues, and evaluation studies, DOE sponsors the following websites:

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/weatherization

Weatherization Assistance Program Technical Assistance Center:
http://www.waptac.org

Weatherization Plus:
http://weatherizationplus.org

Oak Ridge National Laboratory:
http://weatherization.ornl.gov

Project Management Center:
https://www.eere.pmc.energy.gov/