New Jersey Comfort Partners Program A. Tamasin Sterner, Pure Energy

Meeting Objectives Hear an overview of the NJ Comfort Partners Program I’m here on behalf of the NJ electric and gas utilities

Meeting Topics NJ Comfort Partners Program, top to bottom Purpose and Primary Steps Customer Interview/Partnering Process Seasonal Allowance Spreadsheet and Use History Structure and Appliance Inspection Measuring and Evaluation Air Leakage Measure Evaluation Combustion Safety Testing Customer Education

The Systems Approach Works Total Consumption Picture

Purpose of the NJ Comfort Partners Audit Process Identify energy-saving opportunities Recommend energy-saving measures and actions Project savings from the measures and actions Recognize (and sometimes correct) health and safety problems

NJ CP Program Audit Form

Step One: Customer Interview: The NJ CP Auditor will: Explain the purpose of the NJ CP Program Assess the opportunity to save electricity and gas, and explain the approach Introduce the Partnership Process Ask questions – you know a lot about your space and comfort

Assess the Opportunity The Auditor will determine if your gas and electricity use is low, or in the mid range, or in the high range. He or she will then focus their efforts in your home based on that determination. Since savings follows use, they will likely find more opportunities to install measures where the use is high.

Interview

Step Two: Assess Baseload Opportunities Lighting Refrigeration Dryer Waterbed Heaters Other Water Heating

What does Baseload Mean? Baseload use: Energy used to power things that are used year round Seasonal use: Energy used to power the heating and cooling systems Both vary throughout the year, but usually not significantly: + or – 10%

What are the allowable baseload measures? Refrigerator and freezer replacement Compact fluorescent light bulbs to replace incandescent bulbs and halogen fixtures Clothes dryer venting improvements Replace unsafe or leaking water heaters Install custom hot water saving measures Other cost effective opportunities (that will pay for themselves in energy savings in 10 years or less)

Using the Brultech, Kill A Watt, or other watt-hour meter

Dryer Venting Bottom line: Dryers should be vented outside if they are used to dry 5 or more loads per week and the dryer takes at least 60 minutes per load.

U.S. delivered residential energy consumption by end use, 2001, 2004, 2015, and 2030 (million Btu per household) Source: Energy Information Administration 2006 Plug Load Energy Use is Increasing

Power Settings & Mode ON Active power Low power mode Indeterminate power Sleep/hibernate REALLY OFF No power Unplugged Power switched off with strip or other control device “OFF” Standby power Phantom load Vampire power Idle power Anything with a remote, display, touchpad, or light is using power even when turned “off”

Standby Loads and Lifestyle Plug-ins, otherwise known as wall warts, (cell phone chargers, laptop power bricks) and appliances (microwaves, VCR’s, stereos and home computers) constantly draw wattage, even when off. If it has a light, display, transformer, charger, remote control device, it is using electricity even when it is not on. After a while they can add up to as big a load factor as a refrigerator.

Diagnostics: Getting & Using Power (W) & Energy (kWh) information Requires: Deciphering the obvious Tracking, reading, recording, calculating and metering

Strategies to Control Home Electronic Energy Use Unplug stuff you don’t use Manage control settings for maximum efficiency Turn equipment off when not actively using Minimize standby use with power strips, switched outlets, unplugging, etc. Purchase less stuff Buy the most efficient products possible

Dehumidifiers In NJ CP, dehumidifiers are typically not replaced. Inefficient dehumidifiers can be addressed through customer education and/or replacement with a simple payback calculation. Inefficient or improperly set dehumidifiers can contribute to baseload use. Appropriate use of a dehumidifier is a summer seasonal use. Use a dehumidifier to bring humidity level within a comfort zone (45 – 50% RH).

NJ CP Program Domestic Hot Water Saving Measures New water heaters Health, safety, efficiency measures Temperature reduction Fix hot water leaks Education (use less hot water)

NJ CP Water Heater Replacement Standards Water heaters may be replaced if: It is leaking, or It is rusted, or It is unsafe, or It has one or more bad elements, or The tank’s R value is 8 or lower

Step Three: Assess Heating and Cooling Use If air sealing will be done, then air leakage testing and combustion safety tests must be performed. If you use a lot of air conditioning and/or heat, the Auditor may recommend measures to reduce the cooling and heating use.

Testing

How Do Our Homes Overheat? Mostly From Solar Gain on Roof and Through Windows

Why Do We Need AC?

Room AC Replacement

Size Correctly! A properly sized AC should run constantly on the hottest day of the year!

Visual Assessment Evaluate the effective R value of existing insulation: walls, attics, ducts, critical junctures, basement and crawl ceilings Observe air barrier breaks Determine the location of the thermal boundary/air barrier Pay attention to heat producing fixtures

Typical R-Values

Attics, Basements, Crawlspaces, Garages, Knee Walls…. The Auditor will need access to ALL areas in your home.

Attic

Combustion Safety Testing Combustion Safety Tests must be performed if: Conventionally vented combustion appliances exist and Air sealing is done – to reduce cooling load or to reduce heating load

Combustion Testing Includes: CO testing, ambient, CAZ, flues Gas leak detection Spillage and flame roll-out evaluation CAZ depressurization Draft evaluation Range testing

Final Step: Consumer Education Our Energy Savings Strategy form! This is the summary of what was done, what will be done, and the benefits Documents what the customer agreed to do to take control of their electricity use

Putting Costs on Current and More Efficient Behaviors Find the wattage of the appliance. Ask about use hours per day, week, month. Figure cost and tell customer (putting costs on behaviors). Figure cost of more efficient ways of doing the same thing and tell customer the differences. Let customer choose which way they want to operate the appliance or lights.

Analysis of Consumption IF … … the baseload, and/or cooling, and/or heating use is LOW, THEN … … focus on the category of use that is in the MID or HIGH range. … the baseload use (with or without water heating included) is in the MID or HIGH range, there is likely waste or problems with one or more appliances, SO … be sure to replace incandescent bulbs with CFL’s, check all the refrigeration units and replace inefficient units, and do a good job educating the customer about hot water use, and turning off electronics and other plug loads.

Analysis continued IF … … the cooling use is in the MID or HIGH range, consider replacement of AC units, consider window film and white roof coating (or attic insulation), THEN … check for duct leakage outside the thermal boundary, and do a good job educating about how to follow low-energy cooling strategies. Remember: This is just a guide. You won’t really know what is going on in the home to determine the energy saving opportunities until you get into the home.

Analysis continued IF … … the heating use is in the MID or HIGH range, CONSIDER … air sealing and insulation, thermostat change outs, duct sealing if outside the thermal boundary, and do a good job educating about thermostat settings. Remember: This is just a guide. You won’t really know what is going on in the home to determine the energy saving opportunities until you get into the home.

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