1. New Homes Work Group March Meeting
3/20/2017
New Homes Work Group March Meeting
Neil Grigsby, NEEA

2. Agenda Local Government Partnerships Performance Path Program
Vasudha Lathey/Matt Christie - TRC
Performance Path Program
Overview
Modeling
Raters/Verifiers
Axis
Timelines

3. Local Government Partnerships

4. Home Certification Programs in the Northwest

5. Benefits of Partnerships
UTILITIES
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
PROGRAMS
Share resources to attain common goals
Address customer demands
Engage community
Maximize energy efficiency resources
Expand program deployment options
Share resources to attain common goals
Accelerate sustainability goal adoption
Increase revenue and asset values
Create jobs
Engage community
Share resources to attain common goals
Increase program adoption
Gain regulatory authority and public visibility
Existing channels and public touchpoints
Barriers include consensus building, time commitment and resource distributions

6. Nationwide Partnerships
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Nationwide Partnerships
104 known program-government partnerships
Preference for programs that are
Holistic
Zero Net Energy oriented
Innovation to Action

7. Incentive Categories Developmental Incentives Financial Incentives
Other Incentives

8. Benefits and Challenges for Each Incentive Type
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
Financial
Offset “green premiums”
Identify new funding source
Developmental
No upfront capital for implementers
Increase developer profits
Develop new internal review process
Recruit additional staff
Marketing and Technical Assistance
Reduce program adoption barriers

9. Partnership Case Studies
EXPEDITED PERMITS
DENSITY BONUS
TAX CREDIT

10. Lessons Learned from Case Studies
Find a dedicated Partnership Lead
Anticipate slow development
Seek community and stakeholder support
Design partnerships and incentives according to long term goals and objectives
Identify shared roles and responsibilities across programs and governments
Be flexible and open to changes

11. Key Partnership Stakeholders
Partnership Lead
Serves as the overall champion for the partnership.
Local Governments
Department of Energy
Department of Environment/Sustainability
Department of Waste Management
Planning/Building Department
Department of Finance
Mayor /Governor’s Office
Communication Department
City Legislative Office/ City Council
Market Representatives
Utilities
Building Owners and Tenants
Building Design Team
Building Development Team
Home Certification Program Administrators

12. Step-By-Step Approach to Partnerships

13. 2017 Program Pilots
NEEA goal: Facilitate three pilot partnerships between Northwest local governments and programs
Top down versus bottom up approach
Demonstrate diverse partnership models
Stakeholders: utility, programs, public-private
Market sectors: affordable and market rate
Scale: small to large sized governments

14. Utility Feedback First steps to establish pilot partnerships
Assess government candidates for pilot
Create home certification program shortlist
NEEA wants your feedback:
Which cities might be motivated to implement partnerships, but haven’t yet?
Which cities have strong internal advocates for green building?

15. Single Family New Construction Performance Path

16. Performance Path Overview
Eliminates prescriptive path maintenance
Allows greater program design flexibility
Allows builder flexibility
Increases potential savings opportunities
Leverages home certification programs in the region

17. Performance Path Overview

18. Energy Modeling

19. Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
REM/rate
Widespread market adoption
RTF/NEEA analysis established modeling protocols and guidelines
The role of the Home Energy Rater
The modeling software currently used by ENERGY STAR Homes, HERS, Built Green, and more.
RTF/NEEA technical analysis established modeling protocols and guidelines that limit variability and uncertainty.
NEEA will leverage the role of the “Rater” to complete modeling with Builders.
Innovation to Action

20. Home Energy Raters/Verifiers

21. The Role of the Rater
Options to become a Rater: 1. RESNET HERS accreditation, or 2. NEEA Rater equivalent and…… REM/rate + NW Modeling Protocols (utilities may add requirements at their discretion)

22. AXIS Database

23. Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
AXIS Database
Licensed through NEEA with Pivotal Energy Solutions
Introduced in 2013 to support NWESH and Energy Trust EPS
Provides integrated savings calculations
REM/rate + UES Measures
Axis translates how a home is being built: data that a Rater collects on-site, to utility reports that highlight energy savings and key features of a home
NEEA envisions Axis becoming a regional data hub for all new construction homes that participate in a home certification program
this will help inform regional savings, code proposals, and provide greater insight to building trends throughout the NW.
Innovation to Action

24. Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
AXIS Reports
Utility
Branding
Custom utility reports
BPA calculator reports
NEEA is currently developing a utility orientation training an overview of using Axis with the new BPA performance path program. These training will be offered in two live webinars in April. It will also be recorded and added to BBNW as a utility resource.
Utilities who will be using Axis will be given a user name and password to view projects in their territory
Utilities will be able to generate various reports in the Axis database, including one for BPA reporting purposes. A template for a project report will also be available, where a utility can add their logo and customize it for a projects (KWH saved, key features of home, how much $ saved, etc). This could possibly be used as a marketing piece for builders
Innovation to Action

25. Northwest Energy Efficiency AllianceQA
Innovation to Action

26. Quality Assurance

27. Implementation Timeline

28. Performance Path Development Timeline:
December 2016
RTF approval of the NW Modeling Protocol
milestone:
Q1 2017
Milestone:
NEEA program planning
AXIS database development
Training/Overview development
Utility “Playbook”
Q2 2017
Milestone:
BPA Implementation Manual update
Finalize Trainings/Playbook
Rater/Utility Trainings and outreach
Q3 – Q4 2017
Milestone:
Rater/Utility outreach
BBNW development QA

29. Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Upcoming Trainings
BPA Brown Bag – 4/19
Utility AXIS Training – May
Rater AXIS Training – May
Modeling Guidelines Training – May
Efficiency Exchange - May
BBNW – host Utility playbook
We will offer two live webinars of these trainings – record and post on BBNW
LMS for Rater onboarding
Innovation to Action

30. Utility Feedback

31. Utilities: Things to Consider
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Utilities: Things to Consider
Participation Agreements QA
AXIS reports
Communication to Raters/Builders
Participation Agreements – Raters, Builders to agree to any legal terms and conditions of participating in a utility program? Use in other programs?
QA – NEEA will provide what we consider a base amount for the region to launch this program; will utilities provide more?
AXIS reports – what are key data points you need? BPA report will automatically generate what you’ll need to submit to the BPA….what else?
Communication to Raters/Builders – do we send out a blast announcement to all Raters and builders in the region announcing the program and directing them to contract their local utilities to find out if there’s a program? Or take a more targeted approach locally when utilities launch programs?
Innovation to Action

32. notes Eric – will Axis produce a BPA report ?
Eric – timelines for implementation
Starting immediately, short list of partners, stakeholders, etc. process will take awhile,
Eric- start with large communities first?
Yes, opportunity to offer other incentives like density bonus and expedited permits, but also want to test smaller and rural markets;
Kevin – is it just cities? Or can it be counties?
Yes, broader construct then cities – counties and master developments in communities
David – how do we get in touch with everyone?
Contact Neil, or Matt and Vasuduh directly
Eric – will Axis produce a BPA report ?
Kevin – Axis will produce a BPA reporting that can be delivered to, BPA and a separate report for utility internal purposes.
Eric – is NEEA backing out, and EPA taking over for ENERGY STAR ? IT’s confusing for Raters; Is NEEA providing QA?
PSE looking into a Title 24 software for energy savings and code compliance? Are you looking to do that?
What’s a participation Agreement, Benton doesn’t require any. Make it as easy as possible
Kevin – Can utilities pay incentives through Axis?
Clinton repsonses
Kevin – can you capture W9 and legal agreement for tax/incentive reporting?
Yes, we can do it but need to talk more about what your needs are?

33. Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Thank you!
Vasudha Lathey - TRC
Matt Christie - TRC
Neil Grigsby
Mention an April work group meeting to go over market research findings for NSH and MH
Innovation to Action