'Tis the Season to Make Your Home Warmer, Cozier and Greener for Winter!

Submitted by Doug Burke

As we head into winter, we become more conscious of the comfort levels of our homes and the cost of heating our homes.  It's an ideal time to think about sealing and insulating your home to make it more comfortable and energy efficient.  Fortunately there is a program to help with that project!

Energy Impact Illinois (EI2) offers highly qualified, closely supervised work to reduce energy usage in homes, which saves money and reduces global warming emissions.  It includes a subsidy for 70% of the cost of insulating and sealing your home, up to $1750.  EI2 has a goal of doing energy efficiency retrofits on at least 100 homes in Oak Park before the program expires in May 2013.

In November, EI2 is offering two free presentations to familiarize area residents with the program.  The first will be held on Tuesday November 13th at 7pm at the Buzz Cafe (second floor),  905 S. Lombard in Oak Park, no reservation required.  The second EI2 presentation will be held the following night, November 14th, at 7pm, at Fitzgerald's, 6615 W. Roosevelt Rd. in Berwyn. Those attending at Fitzgerald's are asked to register in advance at http://www.CityOfHomes.org..

For information on the program, you can also call Pamela Brookstein at 708-252-0623 or email pamela@energyimpactillinois.org

Also see related articles:

Energy Impact Illinois:  "This rebate program rocks!"  (Article and video of OP Resident, Anne Jordan-Baker's experience with the EI2 program.)

Tighten Up your House, Save Money, and Lower Your Carbon Footprint (Overview of the Energy Impact Illinois Program)

Oak Parker Uses EI2 to Improve Energy Efficiency of Rental Property

Submitted by Doug Burke Energy Impact Illinois (EI2) is a program set up with stimulus money to promote home weatherization and improve energy efficiency.  EI2 certifies contractors, coordinates energy assessments and provides rebates on certain home energy efficiency improvements.  In my case, my wife and I own a two-flat in Logan Square that we thought was pretty inefficient.  Our monthly bill from People's Gas under the budget plan has been $181.  We called one of the EI2 certfied contractors, Green Energy Improvements, and they did an energy assessment at a charge of $99.   They recommended improvements estimated at a cost of $6824 that would save about 25% of the gas cost.  (It also saves electricity for ac in the summer, but our tenants pay that so I don't have the numbers.)

Here's how it worked out.  Right now EI2 will provide a rebate that, combined with existing rebates – in our case, from People's Gas – will pay 70% of the job, up to a limit of 70% of $2500, or a $1750 rebate.  Our job was much bigger than most; 70% of $2500 is only about 25% of the whole $6824 job – but it was still a big help.  For a single-family house, the whole job might not exceed $2500, so that the homeowner would be paying only $750.

So at this point, with the $6824 total cost, we were looking at:

$6824 – 1750 – 99 (the assessment charge is credited to the job) = $4975. 

Not having $4975 on hand, we opted for a loan, facilitated through EI2 and provided by Green Choice Bank.  We needed to put down 10% and borrowed the other 90% in a seven-year loan.  The interest rate is not that low – 8% – but yet another subsidy pays the interest for year one of the seven-year loan. 

The work was done in one short session on August 23^rd to construct a hatch so they could insulate between the second floor and the flat roof, and one long day on September 6^th.  They did a blower door test before and after the job, and now estimate that we should save about 1/3 on our gas bill.  That would be $60 per month, or more than the payments during the first (subsidized) year of the loan.  After that, if gas prices remain the same, the payments would be just a little bigger than the projected savings.  Plus we will have happier tenants since they will save money also.

We expect to get a certificate issued through EI2 that our building is officially green.  To get that, you have to get at least a 15% reduction in energy use.  The Multiple Listing Service, which realtors use, now officially recognizes this certificate. How much should this add to the value of the building?  Here are two different estimates.

1.  Bonnie Marx at Green Energy Improvements said there was evidence that for every dollar of energy savings per year, the value of the building goes up $20. On this basis, for gas alone, the increase would be $60 x 12 x 20 = $14,400. Then add electricity to that and the total increase would probably be in the range of $20,000 or a little more.

2.  A California study claimed that green houses get a premium of 9%, which would probably be more than $30,000.  But then that's California – people probably pay more attention to green stuff there.

If you are interested in doing similar work, you can get the names of contractors from EI2.  The whole thing flows smoothly: the rebate and the loan flow directly to the contractor, with little paperwork on our part for the subsidies, and very little for the loan.  And again, if you get in while the 70% subsidy is available and your job isn't too big, you may not need any loan.  My wife and I are so pleased with the work on our rental propertywe are now preparing to participate in EI2 a second time, at our house in Oak Park.

For more information about Energy Impact Illinois, or to get started, call Pamela Brookstein at 708-252-0623 or email pamela@energyimpactillinois.org.

See also related article and video:  Energy Impact Illinois:  "This Rebate Program Rocks!"

Energy Impact Illinois -- "This rebate program rocks!"

I was almost a no-show at the Energy Impact Illinois “house party” at the home of my friends, Dick and Sally.  I had gotten home after seven that night, and although very interested in the topic, I was tired and figured I probably knew most of this stuff already.  But I like the hosts, and decided to check it out.  I was late, but immediately pleased with the party food -- and on top of that, it turns out I didn’t actually know everything there is to know about energy efficiency.

I learned a lot from the Energy Impact Illinois speaker, Anna, as well as from the fellas at Energy 360 Solutions, a contractor affiliated with the rebate program. It was cool to see them demonstrate a blower door test, which measures how much heated, or air conditioned air a house is losing to the outside.  The demonstration resulted in the realization that when heated or cooled air is lost to the outdoors, the energy used to heat or cool it is being wasted! 

A few days later, I decided we were going to do this.  I decided that we were going to go down the path of seeking energy efficiency in our home (I have a partner, but I wear the energy efficiency pants in the family). Our house is over a hundred years old and was an excellent example of inefficiency with its low levels of insulation and drafty windows.

It was encouraging to learn that many of the improvements that help the most are relatively inexpensive, such as the sealing of air leaks and the addition of insulation. Plus, the rebate, which is 70%/$1750, was a big incentive. Visions of dollar signs danced in my head. I love the earth and all, but I also liked the idea of having a rebate that would largely pay for the improvements, as well as lower our utility bills.

I called to arrange for the $99 energy assessment offered by Nicor/ComEd (1-877-821-9988, nicorgasrebates.com/programs/hes). The phone call lasted ten minutes, and I had an appointment for the assessment a few days later. At that appointment, an energy advisor scoured the entire house to determine the best efficiency upgrades for our home. She was in our house for about two hours, and at the end, offered three options for improvements.  Improvements ranged from basic air sealing and insulating, to replacing our air conditioner and furnace with more efficient models. We also received a detailed report and estimated savings and payback times for each of the options.

We decided to go with the basic option, which included air sealing and insulation of a large part of our attic. Upgrades likely to pay for themselves in about eight years. All options, however, include combustion safety testing of major appliances, including the furnace, to ensure they are not emitting dangerous gases into the home.

At first, I had a little trouble with getting the work moving.  There are a few different players in the rebate program, and they are not very coordinated with each other. Nevertheless, we arranged to have the work done within a month. The quality of the work was excellent, and it was completed in a single day.  And it only cost us $845, with the rest covered by the rebate. We are now the proud owners of some R-49 insulation in our attic (that’s really good) and a lot fewer air leaks!  

Lessons learned:

1. Go to parties even when tired

2. This rebate program rocks.

For more information on Energy Impact Illinois click here to see related article.

Submitted by Anne Jordan-Baker

Get Pickled with Chicago Food Swap! Sat, 10/20, 10-noon, @ Whole Foods

As part of the Thoughtful Living Series offered through the River Forest Library, come learn the basics of canning and pickling fresh, seasonal vegetables. The class will include 2 recipes. After the demonstration, go on a tour through the WF produce department with class leader Emily Paster. Emily will share tips and tricks for picking out the best produce and what she looks for when she’s creating a new recipe. Saturday, 10/20, 10 AM- 12 PM Held at Whole Foods Market River Forest (7245 Lake Street). Registration is required- call 708.366.1045 to sign up.

New Video Demonstrates Easy Ways to Save Water and Money

Using water more efficiently can save energy and money. Oak Park's Sustainability Manager K.C. Poulos has some easy tips for saving water – check them out in this VOP-TV video

Rachel Carson: Her Legacy and Challenges: 9/12 & 9/19, at RF Library

Submitted by Peggy McGrath

September marks the 50th anniversary of the publication of Rachel Carson's seminal work Silent Spring.  With its publication, Carson drew attention to the negative effects of DDT and other pesticides and is often credited with sparking the modern environmental movement.  Join us for a series of 2 film screenings and discussions as we explore the life and legacy of Rachel Carson.

Part I - Wednesday, 9/12, 7pm and Part II - Wednesday, 9/19, 7pm, River Forest Public Library, 735 Lathrop Avenue, 708.366.5205

OP Resident Shares Experience with CUB Energy Saver Program

Submitted by Rachel Benoit I began using CUB Energy Saver from Citizens Utility Board in June, 2010 after reading about it in an email from Recyclebank. First I entered the square footage of our home, the type of heating and cooling we used, and the age of a few key appliances like our refrigerator. Then I linked my ComEd account so CUB could track my household electricity usage in dollars and kilowatt hours.

CUB Energy Saver recommended small changes I could make and gave me an estimated energy savings, so I could tell right away what changes would have the biggest impact on our bill. One of the first changes I made was to use dryer balls in our clothes dryer. By tumbling the clothes the dryer ball shortens the time required in the drying cycle and saved minutes off each load. Our estimated savings for using dryer balls was just $7 a year, but it was a very easy change to implement.

We also knew that our washing machine that came with our home purchase in 2009 was on its last leg. But it wasn’t until CUB indicated that an energy-efficient washing machine could save our household an estimated $28 a year that we decided to make the switch sooner rather than later.

Soon I was receiving monthly updates from CUB Energy Saver detailing our savings – by November my report said I’d saved 171 kWh and $24.96 on my bill that month when compared to similarly sized homes in my area. In addition to the report, I also received reward points on energy saver. I’ve cashed in rewards for several free CFL bulbs, a $5 coupon for local business Green Home Experts, and for an online coupon for smart power strips that stop idle current use.

Two years into my experience with CUB Energy Saver, I continue to be inspired to make small changes to save money and energy. In all, CUB Energy Saver estimates I have saved 1,742 kWh and $194 dollars since I joined – it’s absolutely worthwhile!

Save the date for the "Green Living & Learning Tour" - September 29th

You are invited to the 2nd Annual Green Living & Learning Tour! Be inspired by your neighbors and learn new skills!

Join us in a day of discovering the thriving, resilient, sustainable community we have in Oak Park and River Forest!!  Seize this opportunity to learn about sustainable living right in your community by touring green sites, asking questions and participating in workshops that will give you the skills to do it yourself!  Bring your whole family and end the day at the community pot-luck filled with music, games, more fun learning opportunities and camaraderie.  Click here for more details.

The ' Green Living & Learning Tour is a great opportunity to:

• Listen to the stories of your neighbors as they describe their green initiatives, their implementation experiences, and the results of their work.
• Learn about practical, everyday ways to apply ecological principles
• Speak with knowledgeable volunteers and homeowners
• Meet like-minded neighbors

The Green Living & Learning Tour will be focused on 4 priority topic areas of OP/RF’s Sustainability Plan (PlanItGreen) which are highlighted in the tour visits and in “how to” skill-building opportunities:  (Topic area samples appear below.  Details and registration will be available on at www.greencommunityconnections.org by Aug 27th.)

Energy:  We are moving toward renewable sources of energy for heating, cooling and transportation, and we use energy efficiently in our homes and buildings!

• Tour visit:  Historic Oak Park house with geothermal heating and cooling, a tankless water heater and other sustainability features
• “How To”:  See a energy assessment demonstration, receive information on making your home 15-30% more energy efficient and learn about the rebates available to assist you in this initiative.

Waste Reduction:  In nature there is no waste and there is no "away"  -- so we reduce, reuse, and recycle everything!  We are moving towards "zero waste!"

• Tour visit:  “Green Block Party” – features a composting demo and info on making your next block party or other gathering a zero waste event.
• “How To”:  Learn how to start your own vermiculture system (composting using worms) to help reduce the organic matter that you send to the landfill.  Plus you will leave with contact info for a mentor to call when questions arise!

Water:  We value our water as an essential resource that supports life, so we conserve it, we support the natural water cycle and we keep toxic substances out of our water supply.

• Tour stop:  See the first house in Oak Park to install a grey water system which will take water from washing (showers, tubs, laundry) and recycle it for use in flushing toilets.  The system is anticipated to reduce water usage by 27%, or approximately 14,000 gallons per year.
• “How To”:  See a demonstration of how to disconnect your downspout and redirect the water appropriately into a rain barrel, rain garden, bioswale or other options.

Food:  We are transitioning to a food system in which our food is produced locally & ethically; and we work to provide and promote local, healthy food available year round.

• Tour stop:  We’ll have a bee keeper this year – another first in Oak Park!  Visit the hive and hear fascinating facts about bees.  While there you are also invited to enjoy a honey tasting!
• “How To”:  The Sugar Beet team, our hosts for the food-related tours and demos, will demonstrate “how to” get your garden going with planting garlic starts to be harvested next spring.  They'll also show you how to preserve the harvest with a canning demonstration.

Share your ideas, volunteer, participate!

Planning is underway now, and passionate, talented volunteers are needed for the planning committee and on the actual day of the event. You may also know someone that is doing great things in your neighborhood that you think others would like to see.  Please let us know by emailing sallystovall@gmail.com.

"$hare the Green" with Green Community Connections at GHE - Aug 3 & 4!

Green Home Experts, Friday, 10-5, & Saturday, 9-5, August 3rd & 4th

811 South Blvd. ∙ Oak Park, IL 60302 ∙ (708) 660-1443

Share the Green is Green Home Experts' commitment to supporting the community that supports us.   A fundraising program for area non-profit organizations, Share the Green makes shopping at Green Home Experts good for you, the planet, and a favorite cause.

10% of your purchase of in-stock items on Friday & Saturday, August 3rd & 4th, will be donated to Green Community Connections.  Please print and present this Share the Green coupon at the counter when you check out.  It's a great way to get green products for your hope and support sustainability initiatives in the community at the same time!

It's a great time to be shopping a GHE also!

• Green Home Experts has everything green for back to school--notebooks, markers, pencils, scissors and pretty much everything else!  We're also fully stocked up on wax paper sandwich bags, lunch bags, water bottles, and food containers.
• You can buy your jars in advance of the canning class canning class to be held at GHE on Sunday, August 26th, 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. presented by the author of Food in Jars.
• Green Home Experts also has every day items like toilet paper made from recycled paper and cleaning products.  Stock up now!
• You may also be considering a new compost bin or a water barrel to help manage those rare but heavy rain falls.

Whatever you are trying to do to make your home more eco-friendly, Green Home Experts can help, and this Friday and Saturday would be a great time to buy to double the good you do through your purchases!

Green Community Connections appreciates your support, and we appreciate Green Home Experts for giving us this opportunity and for all the great work that they do to contribute to sustainability in our community!!

Save Energy, Save Money, Save the Planet: Energy Impact Illinois and Interfaith Green Network Promote Home Energy Retrofits

Submitted by James Babcock

Affordable and Accessible Home Energy Efficiency Program

The Interfaith Green Network is continuing to ramp up efforts to implement the goals of the PlanItGreen sustainability plan for OP/RF by bringing actionable strategies to local congregations and households.

To that end, four Interfaith Green Network members, representing Oak Park congregations, along with 15 other Chicagoland residents recently met at the offices of Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) for an in-depth briefing and training session about the energy efficiency program, Energy Impact Illinois (EI-2). The goal of the initiative is to bring the program directly to community residents so that homeowners are informed about this affordable and very accessible way to reduce their carbon footprint, make their homes more comfortable and more valuable, and save money at the same time!

 Essential Components:

As explained by Anna Markowski of CNT, Energy Impact Illinois is for single-family residences, condo’s, and buildings with four or less units. The essential components of the program are as follows:

Accredited Work Force: All participating contractors are certified by the Building Performance Institute (BPI). In addition, CNT has vetted each contractor by observing at least five of their work sites to see that they meet construction standards. CNT will continue to inspect a percentage of the work sites as the program grows.

Incentives: Energy auditors are currently offering an initial energy assessment for only $99. This assessment includes a blower-door test, thermal imaging, and a combustion safety test of your furnace/boiler equipment. Typically, the cost for such an assessment is $350-$800 depending on the size of your house. The assessment report will include a recommended retrofit plan, including associated costs and the estimated energy savings.  The homeowner can choose from these recommendations the strategies that they wish to implement at this time.

Financing: Unsecured loans from participating local lenders are available to applicants who wish to avoid the upfront cost of energy efficiency retrofits. For the first building in Oak Park to participate in the program, the owners found that the loan cost was less than the monthly energy savings after construction was completed. (Nationally, investments in the energy efficiency of buildings have realized, over the last 20 years, some of the best rates-of-return available anywhere!)

Great return on investment plus increased home value

The bulk of home energy efficiency can be accomplished by air sealing (plugging leaks in the “building envelope”) and by adding insulation to attics and walls. To qualify for the program, homeowners must agree to retrofits that accomplish a minimum of 15% increased efficiency. According to Markowski, because of the nature of the housing stock in the Chicago area, 98-99% of our houses can attain this added efficiency fairly easily—even new construction! Homeowners who want to replace old furnaces or boilers with high efficiency units, automatically qualify for Energy Impact Illinois.

Homeowners who look forward to selling their homes in the future should know that the local Multiple Listings Service now officially recognizes green homes.  This is a recent development.  Bonnie Marx of Green Energy Improvements reports that in other locales, homes with such listings have been appraising about $20 higher for every dollar in annual energy cost savings.  So a house with $2500 in annual energy bills (gas and electric) with a not unusual 30% reduction could see $750 in annual savings, and appraise for $15,000 more.

Increasing Home Energy Efficiency is Effective Strategy to Mitigate Climate Change

The goals outlined in the PlanItGreen sustainability plan for Oak Park and River Forest call for an overall increase in energy efficiency of 30% and a reduction in climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions of 30%, both over the next ten years. CNT data for Oak Park indicates that private residences, through their use of electricity and natural gas, currently account for almost 30% of the village’s total emissions. This, plus the fact that energy efficiency retrofits lead to cost savings, makes Energy Impact Illinois one of the most effective strategies that any one person can employ to help mitigate dangerous climate change.

Hold a House Party for 5-10 Friends and Neighbors and get a FREE Energy Assessment

If you would like to schedule an energy assessment, call Anna Markowski, CNT Outreach Coordinator, at 773-328-7045. An added incentive of a free assessment is being offered to homeowners who host a “house party” of 5-10 friends and neighbors to see first-hand how the energy assessment is performed, and to learn more about Energy Impact Illinois.

Interfaith Green Network volunteers have begun to promote Energy Impact Illinois by recruiting “hosts”, and planning larger meetings for interested congregations and other community organizations. If your group is interested in reducing your carbon footprint in a most significant way, and would like more information about EI-2, you can contact volunteers Dick Alton (Richard.alton@gmail.com) or Jim Babcock (jlbabck@sbcglobal.net). Further information also at www.energyimpactillinois.org.