Ciel Magazine Summer 2015 Volume 1

Ciel SUMMER 2015 | I SSUE no 1

JOURNEY T O EFFI CI ENCY How one Glen Rock, New Jersey homeowner documented a twenty six percent reduction in heating fuel consumption.

Sig nificant Result s

by Paul Sharer

GLEN ROCK'S ENERGY SMART ROCK HOMES CAMPAIGN

GLEN ROCK'S ENERGY SMART HOMES PROGRAM DELIVERS ON ITS PROMISE TO REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION

I n March of 2014, the Glen Rock Environmental Commission and the

Glen Rock

Borough of Glen Rock established Glen Rock's Energy Smart Rock Homes

homeowner, William

Home Energy Assessment Campaign.

(Skip) Huisking, an

Designed to promote awareness of

engineer who has

practical resources available to Glen Rock residents, the program has been

kept gas and electric

utilized by more than 125 Glen Rock

meter readings for

Homeowners.

over a decade, just

Performed in association with Ciel

finished his study

Power L L C, the Energy Smart Rock Homes program provides Glen Rock

Over 125 Glen Rock residents have participated in this

homeowners with discounts on home

town- wide effort to save energy, money, and the environment.

energy audits and detailed information about up to $15,000 worth of incentives available to New Jersey homeowners through New Jersey's Clean Energy program for energy efficiency upgrades.

Glen Rock homeowners participating in the program receive a written report

comparing gas

heating consumption before he had his home energy assessment and related home energy retrofits done this past August, with his results during the 2014- 15 heating season just ended.

He found he saved 26% in gas heating usage after subtracting out his year round base usage for gas heated hot water, dryer and cooking

detailing energy saving measures that

stove. T his result confirms his eligibility for a rebate of up to $5000 and

have the biggest return on investment

a no- interest loan of up to $10,000 under the New Jersey Home

for their home. T hese measures, when installed by a participating New Jersey

Performance with Energy Star program. Huisking said these savings

Home Performance with Energy Star

don?t include the electricity savings in summer A/C usage because the

contractor, may be eligible for

work was not completed until late August.

cash- back and financing incentives and may help Glen Rock homeowners reduce heating and cooling costs by up to thirty percent.

Glen Rock residents interested in participating in this program can visit www.cielpower.com/glenrock or call 201- 632- 3463

T he Huisking home is characteristic of many of the homes in Glen Rock, New Jersey. Built in the 1950's before building codes placed an emphasis on energy efficiency, many of these homes are uncomfortable during heating and cooling months, and use significantly more energy to heat and cool than necessary.

Huisking told a representative of the Glen Rock Environmental Commission, that is conducting a sample survey of the more than125 homeowners who have used the GREC sponsored program so far, that he thought the audit was technically very

Electrical, plumbing, and other penetrations

professional, the report

are air- sealed to reduce air- movement.

Recessed lights are covered and air- sealed to

BLOW ER DOOR TESTING

prevent air- leakage.

Glen Rock homeowners participating in

on his home was well laid out

the Energy Smart Rock Homes program

giving him options as he had

receive a Blower Door Test as part of their Home Energy Assessment. A

requested that prioritized the

blower door test measures the air leakage

biggest savings actions for the

rate of the home by depressurizing the

most reasonable costs, and that

house. T he negative pressure created by the blower door makes air leakage easier

while he did not choose to take all

to measure and locate.

the recommendations, he was

Blower doors are used by weatherization

highly satisfied with the outcomes

professionals to measure overall leakage

of the audit and the remediation

rates and to pinpoint areas of

projects he selected.

air- infiltration.

According to GreenBuildingAdvisor.com,

W hen asked why he decided to do

between one third to one half of the

the Energy Smart Rock Homes

energy consumption of an older home is

T he measures installed in the Huisking Residence included air- sealing and attic

Home Energy Assessment with

insulation to reduce air- movement and add

Ciel Power, Huisking said, "Well,

resistance to heat transfer.

due to excessive air- leakage.

Developed in the late 1970's in conjunction with researchers from

I saw I could save energy, save

Princeton, New Jersey, the blower door

money, and do a little something

has become a standard piece of

right for the environment."

equipment for today's energy efficiency consultants.

Millb ur n A FAMILY FINDS COMFORT W ITH MILLBURN'S HOME ENERGY ASSESSMENT CAMPAIGN T heir tall, beige house stood for more than half a century with little insulation, now,with a major home energy retrofit nearly complete, Ranganathan Shanmugadas expects to see his gas bills drop by more than twenty five percent next winter.

W hen asked what prompted them to participate in Millburn's Home Energy Assessment program, Mr & Mrs Shanmugadas spoke about being cold and uncomfortable during the winter months, particularly in the bedrooms over their garage.

Today they?re happy. And a lot more comfortable. ?I t is warmer in the bedrooms now ? said Mrs. Shanmugadas about her home after the recent extreme winter temperatures experienced by residents in the Northeast.

T he Shanmugadas's home on South Terrace Ave in Millburn, New Jersey was one of over one hundred and fifty homeowners who participated in Millburn's Home Energy Assessment program which offers residents of Millburn a discounted rate on a home energy audit. Homeowners participating in the program receive a prioritized list of upgrades, along with a detailed report identifying opportunities for upgrades and incentives available to help offset the costs related to the upgrades. L ast winter a home energy audit checked their insulation, furnace and other energy- related features. I t also tested the ?air changes per hour? ? essentially a test of how airtight a home is using a device called a blower door.

A Home Energy Assessment includes a detailed evaluation of existing insulation levels using thermal imaging technology.

Air sealing in the attic, basement, and in other areas of the home coupled with adding insulation topped the list of recommendations for the Shanmugadas family. T he work scope included insulating the garage ceiling and walls, insulating overhangs that protrude from the second floor, adding insulation to the attic, and to the rim joist along the perimeter of the home in the basement. T he couple was delighted to gain a better understanding of the improvements needed in their home and to receive detailed information about how these areas would be addressed.

"We loved working with Ciel Power L L C from the beginning. T hey were very professional, courteous, and pleasant to work with."

?T hey explained in detail what we need to improve, how they were going to fix it, and how much it was,? Mrs. Shanmugadas said. ?T he pricing was reasonable, and Ciel Power was easy and pleasant to work with? she continued. As a result of these improvements, the couple should see over $1,500 a year in energy cost savings and they?re already feeling warmer upstairs.

Darker colors indicate colder temperatures.

Pr incet on SUSTAINABLE PRINCETON'S ENERGYSMART HOMES CAMPAIGN REACHES OVER 10 0 PRINCETON HOMEOW NERS Over one hundred Princeton homeowners have received energy assessments through Sustainable Princeton?s EnergySmart Homes Campaign. T he campaign focuses on practical ways homeowners can save energy and money. ?Sustainable Princeton has been working towards a goal of achieving a 20- percent reduction in the amount of energy generated from fossil fuels in Princeton by 2020,? said Matthew Wasserman, chairman of the Board of Sustainable Princeton.?Our EnergySmart Homes Campaign streamlines the process of choosing a home energy auditor and offers home energy assessments at a reasonable rate so homeowners can easily take the first step towards home energy savings and efficiency.?

Homeowners received letters from Princeton Mayor, L iz L empert urging them to participate in the EnergySmart Homes Campaign.

Supported in part by a $10,000 grant from Princeton University, Sustainable Princeton produced a series of video shorts in conjunction with their EnergySmart Homes campaign

To promote the program, Sustainable Princeton organized several panel discussions with local energy experts at the Princeton L ibrary.

T hese discussions were well attended and featured experts in both residential and commercial energy efficiency. Additionally, a coordinated effort was made to partner with local businesses, religious organizations, and non- profit groups to work together to promote awareness of the EnergySmart Homes campaign.

L aunched at a press conference in

With representatives from Sustainable

To celebrate the 100th EnergySmart

Princeton, local government, and the media Homes Home Energy Audit, Ciel Power in attendance, Sustainable Princeton kicked Homes campaign was conceived as a way surprised the lucky Princeton off the EnergySmart Homes campaign with homeowners, Carol and Carl Haag, with to provide Princeton residents with the goal of performing one hundred home affordable, high- quality home energy an energy efficient lighting upgrade!

October of 2013, the EnergySmart

assessments.

energy audits in Princeton.

CELEBRATING OVER 10 0 HOME ENERGY AUDITS

Sustainable Princeton discusses their EnergySmart Homes campaign and other initiatives they've launched to make Princeton a healthier and more sustainable community.

HIGHLAND PARK, NJ V2.0 Earlier this year the Mayor and Borough Council of Watchung launched the "Watchung's Going Green - One Home At A T ime", in association with Ciel Power L L C. T he campaign, designed to encourage Watchung homeowners to reduce their home's energy usage, increase their comfort, and decrease their environmental impact, provides residents of Watchung with discounts on Home Energy Audits and a best- in- class report detailing efficiency improvements for their home.

After an extensive evaluation process, Watchung I n 2012, Ciel Power was thrilled to have been

selected Ciel Power L L C as their partner to work

one of the first energy audit providers to develop

together in an effort to create a greener, cleaner,

an "official" partnership with a local

and healthier Watchung.

municipality in Highland Park, New Jersey.

As part of this effort we: - Performed Home Energy Audits on more than 250 Home Energy Audits.

- Performed energy- efficiency retrofits on over sixty Highland Park homes.

- Dramatically increased participation and awareness of the New Jersey Home Performance with Energy Star program I n 2015 we were selected again to launch a new version of this campaign. We look forward to reuniting with old customers, meeting new customers, and working with the community to continue to promote awareness of the importance of energy efficiency.

Ciel Power was proud to participate in this year's Earth Day Event, co- sponsored by the Borough of Watchung and Warren Township.

RESTORATION FAIR 20 15

MONTCLAIR HISTORICAL SOCIETY Ciel Power epresentatives were on hand at this year's Restoration Fair in Montclair, New Jersey. Sponsored by the Montclair Historical Society, Ciel Power representatives were available

CIEL POW ER NAMED TO NJ SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS REGISTRY

to discuss insulating historic homes, and upgrading the various systems in historic homes including heating,

We're thrilled to become one of the

cooling, and hot water systems in

first New Jersey businesses named as a

historical properties.

registered member of the New Jersey Sustainable Business Registry!

Our belief is that business should create value for customers, employees, and the larger environment. T he New Jersey Sustainable Business Registry provides us with a structured environment and assistance with implementing sustainable practices at every level of our organization.

We've been working hard to improve the quality of life in our communities, and we've extended this effort to formalize our company- wide sustainability initiatives that deliver a better way for us to do business.

As a leading provider of energy efficiency retrofits in New Jersey, Ciel Power has performed installations on numerous historical properties including an installation at the Charles Schultz Carriage House owned and operated by the Montclair Historical Society.

Greenab le Wood b r id g e GREENABLE W OODBRIDGE SPOTLIGHTS HOME ENERGY AUDITS W hen it comes to having a home energy audit, having the right provider can mean the difference between disappointment and success.

As demand for energy efficiency continues to grow, so too does the demand for home energy audits.

Home performance is a relatively new discipline, so there?s no surprise that homeowners struggle to gain a better understanding of home energy audits and work to define the features they need in an audit.

T he sponsors of our Greenable Woodbridge campaign were searching for a way to convey exactly what's included in a Home Energy Audit. Since our main point of contact in this campaign, Caroline Ehrlich is also the host of Greenable Woodbridge, a local television show devoted to all things green, it seemed only fitting to televise the process!

I n this episode of Greenable Woodbridge, host Caroline Ehrlich discussess the Greenable Woodbridge campaign with Scott Fischer of Ciel Power L L C

I n a series of episodes developed around the Greenable Woodbridge Home Energy Assessment campaign, host Caroline Ehrlich follows Ciel Power as they perform a home energy audit on this home in Woodbridge, NJ. We're especially grateful to homeowners Mitch & Denise Fishman for allowing us to film the Home Energy Audit a their home, and for the subsequent follow- up they've provided.

I n this episode of Greenable Woodbridge, host Caroline Ehrlich and the Greenable Woodbridge television crew film a Home Energy Audit as it takes place in Colonia, New Jersey.

www.cielpower.com