POWER SURGE [#041 Special]

The Future Is Retro Three homes made more efficient through EnergyWorks

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Learn more at: www.PGWEnergySense.com or call 215-684-6000 today 2 | Energy Coordinating Agency

Energy Efficiency Takes Off in Pennsylvania savethedate!

EnergyWorks for Savvy Homeowners Chestnut Hill Library, 8711 Germantown Ave., 7-8:30p.m.

Meet energy efficient experts and qualified contractors as they discuss how a home energy assessment can achieve maximum comfort and savings. This workshop will show homeowners how to take advantage of rebates and low-interest loans to make energy efficient upgrades.The result: lower utility bills and a more comfortable home all year long.

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For more information, visit weaversway.coop Keystone Energy Efficiency Conference Harrisburg, PA A two-day conference on energy efficiency policy and program developments from utilities, industry leaders, and local, state and federal government officials. Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in an Energy Action Day and meet directly with state legislators and key staff.

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For more information and to register, visit energywisepa.org/KEEAConference2012 Home Energy Improvement Workshop WORC, 2010 Chestnut St., 6-8 p.m.

Learn how to make home improvements that will ensure your home is environmentally safe and your utility bills lower. The Women’s Opportunities Resource Center hosts this workshop for first time homeowners. Attendees can also enroll in WORC’s matching savings program for low- to moderate-income families.

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For more information, call 215-564-5500 Annual Sustainable Energy Conference Philadelphia This conference will focus on new developments in energy efficiency and stormwater management in our region, and a Town Hall Meeting with public and private sector leaders.

On New Year’s Day, the ECA issued a challenge to Philadelphians to “Save 20% in 2012.”

Today, thousands across our region are well on their way toward that goal. This is a result of many efforts, including PECO’s energy efficiency programs (backed by state legislation), PGW’s expanded initiatives and the federally-funded EnergyWorks program. Many people are starting small: changing their incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescents, and installing programmable thermostats. But others are diving deep for big savings: air sealing basements and attics, adding insulation, switching from old oil-fired furnaces to high efficiency gas, and solving other problems along the way.

All this effort is beginning to build a real energy efficiency industry in our region. More than 200 new jobs have been created for auditors, installers and in manufacturing. We estimate that before 2012 is over, 1,350 gigawatt hours will be saved, 300 jobs will be created, and more than $200 million will be saved by area residents and businesses—not just this year, but every year.

2013 promises to be an equally exciting year, as these efforts continue to improve and mature, even without stimulus funding.

PECO and PGW will be rolling out new programs. In its final year of federal funding, EnergyWorks will be reaching more than 1,500 new homeowners across the region, bringing savings and increased comfort to people tired of high bills or drafty houses. And new tools, like PECO’s Smart Meters (p. 4) and the national Green Button initiative (which will provide easy access to energy usage data), will give customers innovative and powerful ways to track and control their energy use. Most of these new tools require customer education and active engagement, which brings me to the most important development I’ve seen yet: more people taking control of their energy use.

Communities, religious groups and other organizations are participating in EnergyWorks as a group—not just as individuals. Neighbors go through the energy home improvement process together, using their group numbers to get the best price and service from contractors.

Active engagement is the ultimate driver toward a more energy efficient and sustainable future. From where I sit, I think this critical change is finally underway. The key is to keep it moving.

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For more information and to register, visit ecasavesenergy.org/events

Liz Robinson Executive Director, Energy Coordinating Agency

Power Surge was produced by Grid and published by Red Flag Media, 1032 Arch St., Third Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107

cover illustration by zachary kutz

publisher

art director

writers

Alex Mulcahy alex@gridphilly.com

Jamie Leary designer

Shaun Brady Samantha Wittchen

managing editor

Jon Loudon

photographer

Liz Pacheco liz@gridphilly.com

illustrator

Albert Yee

Zachary Kutz

Energy Coordinating Agency | 3

10 09 08 07

On a Scale of 1 to 10…

How would your home score?

06 Ever wonder how energy efficient your home is compared to others? Thanks to Home Energy Score, a program 04 designed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), you may soon be able 03 to find out.

Here’s how it works: A DOE-quali02 fied energy assessor performs an hourlong inspection of your home. The 01 collected data is input into the Home Energy Scoring tool. The home is given a score on a one to 10 scale. One means the home needs extensive energy efficiency improvements; 10 means the home has excellent energy performance.

While the score isn’t a comprehensive energy audit, it still suggests energy improvements a homeowner can make, and how these changes can reduce utility bills. During 2012, the DOE is partnering with state and local governments, utilities and nonprofits to implement Home Energy Score programs. Here in Philadelphia, the Energy Coordinating Agency has taken up the task with a goal to score more than 200 homes in the area.

05

look who’s talking Smart meters tell tales while providing better connections

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hen hurricane irene hit the East Coast last August, millions of residents were left without power for more than a week. In Philadelphia, PECO restored service to 90 percent of their customers within three days. This rapid response was possible because of PECO’s advanced grid equipment—namely their smart meters.

Since 2003, PECO has been converting to advanced meter-reading technology (also known as “smart meters”), which allows them to access a meter remotely. This year, PECO is updating their technology even further with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). “The change for our customers is not very dramatic as far as the technology that’s attached to their home,” explains Cathy Engel Menendez, spokesperson for PECO. “These meters obviously read remotely as well, only they provide two-way communication and some enhanced capabilities.”

4 | Energy Coordinating Agency

This two-way network allows PECO to directly communicate with its meters, as well as enable meters to communicate with each other and other pieces of advanced equipment on the the system. This is especially important during power outages, helping PECO to see exactly where— and why—the grid is failing.

The plan is to have 600,000 meters installed by spring 2013. PECO is currently updating customers in Bucks County and Northeast Philadelphia. The deployment is being done by region. Next will be lower Chester and York Counties, followed by the rest of Philadelphia, then Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties.

In addition to helping PECO answer service calls more quickly and efficiently, the new meters will improve their ability to connect and disconnect service remotely, which is particularly important in neighborhoods with colleges and universities.

Another byproduct of the improved technology is a new web tool, expected to be released early next year, that will provide customers with their hour-by-hour energy usage records. —Liz Pacheco For more information on smart meters, visit peco.com/technology

For more information, visit eere.energy.gov/buildings/ homeenergyscore/index.html

Hitting the Mark New legislation to make commercial buildings’ energy and water usage public On June 21, the Philadelphia City Council unanimously passed legislation mandating energy benchmarking and disclosure in commercial buildings of more than 50,000 square feet. These buildings are required to track energy usage, which can lead to increased efficiency. The legislation takes effect in one year.

ELECTRICITY is sold in kWhs or kilowatt-hours. 1 kWh = 1,000 watts metered one hour.

save

$252

save

$101

save

$49

save

$37

Or 1,800 kWh per year

Or 620 kWh per heater, per year

Or 350 kWh per family of three, per year

Or 267 kWh per family of three, per year

Unplug your second refrigerator or freezer.

Reduce your need for electric space heaters. Weatherize your house and wear warm clothing.

Switch from air conditioning to fans to stay cool.

Turn off unused televisions, lights and appliances.

Electric usage adds up.

gas is sold in CCFs or Hundred Cubic Feet

save

$145

save

$113

save

$95

save

$48

Or 91 CCfs per household, per year

Or 71 CCfs per household, per year

Or 59 CCfs per household, per year

Or 30 CCfs per household, per year

Install a clock thermostat with a five degree setback at night.

Seal up large holes in your top floor and basement.

Caulk and rope caulk windows.

Close storm windows or install plastic window kits.

Lower your water temperature to warm or normal and wrap your hot water heater.

water is sold in CCFs or Hundred Cubic Feet. 1 CCF = about 8 gallons

save

$640

save

$130

save

$80

save

$28

Or 150k gallons per active leak, per year

Or 30k gallons per active leak, per year

Or 18,000 gallons per family of three, per year

Or 6,000 gallons per family of three, per year

Repair running toilets and big leaks in pipes and faucets.

Repair dripping faucet and pipe leaks.

Take shorter showers or half baths.

Shut water off when washing dishes, brushing teeth or shaving.

graphic by zachary kutz. source: energy coordinating agency

Energy Coordinating Agency | 5

From Cold to Cozy Eric Eklund of Media made major improvements to his glassenclosed room.

Draft Dodgers by samantha wittchen Three homes hen it comes to home efficiency, every improveimproved ment—no matter how small—helps save energy through and money. If you want to get started, there are a retrofits

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number of do-it-yourself improvements you can make, such as caulking and weatherstripping around windows and doors, filling larger holes with sprayfoam, adding insulation to basement, attic and exterior walls, replacing the air filter on your heating or cooling system, and installing (and using) programmable thermostats. However, to get the biggest bang for your buck, you should hire a professional energy auditor to perform a home energy assessment and create a prioritized list of improvements. ¶ Grid talked to three homeowners who did just that, and subsequently had residential retrofits completed through EnergyWorks, a federally funded program of the Metropolitan Caucus—a group of local elected officials from the five counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The program, available in the five-county region, vets contractors and auditors, supplies lowinterest home improvement loans, and ensures that work is done properly.

6 | Energy Coordinating Agency

Air Sealing and Insulation Improvements Eric Eklund was cold in his own house. “We had wool throw blankets everywhere,” he says, “and we just never felt fully warm.” His 1956 split-level home in Media was quite drafty, largely due to original doors and windows, and a predominantly glass room at the end of his house that was connected by French doors. He was investigating geothermal energy for his home when he heard about the EnergyWorks. The low-interest financing available through the EnergyWorks program were appealing, so he decided to have an energy audit performed, hoping to make his house more comfortable.

An audit was performed in early 2011, and Eklund was given a menu of options to improve comfort and efficiency. He chose to have the glass room converted to a three-season room. A thermal barrier was created between the room and the house, and pocket doors replaced the French doors. Blown insulation was also added to the attic to increase the insulating value from R-19 to R-49 (The recommended insulation level for homes in the region is R-38 to R-49.). Other work included replacing the original doors and windows, installing an insulated doggie door and making sure the home was properly air sealed, which keeps conditioned air from escaping the

photos by albert yee

Insulation Elation Virginia Thompson and Tom Shaffer’s home in Swarthmore underwent a total retrofit; which included having the entire house insulated.

house. Eklund was also able to take advantage of the EnergyWorks audit rebate and loan program.

Eklund says he felt confident the work would be completed properly because the contractors wouldn’t be paid unless the efficiency improvements required by EnergyWorks were met. He couldn’t be happier with the results. In the winter, he’s been able to turn the thermostat down by three degrees, and the days of extra wool blankets to combat the draft are over.

Whole House Air Sealing and Insulation Improvements Every winter, the second floor of Virginia Thompson and Tom Shaffer’s two-story colonial house in Swarthmore was two to four degrees colder than the downstairs. “We would sit at our computer in the kitchen during the winter and feel the drafts sweeping in through the doors and walls,” she says. But Thompson was hesitant to have the problem addressed; she didn’t know whom to contact, which contractors to trust, and if she could even afford to have the necessary work done. When Thompson saw an ad for EnergyWorks in November 2010, she decided it was time to investigate having her home retrofitted.

After an audit, Thompson had the entire house insulated—the walls, attic and basement. Since the exterior doors had no insulating value—interior doors had been used instead—the contractors replaced all of the doors and added storm doors to the front and back of the house. Thompson needed to call the contractors back twice, but in both cases, Thompson says the Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA), which performs quality assurance checks of EnergyWorks projects, and the contractors were very thorough, and they solved the problem right away.

Despite needing return visits from the contractors, Thompson is very positive about her experience with EnergyWorks. “There’s never going to be a program that’s as easy, as simple, as reassuring as this [one].”

Fuel Switch Adeline Ciannella and her husband Peter were concerned with rising prices and the environmental impact of burning oil. “[We] talked a great deal about the moral issues in using oil or

natural gas,” she Adeline. “Both choices present problems that are hard to justify, so we focused more on efficiency.” They also knew that their century-old carriage house in Media was leaky, but not to what extent. So when EnergyWorks offered a discount on a comprehensive home energy assessment, they decided to have one performed. After having the assessment last fall, they discovered that their house wasn’t quite as leaky as they thought. Unfortunately, some energy conservation measures available to most people weren’t viable for them due to the age and construction of their house. The auditor did, however, suggest replacing their heater.

Through EnergyWorks and a recommendation from a co-worker, the Ciannellas evaluated several contractors. The whole process was very easy and completed surprisingly quickly, says Adeline. Now, the energy bills are lower, the heating ducts cleaner, and the system a lot quieter.

The Ciannellas didn’t take advantage of the low-interest loan available through EnergyWorks, but they were able to receive a tax credit for making the switch. Adeline says it was definitely an impetus for getting the work done sooner—before the tax credit expired. Now they’re looking ahead to other energy efficiency options—solar panels may be in their future. ~ Interested in making your home more energy efficient? EnergyWorks is currently offering comprehensive home energy assessments at a discounted rate of $150, reduced from $400.

For more information and to sign up, visit energyworksnow.com

Oil Change Auditors advised Adeline Ciannella in to buy a more efficient heater for her home in Media.

Energy Coordinating Agency | 7

by shaun brady

A unique program encourages communities to save energy together

Collective Bargains U

ndoubtedly, the biggest barrier to improving home energy efficiency is cost, but a secondary hindrance is a lack of knowledge. The EnergyWorks Select Partnership Program is working to address both these obstacles by allowing community, civic and faith-based groups to pool together and benefit from group discounts on home efficiency audits, as well as provide a group setting for solving problems.

Since the program began about a year ago, eight partnerships have formed, including neighborhood groups from University City and Queen Village, and co-ops like Weaver’s Way and the Energy Co-op. “We’ve found that the partnerships take a little more time to nurture,” says Tanya Morris, director of communications and outreach for the ECA. “But the reward at the end is greater because of the impact that it has on the community as a whole.”

There is no minimum number of households required to qualify for a partnership. (“We want it to be more than two,” Morris says with a laugh.) The program is loosely defined, but essentially matches the community groups with a building analyst and contractor who can recommend improvements at a discounted price—as little as $150—since several area homes can be visited in a single day.

Further rebates are offered after a certain number of improvements are completed, and low-interest loans are available for improvement work.

Working closely with these groups, says Morris, helps spread the ECA’s mission to reach more people through local leaders. “Having strong leadership in these partnerships allows us to keep pushing this sustainable agenda and making an impact on our community.”

8 | Energy Coordinating Agency

Queen Village Even before joining the Select Partnership Program, Queen Village residents were already being encouraged to improve their energy efficiency by a neighbor. Clay Bedwell, a member of the Queen Village Neighbors Association’s (QVNA) Sustainability Committee, was using his website, paenergy.org, to educate his neighbors on energy efficiency. The Select Partnership Program developed as an extension of that work.

“While I’ve had some success over the internet, we were looking for ways to engage a more localized group of people,” says Bedwell. “We really wanted to educate the community. And offer an excellent value, so the partnership was a way to creatively problem-solve convincing people to get audits.”

The QVNA arranges group purchases of energy audits on a seasonal basis—ideally twice yearly in the spring and fall. They have contracted with auditor Jeff Lane, president of Star Energy Solutions of Fort Washington. In the fall of 2011, there were 14 audits. Four of those homes continued with contracted improvements. This spring, eight audits were completed, but no repair work so far.

“The people who go full-bore have already seen a drastic change in how their house performs as well as their overall comfort and energy

The people who go full-bore have already seen a drastic change in how their house performs as well as their overall comfort and energy performance. ❞ —> Clay Bedwell, Queen Village

performance,” says Bedwell. “People with newer homes have had minor improvements, while others have just had the audit done to give them a road map for what to do in the future. Awareness is the first step for us.”

Queen Village is a perfect fit for the program, explains Bedwell, because of its architecture and the environmental awareness of its residents.

“We have a lot of old rowhomes that by nature are efficient because they abut each other, but they’re also inefficient because they have a lot of old windows and cracks in the masonry and so on. Many older houses lack modern insulation technology and have old appliances. So we have a great framework—it’s just a matter of making positive changes in that direction.”

University City District Although University City District (UCD) joined the program less than a year ago, the community is already the most successful in the program. Thirty-six residents have undergone audits, and six have followed up with home improvements.

“I’d love to increase that number,” says Seth Budick, UCD’s manager of policy and research. “But it’s valuable just to have the audit, because there’s a lot of stuff that you learn there about basic behavioral things that you

photo by albert yee

can change—caulking for drafts, smaller-scale improvements.”

The program was advertised in the UCD’s bi-weekly newsletter and the University City Review, as well as through social media outlets and on a small West Philadelphia radio station.

The results have been impressive.

“Our best performer saw a 27 percent reduction in the leakiness of their house as a result,” says Budick. “The average house in the area was found to be 3.86 times as leaky as the target number, while the worst was 5.49 times. When houses were designed in the 19th century, a certain amount of leakiness was intentional to release carbon monoxide fuels from burning coal, so some of that is by design, but there’s definitely room for improvement.”

Budick is still brainstorming ways to encourage residents to take advantage of the discounted

audits offered by Lowry EcoSolutions on the Main Line. The audits are only part of UCD’s broader push for sustainability initiatives.

“Our mission is really about quality of life,” says Budick. “Helping residents to reduce energy costs is a component of that. We look for opportunities where we can bring the power of the crowd and use our reach in this neighborhood to collectivize the demand and thereby encourage more people to participate. Of course, we’re also interested in sustainability as a pure environmental goal on its own because we want University City to have that value attached to it.

We have plenty of residents and institutions who are totally committed to that.” ~ To learn more about Select Partnerships and to start one in your community, visit ecasavesenergy.org/ content/community-partners

EnergyWorks at Work Not ready to start a partnership in your community? Host an EnergyWorks at Work session in your office. During this brown bag lunch event, an EnergyWorks representative will talk about home energy efficiency improvements, financing options and home energy assessments. It’s a great opportunity to learn and discuss energy efficiency improvements with a knowledgeable EnergyWorks representative, and a convenient way to schedule a home energy assessment. For more information, visit energyworksnow.com/about-us/additional-resources/energyworkswork/

Energy Coordinating Agency | 9

Circuit Training

by liz pacheco

A jobs center in North Philadelphia retrofits workers for the clean economy

L

ast March, Roger Lewis was laid off from his job at Hostess Brands. An electrician by trade, Lewis had worked in food industry manufacturing facilities for the past eight years. His recent job was as an industrial mechanic. “That’s basically making sure the building is running properly, all the electrical systems, plumbing and the machinery that produces the products,” explains Lewis. After a couple months looking for employment he saw an ad in the paper for free job training through a program with the Community College of Philadelphia and the Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA). “I figured I’d give it a try,” he says.

Lewis’ story is commonplace at the James L. Knight Green Jobs Training Center. Most students enroll in the training because they’ve lost their jobs. A class in July consisted mostly of out-of-work architects. Marco Ricca, now a lead instructor, had enrolled as a student at the center after working as a realtor and home remodeler. “I had 10 years experience working on not only my own properties, but properties of investors,” says Ricca. “I would help [investors] buy [a property], help them rehab it and help them sell it. I had the market cornered as long as there was a market.”

The training center is one of seven certified by the Department of Labor and Industry. Since it opened in March 2010, more than 2,000 men and women have been trained, with about 70 percent going directly into jobs. The center offers more

10 | Energy Coordinating Agency

than 17 certifications in skills like weatherization, building retrofits and energy audits—they were the first in Pennsylvania to be a Building Performance Institute (BPI) affiliate, a national standard for residential energy efficiency retrofit work. In February 2012, Philadelphia City Council named the facility a “Center of Excellence” for the success its education and training programs have had in creating opportunities for individuals in the sustainable job market. “[The students] are getting marketable job skills,” says Ricca. “They’re also getting personal knowledge and personal enrichment on energy efficiency, how to save money on their home, things that they can do to improve the air quality and water quality in their own homes, as well as in their communities by getting jobs.”

Building a Teaching Tool From the street, the training center looks just like other old warehouses in North Philadelphia.

But what once housed a Civil War uniform factory is now a LEED Gold certified facility. The building, redesigned by local sustainable design firm Re:Vision Architecture, has an insulated white roof, a rainwater harvesting system, solar thermal hot water heating, a solar photovoltaic system for on-site electricity, and low VOC materials, paints and wood finishes, among countless other energy efficient and environmentallyfriendly elements. The close to $1.7 million in retrofits was funded mostly by the John S. and James L. Foundation with additional support from The Kresge Foundation.

The second floor boasts heating and insulation labs, life-sized mock-ups of rooms, even a small model home that allows students to see exactly how heat moves through an entire house. The curriculum reflects these hands-on teaching tools. Classes have two parts: a written portion and field work. “They have the ability to utilize any of our mock-ups and labs,” explains instructor Chris Robinson, a home performance contractor who has been in the field for eight

photos by albert yee

Training Day Standing on the roof of the Energy Coordinating Agency’s training center, Miles Grosbard (green hard hat) instructs students from the Community College of Philadelphia on rooftop solar thermal heaters (left) and refrigerant direct expansion air conditioning (bottom).

“It’s not just abstract theories or ‘death by PowerPoint’—but hands-on, tactile learning.”

Scott Coleman assistant direct or

years. “I like to balance—spend equal parts in the classroom and equal parts in the lab if possible.”

Robinson’s teaching methods go hand-inhand with the center’s goals for learning. “It’s not just abstract theories or ‘death by PowerPoint,’” says Scott Coleman, Assistant Director, “but really hands-on, tactile learning that leads to some kind of retention and, hopefully, competency. So, getting people involved in group problem solving, getting them to use their hands instead of just sitting down.”

The most impressive “hands-on” teaching tool at the center is the walk-in model. A series of rooms represent a house with actual working appliances—stove, refrigerator, hot water heater, furnace and dryer. Students use the model to for a full diagnostic test. The walk-in model, says Walt Yakabosky, Director of Training, is the only one of its kind in the country.

Expanding on the Vision When the center first opened in 2010, the economic crisis had made the demand for green job training greater. And, thanks to the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the

funding was there to support the programming.

Although Pennsylvania was delayed in applying this money to new programs and curriculums, the state has since done exceptionally well in supporting green job training.

“The ECA has been around for almost 30 years,” says Yakabosky. “[But] I think the stimulus really put this industry on the map.” Aside from being the first to offer BPI certification in Pennsylvania, the center was also the first in the state to offer a federally-approved apprenticeship program for weatherization technicians and auditors. In this program, the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) provides formal education and credit in the form of a certificate, and an employer provides the on-the-job training. CCP has developed an Associate Degree in Building Science with the training center as well.

High school seniors even have opportunities to take courses and receive certifications thanks to a career pathways model created in partnership with the School District of Philadelphia.

The training center is also recruiting students by establishing relationships with local and regional organizations. “The way we were

going to do [recruitment] is not by me, the old white guy, going into a community and convincing people what a great opportunity this is, because no one is going to pay any attention to me,” says Yakabosky. Instead, the center made partnerships with community-based organizations, such as the Federation of Neighborhood Centers - Philadelphia, Foundations Inc., Impact Services and the National Association of Minority Contractors.

Keeping Ahead of the Curve While the ARRA funding was important in launching the center, it limited training to focus on weatherization assistance programs. That funding for weatherization training ended on March 31, 2012, but with support from non-federal grants, the center has been able to market its extended curriculum—which has been in development since its opening—to those in other job fields. “[Yakabosky] has designed the curriculum, the mock-ups, the training center in its entirety to be adaptable to any kind of audience that we would encounter, and able for us to put it in very workable terms for students, for trainees who come through the center,” says Coleman.

Yakabosky had conversations early on with the training center’s leadership in which they asked what certifications would be required to work with utility companies and contractors.

Then, the city won the grant that created EnergyWorks. “We were managing [EnergyWorks] and started to put curriculum together to have these contractors certified in whatever discipline they needed to become part of the whole process,” he says.

Energy Coordinating Agency | 11

Practice Field Students at the training center can utilize life-sized mock-ups of rooms to practice their new energy efficiency retrofit skills.

Certifications are a driving element of curriculum development. “We do our best to stay ahead of the curve in terms of where we see all these certification requirements are headed,” says Dan Casper, who does curriculum development and project management. “We always try to be one of the first people to offer these certifications.”

Keeping ahead of certifications also means that training center students are better prepared and more desirable in the job market. “A lot of money that’s funded into the green economy is from government agencies, and is stipulated for the workers to hold credentials,” explains David Dennis, an instructor and curriculum designer.

“The credentials that we offer here—the certifications—follow those trends. As the credentials change, a lot of times our training changes [as well].”

One example is the new curriculum Ricca, Casper and Dennis created for the Philadelphia Water Department on stormwater management practices for residents. Previously, stormwater management was something handled on construction sites, and the practices weren’t

12 | Energy Coordinating Agency

adaptable for residential use. The team of instructors has scaled down the practices and created a curriculum from scratch.

“We have a lot of experience in a lot of different fields, primarily energy, but we’ve really headed in the stormwater direction,” says Casper. “That’s not something that we did very much, and then there was an opportunity. We sought experts who had the expertise and we developed the expertise in-house.” This flexibility to adapt to changing technologies and needs is

what has made the center so successful. Students are learning cutting-edge skills that lead to jobs as well as healthier homes and neighborhoods.

And that’s exactly what students like Roger Lewis are counting on.

“This is the wave of the future. Everything is going green,” says Lewis. “In order to adapt to the job climate you got to pick up new skills. Five, 10 years from now, BPI certification is probably going to be a major thing, so it’s good to get a head start on it. ~

photos by albert yee

Directory

Wondering who to trust with your energy improvements? Look no further! All auditors and contractors below have been vetted and approved by the Energy Coordinating Agency, and are eligible to take part in the EnergyWorks program.

Energy Auditors Affordable Comfort Systems affordablehvacpro.com Paul Pujol 16 Eric Ln. Media, PA 484-574-8700 paulacs@comcast.net Berkley Energy, LLC Scott Milne 467 Rick Rd. Southampton, PA 215-364-5040 215-783-5743 scott@berkleyenergy.com DSB Energy Services David Berg 100 Quail Ct. North Wales, PA 215-997-7186 dberg@dsbenergy.com East Penn Energy Solutions, LLC W. David Wallace 117 Woodside Dr. Boyertown, PA 610-906-3350 eastpennenergy@ windstream.net david@ epenergysolutions.com Ecocentric Energy Solutions Todd Nixon 303 Louise Ave. Croydon, PA 267-812-1360 ecocentrices@ comcast.net Efficient Home Products ehpgreen.com Al Lopez 604 W. Leigh Dr. Bristol, PA 877-769-1313 Energy Solutions Al Boro 1002 Marlin Dr. West Chester, PA 610-719-8652 albols@mac.com

Gallagher Construction Greg Gallagher 837 Parkside Ave. West Chester, PA 610-585-7236 ggall111@verizon.net Great Valley Propane gvpropane.com 57 Lancaster Ave. Malvern, PA 610-251-2203 Greener U Consulting Mitchell Rose 29 Chestnut Ave. Lower Merion, PA 215-203-2594 mitchell@ greeneruhub.com mitchellrose14@ yahoo.com Green Home Solutions Ross Seeley-Lopez 760 N. Woodbourne Ave., Ste. C Langhorne, PA 215-757-4200 Green Steps Paul Thompson 719 E. Passyunk Ave. Philadelphia, PA 267-519-3564 greensteps@ greenstepsonline.us Homeworks NRG Stephen Gastright 956 N. 8th St. Philadelphia, PA 215-625-4162 sgastright@ homeworksnrg.com Lowry EcoSolutions, LLC Eric C. Lowry 109 St. Pauls Rd. Ardmore, PA 267-257-5898 ericlowry@ lowryeco.com

MaGrann Associates Anthony Medley 1 Crescent Dr. Philadelphia, PA 856-813-8789 emmaraymont@ magrann.com lorettacampbell@ magrann.com PBC Alternative Energy Solutions aes.pfaffbros.com 112 Oak Ln. Glenolden, PA 610-461-2559

PHP Energy Solutions Rodney Purnell Lansdowne, PA 267-765-9221 rodney@ phpenergysolutions.com Pro Energy Consultants Paul Giorgi 210 Pointer Ct. Chalfont, PA 215-491-2223 pgiorgi@ proenergyconsultants. com

Saving Green Energy Audits Anthony Hyde 655 Mohican Dr. Easton, PA 484-860-2878 hyde18040@yahoo.com info@SavingGreen EnergyAudits.com Star Energy Solutions, Inc. starenergysolutions inc.com 405 Leah Dr. Fort Washington, PA 267-222-2439 starenergy@comcast.net

The Ultimate Green Group Ken Copper 325 Harwicke Rd. Springfield, PA rkcopper@comcast.net West Philadelphia Home Solutions 254 S. 46th St. Philadelphia, PA 267 -257-6118 westphilahome@ yahoo.com

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Contractors Adkins Management Inc. 4113 Colonial Ct. Valley Forge, PA adkinsmus@aol.com Airtronix, Inc. * Bernard (Bud) Griffin 96 W. Rambler Dr. Southampton, PA 267-254-9146 airtronixinc@aol.com Alderfer Glass Co. alderferglass.com 144 Telford Pike Telford, PA 215-723-1192 Alek Air Management, Inc. alekair.com 125 E. Street Rd. Feasterville, PA 215-253-5680 All Good Energy 5027 Bernville Rd. Bernville, PA 610-488-5222 Alternegy, Inc. 6122 Reedland St. Philadelphia, PA 215-847-0131 America’s Best Mechanical & Electrical Contracting Services, LLC americasbestcomfort. com 1147 Second Street Pike Richboro, PA 888-456-2525 Arvak Energy Solutions 12 Spruce Ln. Boyertown, PA 484-948-8515 Brinker’s Fuels, Inc. brinkersenergy.com 445 North West St. Doylestown, PA 215-348-2670 Buckminster Green, LLC buckminstergreen.com 958 N. 5th St. Philadelphia, PA 484-432-2692

Buzz Duzz Plumbing, Heating & Air philadelphia-plumber. zoponline.com/ buzzduzz/ 5918 Tulip St. Philadelphia, PA 215-533-7000 Can DO Mechanical, Inc. candomechanical.com 7160 Wissinoming St. Philadelphia, PA 215-338-2411 C.W. Cook Geothermal cwcookinc.com 425 Ridge Rd. Sellersville, PA 215-285-1720 Chambers Remodeling, Inc. Paul Chambers 210 Silverbell Ct. West Chester, PA 610-524-8841 cchampc@aol.com Chelsea Heating & Air chelseaair.com 946 Lake Rd. Avondale, PA 610-268-2200 Chestnut Creek Construction chestnutcreek construction.com 113 E. Chestnut St. Souderton, PA 215-721-0299 jim.held@verizon.net Christian Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. christianhvac.com 1320 Industrial Highway Southampton, PA 267-984-4830 Classic Plumbing Heating - Cooling, Inc. classicphc.net 2500 Ridley Ave., Unit #7 Chester, PA 610-872-4306 Comfort Air comfortairofPA.com 1000 S. Broad St. Lansdale, PA 215-237-3666

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Con-Lyn Home Improvement Co., LLC con-lyn.com 304 Industrial Ln. Avondale, PA 610-268-5592 Cost Rite Improvements costriteimprovements. com 306 Cornell Dr. Exton, PA 484-886-2856 D A Virelli, Inc. davirelli.com 1714 Jackson St. Philadelphia, PA 215-467-8233 Davis Modern Heating & Cooling davismodern.com 334 W. Germantown Pike Norristown, PA 610-277-2656 DCI Enterprises, LLC 4206 York Dr. Doylestown, PA 215-794-4578 DCOIT Enterprises, LLC 1209 W. Wingohockin St. Philadelphia, PA 215-529-8916 DiBiase Heating and Cooling * dibiasehvac.com 1617 Heather Dr. Downingtown, PA 610-873-1244 Dogstar Energy, Inc. Joseph Knoll 11 Ichabod Ln. Allentown, NJ 609-385-0134 609-658--0799 800-385-3506 info@dogstarenergy.com Domain Building Performance domainbp.com 445 Maple Ave. Doylestown, PA 215-598-5588 Doylestown Building & Remodeling doylestownbuilding.com 6433 Ferry Rd. Doylestown, PA 215-297-8600

Dwyer Oil dwyeroil.com 152 S. Main St. Ambler, PA 215-248-4300 Dowd Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. * dowdhvac.com Joe Dowd 2490 Williamson Ct. Bensalem, PA 215-752-3638 jdowd@dowdhvac.com Earth Smart Remodeling, Inc. earthsmartremodeling. com 304 Corporate Drive East Langhorne, PA 267-684-6561 Eco Green Home * 4ecogreenhome.com Craig Sauler 1337 Pottstown Pike West Chester, PA 610-436-1216 craig@4ecogreenhome. com Edward Powell Pump & Well Drilling, Inc. powellpumpandwell.com 17 Mount Pleasant Rd. #B Aston, PA 610-469-1098 Emerald Window & Glass Co, Inc. emeraldwindowsinc.com 2301 N. 9th St. Philadelphia, PA 215-236-6767 Engel Air Conditioning and Heating engelair.net 940 Pennsylvania Blvd.

Feasterville, PA 215-364-3522 Five Seasons Construction, Inc 1519 Green Lane Rd. Lansdale, PA 215-361-3003 FT Young Associates ftyoung.com 51 Cedar Dr. Richboro, PA 215-357-4300

Hometown Green hometowngreen.net 1350 Edgmont Ave. #2550 Chester, PA 610-627-4663

Gehringer Mechanical gehringermechanical. com 336 S. Ironstone Dr. Boyertown, PA 610-367-8271

Horizon Services, Inc. horizonservicesinc.com 900 Adams Avenue Audubon, PA 610-644-1025

Global Home Improvement, Inc. globalhomeinc.com 1680 Loretta Ave. Feasterville, PA 215-953-5151 info@globalhomeinc. com

J.A. Smith Heating & Air Conditioning Inc jasmithheating.com 360 Patricia Dr. Warminster, PA 215-956-9400

GreenCo Solar greencosolar.com 630 Freedom Business Center Dr., Third Floor King of Prussia, PA

Jim Buck Builders * Andy Buck jimbuckbuilders.com 329 Friendship Dr. Paoli, PA 610-725-9559 andybuck711@ hotmail.com

Green Dog Foam Solutions greendogfoam.com 2528 Huntingdon Pike Lower Moreland, PA 215-947-5168 Green Pointe Energy greenpointeenergy.com 1055 Westlakes Dr. Berwyn, PA 800-619-9880 info@greenpointeenergy. com Green Stone Energy, LLC greenstoneenergyllc.com P.O. Box 755 Frazer, PA 866-274-9389 dutch@ greenstoneenergyllc.com Ground Source HVAC groundsourcehvac.com 866 Grubbs Mill Rd. Berwyn, PA 610-306-6245 H & H Heating & Cooling delcohvac.com Essington, PA 610-228-4421

J. Halligan & Sons jhalliganoil.com 414 Darby Rd. #R Havertown, PA 610-449-9001 J.O.B. Design & Construction, Inc. jobconstruction.com 64 N. Hanover St. Pottstown, PA 610-327-3454 JCarosella Design Build, LTD kandacarosella.com P.O. Box 1507 Havertown, PA 215-465-2700 contact@ CarosellaDesignBuild. com K E Seifert, Inc. Doylestown, PA 215-348-1151

Harry Worrall Builders harryworrallbuilders.com 110 W. College Ave. Yardley, PA 215-493-6356

Keystone Insulators, LLC keystoneinsulators.com 2815 N. Delaware Dr. Mt. Bethel, PA 570-290-0680

Harth Builders harthbuilders.com 1 Mill Race Spring House, PA 215-654-0364

Lawler Construction, LLC 106 Pebble Valley Dr. Doylestown PA 215-933-8397

*Offer auditing services as well

L & C Mechanical, Inc. 4224 Paul St. Philadelphia, PA 215-258-8890 Mark Group, Inc. markgroup.com 4613 S. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 215-334-5273 info@markgroupusa.com M. T. Ruhl Electrical & Solar Contracting, Inc. mtruhl.com 1920 W. Marshall St. Jeffersonville, PA 610-539-2920 Martin H. Ritter Construction Co. 3470 Strasburg Rd. Pomeroy, PA 610-857-3578 Martin1works@ verizon.net Masco Home Services, Inc. wellhome.com 1 Warner Ct. Swedesboro, NJ 4400 Lewis Rd., Ste. E1 Harrisburg, PA Matus Windows matuswindows.com 367 Easton Rd. Glenside, PA 215-576-6555 McLoughlin Plumbing & Heating Co. mcloughlinphc.com 8649 West Chester Pike Upper Darby, PA 888-517-8423 Meenan Heating meenan.com 113 Main St. Tullytown, PA 215-943-3500 Moyer Pest Control emoyer.com 113 E. Reliance Rd. Souderton, PA 215-723-6000 Murawski & Sons * Jeffrey Murawski 4412 N American St. Philadelphia, PA 215-632-1885 s.murawski@verizon.net

Nu Comfort nu-comfort.com 2306 Welsh Rd. Willow Grove, PA 215-659-0600

Richard M Crossan, Inc. rmcrossan.com 1133 Newark Rd. Toughkenamon, PA 610-268-8548

SPS Insulation spsinsulation.com 272 Burmont Rd. Drexel Hill, PA 610-623-5421

Oliver Heating, Cooling and Plumbing * oliverheatcool.com 101 Waverly Ave. Morton, PA 610-544-4884 800-522-4884 tcaserta@oliverhvac.com

Rost Artisan Builders rostartisanbuilders.com Upper Black Eddy, PA 215-292-3462

Sulpizio Inc 1211 Clearbrook Rd. West Chester, PA 610-496-6111

Saintco Mechanical Heating & Air Conditioning saintcomechanical.com 86 Park Ln. Glen Mills, PA 610-558-8167

Start Smart Energy Use, LLC * Robert Stoy Newtown, PA 610-996-0750 bob@ startsmartenergyuse. com sseu@comcast.net

Orange Energy Solutions, LLC * orangeenergysolutions. com 1395 Lawrence Rd. Havertown, PA 610-449-2444

Oval Heating & Air Conditioning * 7138 Valley Ave. Philadelphia, PA 215-508-1893 ovalhvac@aol.com Penn Windows & Doors pennwindows.com 1518 Union Blvd.

Allentown, PA 610-433-4196 Post Remodeling & Handyman posthandyman.com 1510 Lucon Rd. Oreland, PA 610-828-7181 rob@posthandyman.com Princeton Air Conditioning J. Scott Needham princetonair.com 39 Everett Dr. Princeton Junction, NJ 888-771-1102 scott.needham@ princetonair. lincservice.com Ray P. Litwin Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. * raylitwinhvac.com 6031 Ward Ln. Levittown, PA 215-945-1598 Remodeling Concepts, LLC remodelingconcepts.net 71 Steam Whistle Dr. Warminster, PA 215-343-5557

Scatton’s Heating & Cooling scattonshc.com 920 Allentown Rd. Lansdale, Pa 215-855-6144 Sunrise Restorations Inc. * sunrise-restorations.com 539 Franklin St. Hamburg, PA 484-660-3040 sunriserestorationsinc@ gmail.com Signature HVAC, Air Conditioning, Heating, Solar, Geothermal signaturehvac.com 325 Westtown Rd. #6 West Chester, PA 610-738-8310 Sila Heating and Air Conditioning sila-air.com 290 Hansen Access Rd. King of Prussia, PA Smith Sustainable Design * smithsustainabledesign. com 25 S. Main St. Yardley, PA 215-260-7905 info@SmithSustainable Design.com Spring House Window and Door shwdinc.com/ 908 N. Bethlehem Pike Spring House, PA 215-643-1155

Summers Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. summershvac.com 6031 Rising Sun Ave. Philadelphia, PA 267-888-2566 THE PLUMBER, Inc. theplumberusa.com 702 Moore Industrial Park Prospect Park, PA 610-328-7618 Thermal Installation SVC LLC West Chester, PA 610-431-1393 TG Wells Remodeling Contractors & Construction Company * tgw-construction.com 105 Pennsylvania Ave. Yardley, PA 267-583-3482 Til-Mar Designs tilmardesigns.com 1708 S. 25th St. Philadelphia, PA 215-339-8453 Unique Indoor Comfort uniqueheating andcooling.com 11 Union Hill Rd. Conshohocken, PA 610-825-4400

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