Monkton Energy Committee

The Monkton Energy Committee has signed up our town for the 2013 Vermont Home Energy Challenge.  We are in a friendly competition against other towns in Addison County to pledge to save energy and weatherize the most homes. The more energy saved and the more homes weatherized–helps us all win!

There will be prizes for the top towns in each region, which can be used for energy related projects for our Town:

1. $500 for the town pledging the most energy savings (look for pledge cards at the Monkton Town Hall, our Volunteer Fire Station, and at the Monkton Central School, Russel l Memorial Library, and Monkton Friends Methodist Church), and
2. $10,000 to the town weatherizing the most homes–reducing air and heat flowing out of your home by 10%.

Even if you have had an audit in the past or buttoned up, please fill out the energy saving pledge card to help Monkton qualify for the $500 prize. We will draw completed pledge cards placed in the marked envelopes to raffle off Efficient VT Home Energy Saving kits that can save you up to $650; one entry per home. We will have a sample home energy saving kit at the School soon.

The ‘base’ weatherization target for all towns is 3% of all homes – Monkton’s target is to weatherize 22 homes in 2013.   Weatherization is the most effective way to save money, reduce energy consumption, and in many cases make our homes more comfortable in winter and summer.

If you are not sure your home is losing heat, the 1^st step is to ask a weatherization specialist to visit your home for a free 1-hour thermal evaluation to analyze heat loss; several home energy auditors will give a free consultation. Charlie, Jay and Wendy Sue have had this done. A weatherization specialist came and looked at our homes and shot the walls, ceiling, and doors with a infrared thermometer to see where the cold air is getting in and discuss the type of work needed to button up. It is very helpful to see where insulation is missing or has settled. This gives a rough idea of the effectiveness of weatherization, the work involved, and the potential financial payback. Please ask us about it.

The 2^nd step is to get an energy audit done to quantify the ‘ energy health’ of your house – how much insulation you have, and how much air leakage and where the leaks are. The full audit report list suggested work items, and for each the cost for completion and estimated heat and dollar savings. Charlie has had this done.

The 3^rd step is to complete the work. You can work with a Home and Building Improvement Certified Contractor (BEI), or do the work yourself and have the BEI sign off on it. The 4th step is to have a final assessment of the improvements to determine if you saved 10% reduction in air loss by the blower-door test.

We recommend you contact L0ri Thompson, H.E.A.T. Squad Scheduler, of Neighborworks of Western Vermont. They provides home energy audits for only $100, project advisors throughout the process, up to $2,500 of incentives are available- regardless of  your income, they have loans and grants  for those who qualify to reduce the cost of a home energy improvements. If your family earns 80% or less of the county median income or ~$44,000; you can get a grant. They will also make sure you get energy incentives available from Efficiency Vermont. For more information go to: lthompson@nwwvt.org or 802-438-2303 x 227 or http://heatsquad.org/for-homeowners/.

A typical house might look like the following depending on the program you work with, your income, and the needs of your home:

A list of certified contractors and auditors can be found on Efficiency Vermont’s website at http://www.efficiencyvermont.com/for_my_home/ways-to-save-and-rebates/energy_improvements_for_your_home/energy_improvements_for_your_home/general_info/overview.aspx.

Households with income levels below the following are eligible for free audits and free weatherization work through Champlain Valley Weatherization:

Contact Champlain Valley Weatherization directly at (802) 482-4180 if you believe you qualify.

Please contact  Jay Frater (jfrater@monktonvt.com), Charlie Huizenga (802) 877-2888), Peter Dufault (pdufault@monktonvt.com) or Wendy Sue Harper (wsharper@monktonvt.com) if you are interested in participating OR if you can help us implement the program in Monkton………..and please help us get the word out to your friends and neighbors in Monkton.

Thanks!

Monkton Energy Committee

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The Monkton Energy Committee’s April meeting has been canceled. Our next meeting is on May 15th at 7pm at the Town Hall.

Bob McNary, Ferrisburgh’s Energy Coordinator, has invited the whole Town of Monkton to attend their Heat Squad Presentation this Tuesday evening. If you have been thinking about low-cost home energy audits, here is how you can learn more….

Ferrisburgh Energy Committee and NeighborWorks of Western Vermont Present:

$ave a Mountain of Green: How you can save money and improve comfort in your home

Come to this important informative presentation on Tuesday, March 26th at 7:00pm at the Ferrisburgh Central School gym. Learn about the NeighborWorks H.E.A.T. Squad, a program new to Addison County and open to all income levels. A Home Performance contractor will explain how homes lose heat and what you can do to stop it-hint:
it’s NOT your windows! Get the inside scoop on ‘Energy Audits’ and how you can get one at a big discount.

Why you should come:

*Homeowners are saving an average of 386 gallons of heating fuel-per
year-and you can, too!

* Cost of fuel keeps going up

*Be warmer in your home without putting on an extra sweater

Please contact Bob McNary for more information at (h) 877-3218 or (c) 343-4853 bobmcnary1@myfairpoint.net or Mary Lamson at (802) 438-2303 x 223 mlamson@nwwvt.org<mailto:mlamson@nwwvt.org>

MEC Energy Fair Follow Up 11172012

Monkton Energy Fair Final List 2012_10_15

PACE Educational Meeting set for Feb 25 at 10 am in the Firehouse

Monkton has the opportunity to vote to become a PACE district on Town Meeting Day. The PACE (Property Accessed Clean Energy) program allows homeowners to borrow up to $30,000 against equity in their home to fund energy efficiency or alternative energy projects, including insulation, efficient lighting, less drafty windows, efficient heating, solar technologies, biomass heating systems, and more.  The program requires an energy audit.

The assessment loan is tied to the property and stays with the property if it is sold. Repayment can be made for up to 20 years. An additional 2% fee is charged on the assessment loan for the reserve account. There is no cost to homeowners who do not choose to participate in the program.

The Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (Efficiency Vermont’s parent-company) can administer Monkton’s program as our agent. The agent works with towns to administer the program and local lending institutions that provide the assessment loans.

The PACE article has to pass by majority on Town Meeting Day. We, as a town, must vote in the affirmative by majority if we want Monkton to be a PACE District. Only homeowners in a PACE District can participate in the program.

Please come to an educational meeting to learn more about Monkton becoming a PACE District on Saturday, February 25th at 10am at the Firehouse.

Peter Dufault, Jay Frater, Wendy Sue Harper, Charlie Huizenga, and Bill Martin

Monkton Energy Committee