The general public isn’t yet awake to energy saving possibilities for the home. When the public does wake up, the government subsidies will cut its whoppingly big subsidies. That was the message of Princeton Air’s Scott Needham at the Princeton Chamber breakfast on September 23 at the Nassau Club. “They are trying to compel people to take action and change the market. The current subsidies are approved only through December 31. So decide whether you are going to do something and do it soon – or decide to do nothing.”
One of his case studies: Homeowners added 50 percent more space but were able to reduce the heating plant by 60 percent and reduce their bill by 60 percent.
Here’s how it works: Get a Building Performance Institute certified contractor to do a $125 Comprehensive Home Assessment, refundable when the work is done. If your projects effect at least a 25 percent heat energy savings, you will get 50 percent of the cost back as a rebate check, up to $10,000. That’s in addition to $1,500 in federal tax credits and $1,000 in free air sealing paid for by the NJ Clean Energy Program.
Needham’s test used to cost much more than $125 but he reduced the cost to meet state requirements. His upscale test both an infrared tester and a blower door to create a vacuum and chart the leaks more accurately than the infrared equipment alone.
Among his favorite remedies: replacing fiberglass with cellulose (newspapers shredded and infused with fire-retardant boric acid), which is also excellent for noise reduction. And sealing the basement where the sill plate hits the rim joist to prevent cold air from infiltrating and moving through the house, which also helps in the summer to keep the cold air in. Plus, of course, sealing those leaky ducts.
Get the low tech stuff done first, he advises. Of course if you decide to replace your furnace or hot water heater with a more efficient model, he won’t object and that’s where you might qualify for the subsidies. You might even choose to install solar panels to heat your water.
Other ways to get on the sustainable energy bandwagon: Attend one of the two conferences in October. On Friday, October 16, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School is a Policy Research Institute conference: Where Are We Growing? Planning for New Jersey’s Next 20 Years” featuring a host of eminent speakers. Register
The very next day Sustainable Princeton partners with We Are BOOST (Building Open Opportunity Structures Together) on a conference “Filtering the Green Noise: A Symposium, Part 1: on Saturday, October 17, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Suzanne Patterson Center at 45 North Stockton Street Princeton. Though admission is free, RSVPs are encouraged. Call 206-202-2883 or E-mail localwisdom@weareboost.org.
Princeton Comment 
Thanks to a tip from the Isles organization, Scott Needham and Princeton Air were featured on CNN today, 10-10-09. Congratulations!http://bit.ly/bffox1010e
Princeton Air recently finished an energy audit and retrofit including sealing and insulation in our home and (a) showed excellent craftsmanship and (b) were very neat and clean.Rick O
We Are BOOST & Sustainable Princeton Lend an Ear to Green Noise from 9:30am until 12:30pm on Saturday, October 3 at the Suzanne Patterson Center, located at 45 North Stockton Street in Princeton. This forum is free and open to the general public. Register on-line at http://filteringgrennnoise.eventbrite.com. Call (206) 202-2883 or email localwisdom@weareboost.org for more information.Setting Clear Goals & Learning Practical Tools for Creating Green, Smart, & Sustainable……Homes & Offices…Business Enterprises…Places of Worship…Parks & Open Spaces…Educational & Public Facilities…Job, Career, Education & Training OptionsFeaturing panelistsAlex Argento, Principle – Pura Terra"Sustainable Technologies and Products" – http://puraterra.com/Jeana Wirtenberg, PhD. – Co-founder & Senior Adviser – Institute for Sustainable Enterprise at FDU “Sustainable (Green) Business Enterprise” – http://view.fdu.edu/default.aspx?id=4585Anastasia Harrison – AIA, LEED APDirector of Sustainable Design, Gannett Fleming/Northeast“Clean Indoor Air Quality & Reducing Toxicity“ – http://www.ecosolutionsnj.com/www.ecosolutionsnj.com/HOME.htmlKyle Van Dyke, AIAPrinciple of Kyle Paul Van Dyke Architecture“Whole Building Performance”http://www.kvdstudio.com/Ira Eisenstein – Licensed InspectorStrictly Business Inspections, Energy & Environment“Affordable Do-it-Yourself Residential& Commercial Energy-Efficiency Fix-Ups”http://www.strictlybusinessinspections.com/Special Guest ModeratorsTerry Petry, PublisherMercer County WomanNewspaperhttp://www.mercercountywoman.com/Matthew Wasserman, Director -Global Portfolio & Product StewardshipChurch & Dwight & Sustainable Princetonhttp://njssi.org/princeton/Professor Alvyn Haywood, Life CoachPersonal Empowerment CommunicationTim Razzaq, CEO/FounderWe Are BOOST – http://www.weareboost.orgLocal Wisdom Media & Marketing GroupPlease register now for Filtering the Green Noise, A Symposium: Part 1 at http://filteringgreennoise.eventbrite.com/Or, RSVP to We Are BOOST, (206) 202-2883 or email localwisdom@weareboost.org * http://www.weareboost.orgSponsored by:Sustainable Princeton, We Are BOOST, Church & Dwight, Strictly Business Inspections, Eco Solutions New Jersey, Personal Empowerment Communication, Waste-Less Bags and Mercer County Woman newspaper
We have our geothermal heat pump connected to the hot water heater, and when we have the A/C on, the water gets really hot. Bob talked to a man who said the heating element in the thermostat in his hot water heater was faulty but he didn't find it out until the cooling season was over because the geothermal unit was heating the water.