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Hot Climate Initiatives
National Low-Income Energy Consortium
Phoenix, Arizona
June 16, 2005
Hot Climate Initiative
• Hot Climate Initiative started back in 1995• Shortly after getting started, Weatherization
funding was cut almost in half and the Hot Climate Initiative was tabled
• With recent increase in funding:– Weatherization Plus strategies were
implemented– Hot Climate Initiative was revisited
Hot Climate Initiative
• State and agency representatives from hot climate regions of the country met in Phoenix in May 2001
• Generated and prioritized list of action items including:– Training – Evaluation– Audit development – Leveraging– Client education – Priority lists– Review Appendix A – Bulk purchasing– Multi-family – Sources of new
labor
Hot Climate Initiative
• Hot climate states have received less Weatherization funding than cold climate states over the years
• As a result, hot climate states have had less funds for technical training
• While funding has increased recently, there still is not sufficient funding in many hot climate states to comprehensively train all agencies and contractors
Hot Climate Training Pilot
• Visited Alabama and Mississippi in late 2001 to understand state of the program in Southeastern U.S.
• Proposed a training pilot project, which DOE approved and funded
• Enlisted NRCERT and J&J Weatherization to develop curriculum and provide both classroom and hands-on training
• Completed Hot Climate/whole-house weatherization training in Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia
• First pilot in Mississippi – Phase I: April-August 2002– Phase II: April-June 2003
• North Carolina and Tennessee requested training using the Mississippi model and funded with their T&TA allocation– North Carolina: July-November 2003– Tennessee: January-May 2004
• Pilot replicated in Alabama incorporating lessons learned– January-August 2004
• Georgia – November 2004 – April 2005
Training Efforts to Date
Training Content
• Hot Climate training emphasizes whole-house weatherization, not just cooling-only measures
• Even in hot climates, savings in heating energy drive cost-effectiveness of most measures
• Reducing heating load also reduces cooling load
Training Structure
• Orientation training for agency coordinators, followed by
• Multiple regional trainings for agency coordinators, crews, and contractors
Orientation Training
• Two days to introduce agency coordinators to whole-house weatherization approach
• Share Virginia’s experience in adopting whole-house approach in early 1990s
• Emphasize importance of combustion appliance safety
• Introduce pressure diagnostics, advanced air sealing, and dense-pack sidewall insulation
Regional Training
• Three one-week-long, on-the-job training sessions in different parts of the state
• For agency coordinators, crews, and contractors
• First day in classroom• Second & third day in field• Last half-day test out and wrap up
Regional Training
• Classroom training– Combustion appliance safety
• CO, venting, combustion air, worst-case draft
– Pressure diagnostics & advanced air sealing• Building tightness limits, zone pressures, common
bypasses, mechanical ventilation
– Truck/trailer rigging (short field trip to the parking lot)
Regional Training
• First day in the field– Assessment and estimation– Combustion appliance safety testing– Blower door testing and pressure diagnostics– Attic bypasses– Dense-pack sidewall demo before starting
actual wall blowing– Two-part foam insulation demo– Refrigerator metering
Regional Training
• Second day in the field– Switch into “production” mode– Continue blowing sidewalls– Seal bypasses– Blow attic– Install/repair/replace kitchen and bathroom
exhaust fans, if necessary– Install dryer vent, if necessary– Insulate water heater and water heater pipes– Clean window air conditioners, if applicable
Regional Training
• Final day– Finish installing any final measures– Test out– Clean up– Review equipment maintenance–Wrap up
Lessons Learned
• The right people must attend training– Crews and contractors should attend,
not just agency coordinators
• Biggest obstacle to adopting the whole-house approach is prevalence of unvented gas/propane space heaters
Lessons Learned
• While comprehensive, on-site, and hands-on, this training is just a start– Long-term commitment to consistent
training is crucial
• Monitors have to be on same page–Must go through same training– State organizational issues
Lessons Learned
• Several agencies need to embrace the whole-house approach and lead others
• Peer training is extremely effective– In-state agencies share experience– Agencies visit from another state
• Creating or reinvigorating an agency association increases communication
Implementation Barriers
• Requires strong state program management
• Investment in equipment and ongoing training is significant, but necessary
• Some agencies are hesitant to adopt whole-house-based priority list and de-emphasize windows and doors
• Potential loss of existing contractors
TrainingFollow-Up
• Develop technical program standards to reflect whole-house approach
• Revise agency contracts to reflect standards• Monitor, monitor, monitor• Standardize training and provide on an on-
going basis• Comprehensive monitor training• Give agencies the chance to succeed, but
firmly enforce technical program standards