Dana Fischer, Residential Program Manager for Efficiency Maine
SRG: Can you tell us a little bit about Maine’s current goals for reducing the heating costs of Maine residents?
DF: Maine has among the oldest and leakiest housing stock in the country. A higher percentage of homes in Maine use oil to heat than any other state in the country. A tremendous amount can be done to upgrade houses in the state to make them more comfortable and efficient. The cost of financing energy efficiency improvements can often be paid for by the monthly energy savings homeowners experience. Efficiency Maine’s goal is to weatherize 100% of the houses in Maine. And while this is clearly a lofty goal, weatherization creates jobs, keeping more money in state and in homeowners’ pockets.
SRG: How much money can a homeowner save by upgrading their home’s energy efficiency? Can you give us some examples?
DF: Every home is a little bit different, and there are many variables to consider when determining the best energy efficiency options. When making recommendations, an energy advisor takes into account the size and age of the house, the efficiency of the home’s existing heating system, the amount of insulation in different parts of the home, how leaky the structure is in terms of heat loss, and the budget of the homeowner. The best way to determine which projects will save the most money for you in your home is by hiring an energy advisor. There are more than 100 energy advisors, certified by the Building Performance Institute, searchable on our website by zip code.
In the last two years we have had more than 3,211 homes weatherized through Efficiency Maine programs. Whole-home energy efficiency projects in our programs averaged $8,350 per home, but are projected to save an average of 40 percent of all energy used in the home. In the case of a very common Maine home that uses 1,000 gallons of oil, this amounts to roughly 400 gallons saved every year, which at the current price of oil is more than $1,400 per year. The amount of savings and cost of projects depend greatly on the home, but 87% of participating homeowners are highly satisfied with the results of their projects.
SRG: What kinds of upgrades typically produce the best results or the most bang for the buck?
DF: The lowest hanging fruit is typically air sealing (sealing the cracks and spaces where air leaks in and out of the house) and adding insulation. It is surprising how many older homes across the state have no insulation in walls. But even newer homes less than 10 years old can be very leaky, depending on the care and detail that was taken when they were built. The most common insulation projects include the application of spray foam to basement walls from the sills down, dense-packed cellulose blown into walls, and air sealing with thick insulation blown into attics. Heating systems are also a big source of savings. Boilers and furnaces that are not maintained on a regular basis or are more than 10 years old may be prime candidates for replacement. Advanced control systems and new gas technology can improve use of fuel dramatically.
Perhaps the easiest thing a homeowner can do is install energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. On average, these CFL bulbs will save about $8 per fixture compared to incandescent bulbs, each and every year, and they last six to 10 years.
SRG: It’s safe to assume that most people would want to save money on their heating costs if they could, but many of us don’t have cash on hand to make the upgrades that will ultimately save us money. Can you tell us a little bit about Efficiency Maine’s “PACE” financing program, and how it can help?
DF: Maine PACE Loans enable homeowners to borrow up to $15,000 for pre-approved energy-efficiency projects at an interest rate of 4.99% APR. Homeowners can pay back the loan over a period of up to 15 years. Although a home energy assessment is required, the cost can be bundled into the loan. And most importantly, Maine PACE Loans enable most homeowners to make energy improvements that can generate enough savings to pay back the loan.
Loans range from $6,500 to $15,000, and can be used for such projects as weatherization, new windows and doors, efficient heating systems, supplemental space heating, energy-efficient lighting and appliances, and solar thermal or solar PV systems. Energy-efficiency projects allow homeowners to save money on energy costs while increasing home comfort.
SRG: Who is eligible to apply for PACE and how does the application process work?
DF: To apply for a loan, applicants must be residential property owners who live in a town that has passed a local ordinance approving participation in the Maine PACE Loan program. You can find a list of participating towns here. They must also meet other lending criteria, including having a debt-to-income ratio of not more than 45 percent, being current on property tax and sewer charge payments and having no tax or sewer liens.
The application process is easy. Simply visit our website at www.efficiencymaine.com/pace or call 1-866-376-2463 to get started.
SRG: Are there any other options available to help homeowners pay for energy efficiency upgrades right now? (any other state credits?)
DF: Efficiency Maine offers a number of incentives for homeowners, including rebates on Energy Star refrigerators, washing machines, and dehumidifiers; incentives are also available for renewable energy systems including solar electric panels and solar hot water heating systems.
SRG: Over the past ten years or so, there have been several different federal and state tax credit and rebate programs that incentivized homeowners to make energy efficiency upgrades, the latest of which expired at the end of 2011. Are there any potential new federal or state incentives on the horizon that would help pay for energy efficient home improvements?
DF: We always look for ways to capitalize on energy efficiency opportunities, but the federal stimulus funds used to fund our popular Home Energy Savings Program have all been allocated. We continue to work on other opportunities and financing options, so be sure to keep monitoring our web site at www.efficiencymaine.com to take advantage of our programs.
SRG: Anything else you think we should know?
DF: Our website is a great source of information on our programs and incentives. All of the information you need to find an energy advisor or determine how your home stacks up are right at your fingertips. Whether you pay for the project out of pocket, or finance it with a convenient PACE loan, now is the time to take steps to save money and be more comfortable in your home.
www.efficiencymaine.com
Dana Fischer is a Residential Program Manager for Efficiency Maine managing both the Renewable Resource Fund and Maine’s DOE BetterBuildings Grant. He is a BPI-certified building analyst, a certified solar thermal installer, and former Finance Director working in three Maine municipalities. He has an MBA and studied Philosophy at the University of Chicago. He has spent much of the past 18 months traveling the state to establish the Maine PACE loan program in partnership with municipalities from York to Fort Kent.
