Public Power - September 2008 - (Page 47)

construction waste on site, including drywall, steel, wood, and concrete. By using dust curtains and spraying the soil with water, each site’s air quality will be protected. Soil erosion is also prevented at the construction site through the use of silt fencing or hay bales to keep soil in place and keep runoff out of nearby streams and neighborhoods. Using green practices in the construction industry is critical because 124 million tons of construction site waste is buried in the landfills each year, said Barber. Homeowners can reap substantial savings by having their homes built and then certified as an Energy Star house, said Paul Mohr, regional environmental officer for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The designation, introduced by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1992, was expanded from appliances to include new housing construction and complete home remodeling construction in 1995. Energy Star homes come in all price ranges. “In fact, HUD has demonstrated that HUD-assisted affordable homes can be built to the Energy Star performance standard,” Mohr said. “If housing for people of low and moderate incomes can meet the standard, then all types of housing can become Energy Star-qualified for only a little extra expense and effort.” Energy Star homes have lower energy bills, are more durable because of less moisture damage, have better air quality due to less mold and greater radon control, have greater market value due to superior construction, and have lower maintenance costs, he said. In the Midwest, Energy Star homes cost about 2 percent more to build, with higher costs recaptured through lower utility bills, Mohr said. The added construction costs are amortized over the term of the typical 30-year mortgage, but the energy savings begin from the first day of occupancy. In some communities, the higher costs can be further offset by utility rebates and federal tax credits are available in some cases. A home is certified through evaluation, inspection and testing by a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) contractor. The professional reviews the design plans for use of insulation, doors and windows, the www.APPAnet.org HVAC system, types of lighting and the solar orientation of the home. When the home is under construction, the contractor will examine the insulation to ensure it is correctly installed. Once completed, the building and ductwork are tested for air leakage. Resources presented for environmentally minded homeowners, include: • The DYO® Green Building Decision Kit, available from Hathmore Technologies to help an individual understand options wind penetration approaches 20 percent, additional ancillary costs in the form of regulation and real-time control are added to integrate the energy into the power supply portfolio.” However, using wind power poses some challenges, said Elliott. Integrating the wind resource with the utility’s current portfolio is often difficult. Also, there is no way to store wind energy yet, he said. At the conference’s conclusion, Cassidy explained why BPU invests the time in In the Midwest, Energy Star homes cost about 2 percent more to build, with higher costs recaptured through lower utility bills, Mohr said. and make the decisions needed to design and build an energy efficient and environmentally friendly home. • Low-interest loans to cover energy efficiency improvements of owner-occupied homes. Loans of up to $10,000 are available through the Kansas Housing Resources Corp. Covered improvements include upgrades in heating and cooling, insulation and water heaters, as well as air sealing, ductwork, appliances, windows and doors. The Kansas City Board of Public Utilities’ latest commitment to the environment came in the form of wind, said Blake Elliott, BPU’s director of electric supply planning. The utility recently purchased 25 percent of the energy produced from phase one of the Smoky Hills Wind Farm. After 10 years, BPU estimates it will save approximately $3 million by purchasing wind power, when available. This energy will replace higher-cost peaking power and spot-market purchase power produced by gas-fired generators. TradeWind Energy developed the site, while Enel North America builds and operates the wind farm, located in western Kansas. “Because of the location, financing costs and complexities, it is usually best for a municipality to purchase wind power from an investor-owned wind facility instead of building its own wind farm,” said Elliott. “Studies have shown that most utilities can integrate about 10 percent of their power from wind renewable sources. As the hosting the Build Green conference. “At BPU, we understand that saving energy is as important as making energy,” he said. “Energy efficiency directly results in less demand on our power stations, fewer emissions and lower utility bills.” For free downloads of each presentation at the Build Green conference, go to www.bpu.com. APPA also has numerous energy efficiency resources for its members at its www.eercnet.org. ❚ Cathy Swirbul, based in Kansas City, specializes in writing for the power industry. SEPTEMBER 2008 47 http://www.bpu.com http://www.eercnet.org http://www.phase-a-matic.com http://www.APPAnet.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Public Power - September 2008

Public Power - September 2008 Contents Perspective 10 Questions What’s Good About RTOs? Capturing Coal’s Carbon Carbon Safety Valves Greater Glass, Greater Savings Getting Customers to Embrace Compact Fluorescent Lights LEEDing Green Kansas City Shows How to Build Green For Governing Boards Safety Community Broadband Hometown Connections Parting Shot

Public Power - September 2008

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