ecobeco's June 2011 Newsletter
 ecoTips, News, Deals, and More - And it's Free!
May 26, 2011
Greetings!

The Summer season is getting in gear with pools opening this weekend and barbeque grills coming out of storage. Also, arriving is the summertime heat. As your air conditioning and power bill start to crank up, ecobeco is here to help you with tips on how to keep your home cool under the summer sun. Read on and let us help you with your home's indoor comfort, so the only thing you have to worry about this Memorial Day is getting outdoors and applying that sunblock.

We're sending this month's newsletter ahead of schedule so that you are alerted to the Bethesda Green event on June 1.  Feel free to forward this to your friends in condos. 
  • ecoTip: Keeping Cool - Air Conditioning and Beyond 
  • Maryland Energy Administration's Rebate Program Update - 65% of funds allocated 
  • Upcoming Events - ecobeco and Bethesda Green's Greening Condos Workshop   
  • We'd Love to Hear Your Feedback
  • June Discount on Energy Products
  • Upcoming Events -  3rd Annual Go Green Conference Frederick
  • ecobeco is now on facebook  
  • Maryland Begins Unsecured Energy-Efficiency Loan Pilot Program
  • Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency Improvements Partially Extended
  • Pepco Home Energy Savings Program for Maryland Customers
  • Allegheny Maryland Customers, Get a Home Energy Check-Up at No Cost
  • I'm Not a Pepco Maryland Customer, What About Me?
Enjoy!

ecoTip: Keeping Cool - Air Conditioning and Beyond      

While modern air conditioning provides houses with relief from the summer heat, centralized air conditioning is over-used in the United States. The following tips focus on ways to keep your home comfortable while simultaneously reducing air conditioning use. 

 

Air Conditioning (A/C)*
Keep that air conditioning unit in tip-top shape to get the most performance out of your A/C unit. HVAC equipment require annual maintenance to ensure that they are performing properly and to check for any potential future trouble with the system. A new system can range from $7,000 - $10,000 so identifying and making minor tweaks and fixes early can prevent an early replacement for the system. In a study conducted by CLEAResult, Inc. Consulting, where 1,500 A/C units were maintained and assessed, this group of units averaged an increase of delivered cooling by 31%.

If you hire a HVAC Contractor for annual maintenance of your system, some of the activities that should be performed include:
  1. Checking for proper refrigerant levels.  
  2. Checking all electrical components and controls.
  3. Cleaning evaporator and condenser coils.
  4. Oil motors, as needed.
  5. Calibrate thermostat.
  6. Check the condenser.
  7. Checking, cleaning or replacing filters, as needed.
Creating Shade
Blocking solar radiation through the appropriate use of shading also can provide significant help in cooling down a house. Tree shade and awnings around windows can reduce heat gain by up to 75% according to the D.O.E. and is particularly effective on Southern and West-facing windows. You also want to add heavy curtains to those windows to prevent solar heat gain through your windows. Trees and foliage can also provide further help with cooling by creating microclimates. As green plants go through the process of photosynthesis they release oxygen and water vapor. Thus, trees not only block sunlight, but can actively cool an area by up to 10 degrees.  (Trees also take carbon dioxide out of the air, reducing the amount of greenhouse gases)

Indoor Fans  
Fans can also be used to help supplement central air conditioning. A simple room fan or ceiling fan can circulate air, making the room feel 5-7 degrees cooler, which lets you run your air conditioner warmer. Fans work by blowing a breeze and cooling the surface of your skin. They don't actually change the temperature of the room.  Thus, you should never run fans to cool a room while you are out of the room.  A whole house fan can also help to draw in the cooler evening air while exhausting the hot and humid air.  Fans are also much more energy efficient, using only one-10th of the power of a comparable air conditioning system. We generally do not recommend attic fans (fans the bring fresh air into the attic) unless you are using your attic for storage of temperature-sensitive items.  For most people, proper air sealing and insulation should isolate your attic from your living area, which means attic temperature does not affect your living spaces. 


Heat Sources
Lastly, you can reduce any heat-generating sources within the home. For example, instead of cooking with your oven, use a microwave or toaster oven for small items.  If you use a stove top, turn on your kitchen fan when cooking to remove the excess hot air before it heats your home. When taking a hot shower, turn on the bathroom fan to exhaust the hot, humid vapors. Replacing your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lights can also make a big difference. Not only do fluorescent lights use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs, they also produce 90% less heat.

In 2009, 111 million US households consumed about 244 billion kilowatt hours to cool their homes, costing about $29.3 billion dollars and releasing approximately 14.7 million tons of carbon. Taking these steps to cool off will not only save you money but reduce your carbon footprint.

Home Energy Audits identify structural issues related to the thermal envelope of your building and proper air sealing and insulation of a home's thermal envelope fundamentally reduces your cooling needs.

*CLEAResult, Inc. Consulting information obtained from Home Energy Magazine: "Air Conditioning Best Practices". Kuonen, Joe and Bergmann, Jim. May/June 2011
Maryland Energy Administration's Rebate Program - 65% of funds allocated

UPDATE  - About 65% of the money for this program has been allocated.  Act now to take advantage of this program.  Once the federal stimulus money runs out, it's not coming back!

On Thursday January 20, the Maryland Energy Administration decided to invest $1 Million of federal stimulus money into the Maryland Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program through the creation of a 35% mail-in rebate for air sealing and insulation work up to $3,100.
  • This rebate is in addition to the Pepco, BGE or Allegheny rebate programs that give 15% rebates.
  • This rebate is in addition to the 2011 Federal $500 tax credit, and any other local programs. 
In other words, you can get over 50% back in rebates and tax credits for taking action on energy efficiency in your home.  To get this rebate, you must first have a qualified Comprehensive Home Energy Audit done (ecobeco can do this for you) and then a qualified home improvement contractor must be selected to perform air sealing and insulation work, etc. in your home. ecobeco helps you identify the right contractors in our audit reports so that you remain eligible to receive the rebates.
 
This program is reservation-based and first come first served.  There is $1M available, which the State estimates should cover about 750 homes. We recommend having an energy audit completed within the next month if you want to make the application deadline before the funds run out. The paperwork has a built-in 4-6 weeks process and scheduling the audit within the next month will should give you the appropriate amount of time required.

For more information and to download the forms you need for this program, please visit http://energy.maryland.gov/homeperformance/. The "Checklist" is an essential tool that will help guide you through every step of the process, and can be found on this page.

If you have questions about the program, or want to schedule an audit, feel free to call the ecobeco office at (240) 396-2141 x2.
Upcoming Events - ecobeco and Bethesda Green's Greening Condos Workshop on Incentives & Financing

Bethesda Green and ecobeco are proud to announce the fourth session of the Greening Condos Workshops titled "Lower the Cost of Energy Efficiency Improvements for Your Building - Incentives and Financing" to be held this Wednesday, June 1st, at 7pm at 4825 Cordell Avenue, Suite 200 in Bethesda.

This is the fourth of five workshops featuring a variety of important topics for condominium residents & managers who want to make their buildings more energy efficient and eco-friendly.

 

This session will cover incentives and financing that help realize energy efficiency improvement projects after a building's energy audit is complete.  

  

We will look at how the work can be funded through incentive programs available from Pepco.  

Monument Bank will describe how loans are given for these improvements and what boards can expect in terms of credit requirements and loan terms. Also, a tax specialist from the Reznick Group will describe how Federal Tax Credits can be leveraged to assist in the cost of energy efficiency improvements for the condo building.

  

Speakers include Nick Keller from Pepco's Commercial & Industrial Program; H.L. Ward, President of Monument Bank; and Fred Hutchison, CPA, Principal and Corporate Tax Practice Lead with the Reznick Group.

 

The event will be held at the Bethesda Green's office on Cordell Avenue with appetizers sponsored by Cava Mezze Grill of Bethesda.

 

Please RSVP to get a seat at the event!

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We'd Love to Hear Your Feedback 

We're a service business and your opinions and referrals matter to us!

 

Last year, your feedback helped us win the 2010 Super Service Award for Energy Efficiency Auditing from Angie's List. Please take a moment to share your experiences with our team and help inform your community about its local businesses. We appreciate your time to make our processes and products better!

 

Find out what other customers have been saying about ecobeco and leave a few comments of your own by going to Angie's List, Checkbook, Yelp and/or Facebook. If you are a member to these sites, please rate us and help grow our network!

 

Thank you!

June Discount on Energy Products   
Get ready to save!

ecobeco, in partnership with Green Irene, has been expanding the ecobeco online store featuring many new, exciting energy saving products, such as LED light bulbs. Check out the store at www.greenirene.com/ecobeco and click on any of the 'Products' tabs at the top of the page.

We are also excited to offer everyone a coupon code, valid for the month of June, on lighting and energy conservation products. Type EBSAVE into the code box when you are ready to check out to save 10%! When applied correctly you will see your shopping cart update with the discounted pricing prior to checking out. No minimum purchase necessary. 
 

  << click logo to enter ecobeco store   

Upcoming Events - 3rd Annual Go Green Conference Frederick

The 3rd Annual Go Green Energy Conference in Frederick, will be held on Monday, June 13 and is sponsored by Congressman Roscoe Bartlett. This event will showcase a large variety of local businesses - all of whom have a message to send on energy efficiency. The conference is designed to be a day long one-stop shop learning opportunity for going green with energy.

Held at the Frederick Fairgrounds on Patrick Street in Frederick, Maryland; the event is geared not only towards the residential sector but also has tons of information for farmers and businesses. Meet experts in the field of energy efficiency and learn about programs, incentives and benefits surrounding energy efficiency for business.  

 

Event is free and open to the public on Monday, June 13 from 11am-5pm! Located at 797 E Patrick Street in Frederick.

 

To view the event flyer click here.
Want to sign up for the event and let us know you're coming? Visit our event page.

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ecobeco is now on facebook   www.facebook.com/ecobeco 

It's now easier than ever to stay up to date with happenings in the energy efficiency/ home improvement industry by following ecobeco on facebook.  We will post upcoming events, breaking news, and our helpful ecoTips.

 

We also hope facebook will let us talk with you and allow all of us to learn from each other.  We want to hear more of your stories, share your experiences, and talk about our contractor partners and energy efficiency products.

 

Click on the facebook icon below to visit our page, then click "Like" ecobeco and you're all set. Thanks!




Maryland Begins Unsecured Energy Efficiency Loan Pilot Program
Beginning immediately, Maryland residents can apply for an unsecured loan up to $20,000 with a below-market interest rate of 6.99%. 

Any ecobeco customer with an audit completed after July 1, 2010 is eligible. Work performed by ecobeco's recommended contractors qualifies for the loan. This pilot program does not have a firm end date, but we expect it will use up its funding in the next 2-3 months, so if you want these loans, time is of the essence!

This program is being administered by the Maryland Clean Energy Center. Click here to learn more and to apply: http://MCECloans.org

This program is funded by stimulus money provided to the State of Maryland, and it requires an energy audit by a Maryland Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program auditor (like ecobeco, which won the 2009 Contractor of the Year for Maryland Home Performance).

If you need help getting work done, or you want to schedule an audit, give us a call at (240) 396-2141 x 2.

Here are more details from the press release:

The first step toward securing a loan is completing a home energy audit performed by a certified auditor. The resulting assessment is likely to recommend several ways a home can save energy.

With audit recommendations in hand, Marylanders can go to http://MCECloans.org to apply. These loans do not need to be secured by the owner's home or other large asset. The clean energy loan amounts are capped at $20,000; the interest rate is 6.99%. Most unsecured loans at commercial banks carry interest rates at twice that rate.

The approval process typically takes a few days. Improvements need to be performed by contractors with a Maryland Home Improvement Certification.

Homeowners with proof of a qualifying audit since July 1, 2010 can proceed immediately to the application.

Contact: Maryland Clean Energy Center at 301-738-6280 or loans@mdcleanenergy.org
Federal Tax Incentives for Energy Efficiency Improvements Partially Extended
The US Congress passed legislation that brings certainty to the Federal Tax Credit for 2011.  The new legislation is substantially more restrictive, and it caps lifetime benefits at $500.

Click here for more information on the 2009-2010 and 2011 Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit  

Here are a few key changes in the 2011 legislation:
ecobeco's Home Energy Audit Service
  1. The maximum benefit is $500, and the benefit is now 10% of the purchase price.  This is a big change from 30% up to $1,500.
  2. The benefit is a lifetime benefit.  That means if you took more than $500 in benefit from 2005 - 2010, you cannot take any benefit in 2011.
  3. Gas or Oil or Propane furnace or boiler benefit capped at $150.
  4. Efficient property (such as insulation) capped at $300.
  5. Window benefits capped at $200.

You can read more about it when Energy Star updates their website in the near future.  Also we are not tax lawyers nor accountants, so please contact your accountant or the IRS with questions about your situation.

Pepco Home Energy Savings Program for Maryland Customers

Attention Maryland Home Owners in the Pepco Service Territories

From Comprehensive Home Energy Audits priced at only $100 with rebates of up to $1,200 for energy efficiency improvements, to appliance rebates, HVAC service and equipment rebates, free programmable thermostats, CFL discounts, and more... Pepco brings one of the most aggressive energy efficiency programs in the country to its Maryland customers.
 
ecobeco provides $100 Home Energy Audits to Pepco Maryland customers.  This is not a rebate program.  You simply pay us $100 at the time of the visit.

After your audit, you can receive a 15% cash rebate from Pepco for professionally installed air sealing and insulation augmentation up to $1,000 in benefit.  Plus, you can receive $200 for duct sealing.  Best of all, ecobeco will handle the rebate process for you free of charge.

Combined with up to $300 in savings for an air conditioner or $200 for a heat pump replacement through the appliance rebate program, ecobeco can help you find the best deals on making energy efficiency a priority for 2011!

The goal of the Home Energy Savings Program is to get home owners like you to take action on energy conservation. That means fixing up your homes, changing out your light bulbs and shower heads, and more. Pepco is obligated by the EmPower Maryland law to reduce energy consumption in the State of Maryland by 15% by 2015. 

Meanwhile, ecobeco has been working hard with our contractor partners to enhance and accelerate the amount of time it takes for you to receive your audit report and a firm proposal after your audit is complete. Our goal is to make it easier for you to say "YES" to energy efficiency improvements.

Call us today at (240) 396-2141 x2 to reserve your $100 energy audit or sign up at http://www.ecobeco.com/about_schedule_pepcomd.asp.

Note: Customers who buy energy from Clean Currents or other alternatives are also eligible to participate in the program.  You qualify if you 1) receive a bill from Pepco; and 2) have either a heat pump or air conditioning; and 3) live in a single-family home or town home (units in dwellings with more than 4 units do not qualify for this program).
 
Visit Pepco's consumer site for more information at:

http://www.pepco.com/energy/conservation/meiin/

NOTE:  If you are an existing ecobeco audit customer in the Pepco territory, please give Brian Toll a call directly at 240-396-2141 x704 or email Brian to discuss how you can take advantage of the Pepco Home Energy Savings Program.

Allegheny Maryland Customers, Get a Home Check-Up At No Cost.

Maryland Allegheny Power Customers - ecobeco is an authorized provider for the Watt Watchers Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program. 

You can have a No Cost Home Energy Check-Up performed by ecobeco, which is a non-instrumented walk-through of the house.  This product is designed to help you understand whether an audit is worthwhile for you and will give you tips on easy do-it-yourself items.  You'll get 6 CFLs for free as well. 

To schedule your appointment, call ecobeco at (240) 396-2141 x2.  We are currently servicing Allegheny customers in Northern Montgomery County and Southern Frederick County.

ecobeco also offers $140 Comprehensive Home Energy Audits for Allegheny Maryland customers.  See more information below.
I'm Not a Pepco Maryland Customer, What About Me?

Don't worry if you're not a Pepco Maryland customer, there are programs for other home owners as well.

1. Maryland BGE Customers - Through our partnership with Energy Services Group, ecobeco provides a full suite of solutions as part of the BGE Smart Energy program, which includes incentives for making your home more energy efficient.  Click here to view the incentives from this program, and click here to schedule your appointment with ecobeco.

2. Maryland Allegheny Power Customers - ecobeco is an authorized provider for the Watt Watchers Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program.  That means your audit costs only $140 if you agree to the installation of CFL bulbs, or $180 if you don't.  You can also have a FREE Home Energy Check-Up performed by ecobeco, which is a non-instrumented walk-through of the house.  This product is designed to help you understand whether an audit is worthwhile for you and will give you tips on easy do-it-yourself items.  Our service area is limited to northern Montgomery County. Click here to make an appointment.  After your audit, customers with electric heating qualify for additional incentives for doing air sealing or insulation work.

3. Virginia Customers - The Energy Efficiency rebate is fully subscribed. There are no incentives at this time for audits or retrofits. At this point, the appliance rebate program (see below) is the only state program accepting new customers. Don't fret, our Comprehensive Energy Audit is still a great value and provides you with the knowledge you need to make smart investments in your home.  Click here to make an appointment.

4. DC Customers - The District government provides free energy audits to home owners.  These audits provide a basic understanding of energy issues, but do not include IR camera scans, combustion safety testing, energy modeling, customized reporting, follow up time with your auditor, referrals to get the work done, a free second visit after the work is done, etc.  Currently, the free audit has a waitlist for several months and last we checked audits had been suspended.  DC residents can act now by making an appointment with ecobeco by clicking here.
We hope you enjoyed reading our newsletter.  We'd love to hear from you. 

Please feel free to forward this information to friends and family.      
 
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Thanks,

Brian, Reuven, Cindy, Mike, Jonathan F, Ben, Nick R, Jonathan J, Patrick, Diana and Ellen
(240) 396-2141

info@ecobeco.com