There's a lot of competition and
fighting in the energy world, except, that is, on the matter of energy
efficiency, but a local organization in Charleston wants to change that.
Energy Efficiency in the East End, or
e4, seeks to pit neighbor against neighbor, block against block in an
effort to be better users of West Virginia energy through Appalachian Power's HomeSMART assessment and
energy efficiency retrofits in an effort to create "a culture of
energy conservation."
"Energy conservation is strangely
non-controversial, right?" said Cullen Naumoff, a project manager
with the Charleston Area Alliance, a partner in the project.
"Everyone believes in energy efficiency."
The best way to bring it to a
community? Naumoff said competition was seen among several case
studies as a valuable tool for bringing about energy efficiency.
The program was announced at a meeting Jan. 15 of the East End Community Association. Any East End block
from the 35th St. bridge to Leon Sullivan Way is eligible
as long as there is a block captain.
There's even a prize category dedicated
solely to renters. Those with their own meters can participate
in the program, including the free energy audit. People living in
units that aren't individually metered can participate in the program
through an online self-assessment.
"We really want renters to
participate too," Naumoff said.
Those in the East End who wish to
participate in the program, the first of its kind in West Virginia,
can sign up for a free Appalachian Power Company HomeSMART energy
assessment while registering for the program at eastende4.com. More
information on the program is available at the website.
"We send a VPS-certified technician
to your home. It takes about an hour, hour and half and they do an
interior-exterior inspection of your home," said Travis Paxton with
Good Cents, an energy efficiency auditor. "They check for things
like insulation levels in your closets and basements, look at your
windows and doors and ask how many hours a week do you watch that
big television, how many loads of laundry you do a week and things
like that."
Then, all of that data is used by a
computer program to calculate potential savings.
The competition kicks off on Feb. 1.
Winners qualify for dinner with a local celebrity, a night at the Power Park minor league baseball field, an iPad, a Discover Clay membership for the local center for arts and sciences, and a full
weatherization audit.
The data on energy usage will be
collected and reported by the user monthly.
Heating and cooling, long representing
more than half of U.S. electricity bills, are falling below
that level to just over 40 percent. That means that simple things
such as weatherization or buying updated electronics have the
potential to shave several dollars off of each utility bill.
There are a number of energy saving
solutions residents of the East End will be able to utilize to ensure
a place on the end-of-the-year prize list. Simple things such as
turning off extra lights, unplugging charged electronics or replacing
outdated light bulbs could make a big difference in energy
consumption.
One of the biggest emphases the program
makes is that while it does result in reduced consumption
of electricity, it provides a more direct, individual benefit in the
form of cost savings.
As part of the program, educational
presentations are made throughout the year. Some of those classes teach basic
energy efficiency or get hands on in showing how to caulk windows. Other classes are seasonal based, such as a home cooling
class in April or a session on holiday lighting in November.
Energy reporter Taylor Kuykendall writes the Grounded energy blog on The State Journal website.
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