Sterling Heights

BetterBuildings program officially kicks off

By Cortney Casey
C & G Staff Writer

A program that hooks up residents of a specific Sterling Heights neighborhood with low-cost energy audits and incentives for efficiency-improving upgrades formally launched with a kick-off event at City Hall late last month.

Representatives from the Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office and Consumers Energy fielded questions, distributed literature and gave a brief overview of the BetterBuildings for Michigan program during the Sept. 27 session.

Fueled by a $30 million grant Michigan received via the U.S. Department of Energy, BetterBuildings will offer “home energy makeovers” in 27 designated neighborhoods statewide.

The Sterling Heights neighborhood tapped for inclusion spans from Metropolitan Parkway south to 15 Mile, and from Schoenherr west to the ITC corridor.

According to SEMREO, the benefits are numerous: Energy-efficient improvements can lower residents’ utility bills, improve their comfort by eliminating drafts and reduce a home’s carbon footprint while supporting “green jobs” in the community.

“Right now, we don’t anticipate utility costs to go down in our lifetime,” Phil Hadley, SEMREO’s energy programs administrator, told the handful of attendees. “So the only way to reduce your bill is to reduce the amount that you’re using.”

The program entails an initial assessment by an energy adviser, including a thorough check of appliances for gas leaks; analysis of insulation levels in walls, attics and crawlspaces; and a test using thermal imaging cameras that reveal spots where air is entering the home.

During the first visit, advisers also install two high-efficiency showerheads, two faucet aerators, an easy-to-use programmable thermostat and 10 compact fluorescent light bulbs. A final report outlines deficiencies found and prioritizes recommended corrections.

The entire process takes about three hours, said Outreach Director Amanda Dentler.

The energy audit entails a $50 participation fee, but the service is worth approximately $900, said outreach team member Sheila Vanfield.

The fee can be credited toward additional energy-efficient improvements, if any, the homeowner decides to make, and low- to moderate-income homeowners may qualify for a fee waiver.

On the second visit, the adviser reviews the report with the resident and outlines various incentives available for BetterBuildings participants.

For instance, Consumers Energy is offering up to $5,000 in reimbursements, and BetterBuildings will match the rebates up to $2,000, said Jay Karwoski, account manager for ICF International, which runs Consumers Energy’s energy-efficiency programs.

“This program is something you literally will never see again,” he said. “This is once in a lifetime.”

Qualifying residents may also be able to secure zero percent, same-as-cash financing on upgrades via Michigan Saves, a nonprofit program through the Michigan Public Service Commission.

Officials stressed that residents are in no way obligated to make any of the recommended improvements, and they won’t get a “hard sell” from any of the contractors involved.

Vanfield stressed that SEMREO is working exclusively with four local Michigan Saves-certified contractors — Air Conditioning Engineers in Shelby Township, The Insulation Man in Clinton Township, Blanket Insulation Co. in Southfield and WellHome in Taylor — who also may bring in their own subcontractors, depending on the project scope.

BetterBuildings participants must use those contractors to qualify for the rebates and deals; Vanfield cautioned that in other cities, some nonaffiliated contractors have tried to solicit business by falsely claiming they’re involved in the program.

Besides appearing at various community and school functions to generate awareness, Dentler said members of the outreach team — herself, Vanfield, Marnese Jackson and Kendal Conerly — will go door to door in the qualifying neighborhood to spread the word.

“We’ll all have green shirts on and city canvassing badges,” she said.

As of Sept. 29, Dentler said SEMREO already had consulted with some residents who had called, expressing interest, after reading newspaper reports leading up to the official program start.

“So far, we have about 20 people either scheduled or completed,” she said.

Though advisers hadn’t necessarily seen any “common” problems in the Sterling Heights houses already evaluated, energy-draining issues discovered to date included poor insulation, gaps around windows and inefficient appliances, she said.

SEMREO anticipates the efforts in Sterling Heights to extend through December.

Residents living within the qualifying grant area who are interested in participating can call (866) 402-1061 or email outreach@regionalenergy office.org. For general information on the program, visit www.regionalenergyoffice.org.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Cortney Casey at ccasey@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1046.