ROCKLAND — Like that of many old Maine community’s, Rockland’s housing stock is old and full of holes. The city’s energy committee, a group of citizen volunteers, wants to do something about that now and plans to introduce to the City Council this evening, at a regularly scheduled agenda-setting meeting, a plan to to Weatherize Rockland.

The meeting begins at 5:30 in Council Chambers at Rockland City Hall.

In a report to the Council, the committee wrote:

“Seventy percent or more of Rockland's housing stock appears to have been built before effective insulation and air sealing was common which means many homes likely are drafty and present a significant heating cost burden to residents. Weatherize Rockland is a City coordinated initiative, led by the Energy Committee, that is designed to provide information to homeowners about low-cost and effective home energy savings options like air sealing. This initiative is also designed to minimize common hurdles that often hinder homeowners from pursuing energy saving projects.

“Why Weatherize Rockland?

“Heating and energy costs for older homes can create a significant barrier for home buyers applying for mortgages, can cause major burdens for homeowners on fixed incomes, and can be a financial challenge for working families. Beyond these costs, cold drafty homes can be an added daily burden for residents, especially older residents, who spend many winter days in their homes. Air leaks in the building envelope of residential structures can drive from 20 to 40% percentof the building's energy use. Maine has some of oldest housing stock in the nation and air leaks between the living space and unheated parts of the home (or outside) are particularly prevalent here.

“In Rockland, Assessing Department data suggests as many as 55 percentof the residential structures were probably built in 1948 or earlier when meaningful air sealing was technically difficult to achieve during construction, if it was considered at all, and functional insulation was virtually nonexistent. An additional 15% of the residential structures in Rockland appear to have been constructed in the years from 1949 to 1975 before building science research developed effective approaches to control moisture, reduce air leaks, and provide thermal insulation.

“Thus, approximately 70 percdnt of the residential structures in Rockland were likely built either without any insulation and air sealing or without effective insulation and air sealing. Even newer insulated buildings built in the 1980's, 1990's and the first few years of this century may have been constructed with poor air sealing and thus have easily reducible annual energy costs. Available data from a variety of sources documents completed insulation, air sealing, or similar energy projects in < 100 (< 3 percent) of Rockland homes.

“$850 of basic air sealing in a home can lower yearly home energy costs by $200 or more. Efficiency Maine offers incentives through the Home Energy Savings program that allow a homeowner to get $850 to $1050 of air sealing work completed for costs to the homeowner ranging from $50 to $450. With these incentives a homeowner would recover their investment in 1 to 2 heating seasons, increase comfort in the home, and reduce energy bills for years to come. When air sealing is coupled with installing effective insulation in key areas like the roof/attic area (i.e., creating an effective insulated "winter hat" for the home) the cost savings can be much higher

“Reducing the energy consumption of older homes would lower the costs of living in Rockland and also reduce local air emissions from the burning of heating oil, propane and wood. Changes in funding for the Efficiency Maine Trust that took effect on July 1st expand types of incentives available to homeowners for air sealing, insulation and similar energy saving projects.

“Programs like Solarize Freeport as well as the Island Institute's Weatherization Weeks illustrate the potential for coordinated community wide energy programs to increase resident participation and lower the costs to homeowners. For example, coordinated weatherization efforts have resulted in insulation and air sealing projects being completed on 25 percent of the year round homes on Peaks Island and 87 percent of the year round homes on Monhegan Island.

“In many cases, homeowners thinking about lowering energy costs assume that this goal requires changing or updating the heating system, which might well be a several-thousand-dollar investment with an unclear payback given volatile energy prices. The comparatively low costs (and significant benefits for the dollars spent) for home air sealing are frequently overlooked. Community education on the costs of air sealing and the potential to lower heating expenses is one of the core components of the proposed Weatherize Rockland initiative.

“Community outreach and education would likely include:

(a) some variation on a Community Energy Fair and/or Weatherize Rockland" Forum;

(b) a Weatherize Rockland web page or web site and related social media pages;

(c) a Weatherize Rockland brochure that could be made available through a variety of channels and distributed in neighbors;

(d) Weatherize Rockland information distributed through known community organizations such as through Rockland Main Street to employees of local businesses who live in Rockland, as well as through religious and community organizations. The development and distribution of "Weatherize Rockland" materials would be coordinated by the Energy Committee.

In various Community Development Block Grant programs the City has administered, including both the façade program to assist owners of commercial masonry buildings and the home rehabilitation program aimed at improving existing housing, the City has prequalified contractors and vendors to participate in the programs. In a similar manner, the Energy Committee is proposing that air sealing and insulation contactors be prequalified through a Request for Qualifications/Request for Proposals process.

This accomplishes two things. First, this step helps insure the quality and qualifications of any vendors mentioned in the "Weatherize Rockland" initiative. Second, this step simplifies the process for homeowners and in other programs appears to have increased participation. Homeowners considering a weatherization project would know that vendors "A" and "B" have committed to provide basic level of air sealing work "C" for a specified price "D.". All contracts for work would be between the weatherization contractor and the homeowner. The Request for Proposals process would be carried out by the Acting City Manager with the assistance of the City Attorney based the Energy Committee recommendations.

Request For Proposals To Explore Potential For Lower Costs Based On Participation

The municipally coordinated "Solarize Freeport" program found that having multi projects in one neighborhood can lower contractor costs (and costs to homeowners) by both reducing mobilization costs and by leveraging economies of scale. Solarize Freeport's RFP sought a range of prices from vendors based on the number of households that sign up for the program (i.e., if ten homes sign up the installed price for a 7.5 kW PV array would be "X" dollars, but if thirty homes sign up the price drops to "Z" dollars, etc.).

The Energy Committee is recommending this option be included in the Request for Proposals as a bid alternate to see if the City's initiative has the potential to lower the price for homeowners (i.e., the RFP would first be to establish qualifications and vendor offerings to be included in "Weatherize Rockland" materials; the bid alternate would ask what price the vendor would charge for 15 homes vs 30 homes vs 60 homes, etc.).

Community Fundraising To Offset Homeowner Cost

Depending on the value of the home and a resident's income, Efficiency Maine's Low Income Home Energy Savings Program allows a resident to have as much as $1,050 of air sealing work done with only $50 direct costs to the homeowner. The Energy Committee discussed that even this amount could be a barrier to participation in some scenarios.

Thus the Committee is recommending the City Manager, through the General Assistance Office, be authorized to accept donations to offset some (up to all) of the homeowner costs needed to match basic Efficiency Maine incentives and rebates. The City has used this approach before to provide funds for heating oil and propane assistance. Any outreach for funds to support this aspect of "Weatherize Rockland" would be coordinated by the Energy Committee with all funds handled by City staff.

Weatherize Rockland Would Identify Homeowners Qualifying For CDBG Grants Or Loans

While developing this proposal, the Energy Committee learned the City has funds (mostly from parties paying back CDBG home rehab loans) that can be used as grants or loans for home energy projects. "Weatherize Rockland" should identify homes and homeowners that would be strong candidates for deeper energy retrofits with financial support through this existing program which is administered by staff and the Economic Development Committee.

Concept Schedule For Weatherize Rockland, If Approved By Council

The actual schedule for"Weatherize Rockland would be dependent on when the initiative is approved by Council and the response to the Request for Proposals/Qualifications from insulation and air sealing contractors. The following is a concept schedule of what should be practical if Council authorizes this initiative at its September 12 meeting.

September 7: Council To Discuss "Weatherize Rockland" Initiative At Agenda Setting Meeting

September 12: Recommended To Council By Energy Committee For Council Adoption on Sept. 12

September 15 (Energy Meeting): Energy Committee Meeting To Refine/Modify Proposal Based On Council Recommendations

September 21: RFP Issued By Acting City Manager To Qualify Installers/Determine Pricing/Explore Discounts

September 27 (Energy Meeting): Work On Project Outreach Materials; i.e., Door Card, Brochure, Info Sheet, Web Site Template, etc.); Work On Project Partners/Project Info Distribution Channels; i.e., Penquis, Rockland Main Street, Chamber, AIO, Local Churches, Habitat, etc.; Explore Possible Partners To Contribute To LiHESP Copays

October 7: Response to RFQ/RFP From Insulation & Air Sealing Contractors Due At City Hall

October 11 (Energy Meeting): Consider/Select Neighborhoods For Neighborhood Outreach/Neighborhood Challenge

October 14: Proposed Target Date To Accept/Approve Energy Contractors To Participate in Program

October 19 (Approximate): Project Rollout And Implementation. Residents Can Begin Requesting Materials & Begin Signing Up For Initiative

October 22 (Approximate): Begin Neighborhood Outreach

November 2 (Approximate): Community Forum or Energy Fair (Could Be Weeknight or Weekend)

November 16 (Approximate): Sign Up Deadline For First Phase Of Weatherize Rockland

November 16 Through January 25 (Approximate): Weatherization Projects Carried Out

Online References

How air sealing makes your home more energy efficient (Efficiency Maine):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdzuIOLfY_Y

Saving Like an Islander: An overview of the Island Institute's Weatherization Week Program

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbDZpT2eIqs

Energy Committee Meetings Focused On Developing "Weatherize Rockland"

April 12, 2016

April 26, 2016 (Discussed Committee Priorities & Potential For Residential Energy Initiative)

May 12, 2016 (Including Habitat for Humanity and Efficiency Maine Trust staff).

May 26, 2016 (Discussion of Key Components Of Island Weatherization Weeks)

July 21, 2016 (Brooks & Nathan Presented Outline Possible Residential Initiative To Committee)

July 26, 2016 (Weatherize Rockland Timeline Developed/Voted To Recommend Initiative to Council)

August 18, 2016 (Refined Weatherize Proposal For Council)

September 1, 2016 (Proposal Report To Council Finalized)