MEMORANDUM

City of Lawrence

Planning and Development Services Department

MEMORANDUM

TO: David L. Corliss, City Manager

FROM: Jessica Roberts and Tony Hoch, Projects Specialists

CC: Scott McCullough, Margene K. Swarts

DATE: February 8, 2010

The Community Development Division administers the Weatherization Program each year which consists of the weatherstripping of entry doors, attic insulation, and installation of storm windows. This program is funded through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and is targeted to low and moderate income homeowners. The 2009 Weatherization Program is now complete. Letters were sent to all of the program participants giving them the following information as well as the amount that was spent on their specific home.

There were 87 applications received during the month of August; 19 applications did not qualify because they were outside the city limits, were mobile homes, had previously participated in the program or their home already exceeded the program standards for energy efficiency improvements.

68 households received some or all of the benefits available this year.

50 homes had entry doors weatherstripped.

61 homes had their attic insulation increased to an R-38.

48 homes had new storm windows installed.

The least amount spent on a home was $95.30.

The most spent on a home was $3,483.91

The total cost of this year’s program was $88,686.33. To date, $1,142,517 in CDBG funds has been spent to weatherize 1,185 owner-occupied homes.

In an effort to quantify if this program was having an energy saving impact on the homes and not just relying on the anecdotal homeowner comments for evidence, the division chose to have limited home energy audits done by a third party testing company on three of the homes in different parts of the city. An RFP was sent out and The Demby Group was chosen to perform pre and post testing. At the completion of the testing the Demby Group provided a 30+ page report on each home with the results that included infrared photos and inspection photos of the completed weatherization items.

Address Blower door/Air Infiltration	Pre test leakage Air changes per hour	Post test leakage Air changes per hour	Improvement
1224 Delaware	378 sq. in. / 1.15	327 sq. in./ 1.00	15%
707 W 4^th St.	317 sq. in. /2.04	Not complete *1	? *2
521 Millstone	147 sq. in. / .66	142 sq. in. / .63	5.5%

1. Home determined to have unsafe furnace and could not complete test.

2. Homeowner does feel the home is less drafty.

The Blower Door test is a method to show where and how much a house leaks. Storm windows and weather-stripping only address a portion of those potential leaks. With the report results and counseling with the homeowners on other steps they can take on their own to plug more of these leaks, we feel confident that energy will be saved in these homes. (*1) The homeowners at 707 W 4^th St. were counseled on the Emergency Furnace loan program as a way to eliminate the unsafe furnace condition.

Additionally the exterior inspection led staff to ask the storm window contractor to return and install additional sill extenders on the storm windows at 1224 Delaware Street. Reports on the attic insulation required the contractor to return to 521 Millstone to add additional insulation and make the depth uniform. The reports stated in all three cases that the additional insulation will have an effect on heat loss through the ceiling. Weather-stripping was reported to be performing as designed and infrared photos confirmed that to be true.

The division has always thought that attic insulation, storm windows and weatherstripping were the three most cost effective efforts for energy savings. The limited energy audits that were performed on only three of this year’s homes have caused the division to rethink how more energy efficiency could be accomplished. Although no additional improvements to the program are suggested, some ideas to help homeowners with additional energy efficiency include:

Provide additional information to the homeowner about the Efficiency Kansas Energy Improvement Loan Program.
Provide information on other low cost improvements that the homeowner could do on their own such as sealing of electrical outlets, floors, rim joists, etc.
Perform energy audits much like we do lead paint testing at the beginning of Comprehensive Rehabilitation projects to see if additional items should be included for energy savings in the work write-up. This could help homeowners with their monthly mortgage payments by saving on their utility bills and also help their homes become more sustainable.

Self addressed, stamped Customer Service reply cards were also included with the letters informing the homeowners of their benefit. Some of the Customer Service reply cards have already been returned. All the comments have been favorable toward the program. Many have stated that their home is less drafty and feels more comfortable. One went so far as to state that there is a room in their home that they have been unable to occupy in cold weather and have had to block off the entrance with a blanket. This year they have been able to use the room in comfort due to the changes the weatherization program has made. The cards have also afforded staff the opportunity to go back to many of the homes and explain how the improvements work and advise the homeowners how they can do more improvements on their own to save energy.