I recently completed three continuing education courses. 1. The bi-annual real estate brokers license course comprising 24 hours of fair housing, marketing, legal and environmental issues. 2. Built in Photo voltaics and 3. Green Walls.  The last two courses were from the Architects Institute.

SERIOUSLY GREEN ! FUTURE ATTENDEES, REGISTER HERE….ATTENDANCE IS LIMITED: …The Seminar for the SERIOUS individual wishing to buy or build an Environmentally-Sophisticated home in the next 12 months. Meet and hear the local experts in this field building healthy homes every day for the Charlottesville community. A few of the speakers will be: Richard Price - Architect-sustainable design. Bob Pineo - Architect- construction management and pricing. Google SketchUp Modeling. Mike Kelly - Earthcraft homes-specifications and detailing. Roger Voisinet - Sustainable  value in your new Green home and solar tax credis. Tom Kavounas - Thermal imaging and indoor air quality. John Semmelhack - Home energy testing and passive solar. Sally Fretwell - Non-VOC paints and color choices for health. Jeff Hainsworth and Tracie Skipper, PELLA Windows and Doors. Many free door prizes for professional services AND a mystery open house at one of the Woolen Mills Green homes. REGISTER HERE….ATTENDANCE IS LIMITED: …or call Roger Voisinet at RE/MAX Realty Specialists at 974-1500. Date: April 19th   1 to 3pm Location: 6 Rivers Edge Directions: corner of Riverside and Chesapeake adjacent to the Riverside Park

featured on NBC Ch 29TV: story here

Sustainable Home: Solar Incentives - Featured Special Sections - EDC Magazine Technological advances make solar energy more alluring for homebuilders and electrical contractors. Despite the effects the struggling economy has had on new home construction, interest in supplementing residential power with solar energy is growing. The primary driver is economic. In the United States, for example, state and federal capital rebates help a homeowner ease the cost of installing a photovoltaic system. In Canada, feed-in tariffs mean utilities purchase solar energy from an individual homeowner at a higher rate than the homeowner would pay for grid electricity, which provides an incentive for homeowners to install photovoltaic systems. Additionally, the cost of a photovoltaic system is dropping. According to USA Today, the cost of a rooftop array, including installation, is expected to fall as much as 20 percent in 2009, which is in addition to the substantial drop that already occurred in autumn 2008. Another factor is that the housing slump means new homeowners are more likely to remain in their homes for a longer period, thus increasing the return on their investment in a photovoltaic system. But interest in solar power is also being spurred by advances in electrical distribution technologies that allow a homeowner to proactively plan for the future installation of a photovoltaic system. For example, a combination service entrance device features spaces for components necessary to distribute solar energy throughout a home, but it can operate like a common residential load center until those components are installed. Once a photovoltaic system is in place, communications gateways help a homeowner track the amount of solar power being generated. They can play a key role in helping homeowners “net zero” their energy use — meaning that, in a calendar year, the solar power produced and used is equal to or greater than the home’s grid power usage. These technological advances coupled with the many economic incentives make solar energy a more alluring opportunity for electrical contractors and homebuilders alike. Though 90 percent of residential photovoltaic system installations are on existing homes, that trend could be shifting. Some housing developments are demanding that a certain percentage of new homes be solar-ready, while many homebuilders are using solar energy as a market differentiator. “You need to know how to sell solar,” says Neal Pavletich, who co-owns electrical contracting firm Star Electric in Bakersfield, Calif., with his son Mark. “You have to instill confidence in the customer that what you propose is good for them now, next year and in the future.” Economics vs. Technology While a photovoltaic system can create substantial energy savings for homeowners, a typical 3,000- to 5,000-watt system can cost a homeowner tens of thousands of dollars. However, U.S. federal and state capital rebates help reduce that cash outlay. For example, the California Solar Initiative offers residential solar rebates in two formats: One based on actual energy output by the photovoltaic system; the other is based on expected performance, where an upfront lump sum is paid to the homeowner by the state based on factors like equipment ratings and geographic location. From a federal standpoint, the Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008 (a component of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 that was passed in October 2008) extended until 2016 a 30-percent-investment tax credit for residential solar installations and eliminated a $2,000 tax-credit cap. For more information, visit www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov. But legislation and rebates are a moot point without the technology to facilitate the use of solar energy in a home. In a typical photovoltaic array, solar panels (located either on the roof of a home or the ground nearby) capture the sun’s rays. A solar inverter, located in its own enclosure, subsequently converts the rays from DC to AC power and delivers it to the home’s utility feed. If there is a power outage, the inverter must disconnect from the utility to avoid backfeeding the power grid, which is a key safety issue. Some inverters can interconnect to a battery system so solar energy can be stored and used to power critical loads during an outage. Once DC power has been converted to AC, it is routed through a back-fed circuit breaker contained within the home’s combination service entrance device and ultimately supplements utility power. Current transformers, also located at the combination service entrance device, monitor the home’s electrical system providing information to the photovoltaic system’s metering mechanism so the homeowner can quickly ascertain how much solar power is being generated by the array. Due to the high cost of a photovoltaic system, some homebuilders are opting to proactively install a combination service entrance device and do as much pre-wiring as possible well in advance of installing a photovoltaic system. For example, the Square D Combination Service Entrance Device has space for a back-fed circuit breaker and a current transformer mounting for monitoring equipment; these areas can remain unused until the inverter and photovoltaic array are installed. Being proactive regarding solar is a key message electrical contractors and homebuilders should deliver to their homeowner customers due to economics, Mark Pavletich says. “At the time you put in the array — when you pull all your wires from the array to the inverter — you’re saving money because all the pre-wiring and conduit has been done,” he says. The energy and cost savings a photovoltaic array generates can be substantial. A 3,000-watt system, for example, can reduce a typical homeowner’s electric bill by roughly $50 to $60 per month allowing for variations based on utility rates among other factors. But knowing how much energy a photovoltaic system is generating is only half of the equation — managing that energy is the other half. That’s why a communications gateway is so important. A communications gateway, like the Xantrex Communications Gateway from Xantrex Technology Inc., for example, is a small device (6 inches by 4 inches) mounted indoors or in an enclosure outdoors. It’s connected to the photovoltaic system’s inverter using Cat-5 cable and to the home’s wireless network using its built-in Wi-Fi capability. A software application on the home’s personal computer communicates with the gateway via the wireless network to provide the homeowner critical system data such as: * How much power the photovoltaic system is generating; * Daily, weekly, monthly and even lifetime power generation trending; * Energy cost savings; * Greenhouse gases saved (e.g., carbon dioxide); and * Progress toward return on investment for the entire system. The availability of this data can also suggest courses of action for the homeowner such as augmenting the photovoltaic system with more solar panels to increase the amount of solar energy accrued in order to achieve net-zero energy usage. Of course, augmenting the system can translate to lower monthly electric bills and possibly a faster return on investment for the entire system. Seizing the opportunity Solar energy may be a great opportunity for electrical contractors and homebuilders, but there is a learning curve — particularly with regard to recent technological advances like combination service entrance devices and communications gateways. There are many ways to gather information about these technologies, from conferences and trade shows to the Internet to contacting trusted suppliers of electrical distribution equipment. The next step is to seek opportunities to apply this knowledge. “We hope that we can up-sell this equipment to our homebuilders to give homeowners the option of putting in a photovoltaic system when they buy,” Mark Pavletich says. “If people can come in and view the system in a model home, it will make sense to them.”

President Signs Economic Recovery Bill with Billions for Green Building, Energy Efficiency Following weeks of negotiations in Congress and the Administration, and in the face of continuing job losses nationwide, President Obama signed into law on Tuesday a $787 billion economic recovery plan designed to put millions of Americans back to work. Emphasizing investment in projects that can be deployed quickly and create jobs, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes billions of dollars that may be used for green building, retrofitting, energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, including those in federal facilities; states, localities, and tribal areas; schools; and housing. Energy efficiency in existing buildings can generate $160 billion in savings by 2030, according to a report by McKinsey and Co. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act takes critical steps to this end through significant investment in green building and energy efficiency. Commitment from policymakers, citizens, and practitioners nationwide will be required to ensure that the immense potential of green building to reinvigorate and transform both our economy and our environment is realized. Select Highlights of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 * Green Schools: The new law includes a $53.6 billion State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, to be administered by the federal Department of Education that will provide, among other things, funds to governors for use in restoring and providing state funding to school districts. Roughly $9 billion of this fund will be available for use by governors to address public safety and other government services, which may include school modernization, renovation, and repair consistent with a recognized green building rating system. Additionally, the Act establishes a new kind of tax credit bond that may be issued by states and local governments “for the construction, rehabilitation, or repair of a public school facility or for the acquisition of land on which such a facility is to be constructed.” * Green Federal Facilities: The law provides $5.55 billion to the federal General Services Administration (GSA) for federal buildings, including $4.5 billion for measures to make GSA facilities “high-performance green buildings,” as defined by the 2007 energy law. The law also requires that $4 million of funds provided be directed for GSA’s Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings, which was created by the 2007 energy law. The Act also provides several billion dollars for facility-related construction, renovation, and repair projects in other federal agencies, including the Department of Defense. * Home Weatherization: The Act provides $5 billion for the federal Weatherization Assistance Program, which provides assistance to low-income families in weatherizing and improving the energy efficiency of their homes. To broaden the program’s reach, the Act increases the income levels covered by the program (from 150% of the federal poverty level to 200%) and the amount of assistance available for each housing unit (from $2,500 to $6,500). The Act also increases the percentage of funding that may be used for training and technical assistance (from 10% to up to 20%). * Energy Efficiency in States and Localities: The Act provides $3.2 billion for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, which was established by the 2007 energy law to provide support to states, localities, and tribal governments for energy efficiency and conservation programs and projects. Under the Act, $2.8 billion will be distributed by formula, and $400 million will be administered through competitive grants. * Public Housing: The Act provides $4 billion for the Public Housing Capital Fund, which provides funds to public housing agencies nationwide for the development, funding, and modernization of public housing developments. Under the Act, $3 billion of the funds will be distributed by formula, and $1 billion will be made available as competitive grants “for priority investments, including investments that leverage private sector funding or financing for renovations and energy conservation retrofit investments.” * Retrofitting Assisted Housing: The Act provides $2.25 billion for federally-assisted housing, of which $2 billion is for payments to owners of certain project-based rental housing, and $250 million is for funding of green and energy retrofitting investments in assisted housing. * Green Jobs: The Act provides $3.95 billion for training and employment services under the Workforce Investment Act, including $500 million “for research, labor exchange and job training projects to prepare workers for careers in energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.” Additionally, the bill provides $250 million for building, rehabilitating, and acquiring Job Corps Centers, of which up to 15% ($37.5 million) may be directed “to meet the operational needs of such centers, which may include training for careers in the energy efficiency, renewable energy, and environmental protection industries.” * Tax Incentives for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: o Energy-Efficient Existing Homes: Existing federal law provides an individual tax credit of 10% of expenses for certain energy-efficient improvements to existing homes. Previously, the tax credit offered specific, capped amounts for qualified property. Under the bill, the amount of the credit has been raised to 30% for 2009 and 2010, and these technology-specific caps have been lifted and replaced with a $1,500 total cap on installations that may qualify for credit. Referenced efficiency levels have also been updated. o Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit: The bill extends the production tax credit for wind facilities by three years to 2013, and for solar, biomass, geothermal, landfill gas, trash combustion, hydropower, and marine and hydrokinetic to 2014. o Temporary Election of Investment Tax Credit: Recognizing the uncertainty of investor tax liability owing to the economic downturn, the new law temporarily permits eligible taxpayers to elect the investment tax credit instead of the tax credit for production of renewable energy for facilities placed in service after December 31, 2008. Additionally, the bill modifies the existing investment tax credit to eliminate the dollar caps for solar, geothermal, and small wind property. o Treasury Grants for Energy Investment: Acknowledging the decreased effectiveness of energy tax credits due to the economic downturn, the law permits taxpayers to apply for grants from the Treasury Department in lieu of certain renewable energy investment tax credits. o Advanced Energy Investment Tax Credit: The law creates a new 30% tax credit-to be awarded through a competitive process–for investment in facilities that manufacture “advanced energy property,” for example, technologies for producing renewable energy, conserving energy, transmitting renewable energy, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, among other purposes determined by the Secretary. o Among other incentives, the bill provides increased authorizations for clean renewable energy bonds (increased by $1.6 billion) and qualified energy conservation bonds (from 800M to $3.2 billion). For a complete summary of the law, please visit: http://appropriations.house.gov/pdf/PressSummary02-13-09.pdf U.S. Green Building Council

New homebuyers to get $8,000 cash back - Feb. 16, 2009 First-time purchasers get a tax credit windfall if they buy before December. There’s a nice windfall for some homebuyers in the economic stimulus bill awaiting President Obama’s signature on Tuesday. First-time buyers can claim a credit worth $8,000 - or 10% of the home’s value, whichever is less - on their 2008 or 2009 taxes. A big plus is that the credit is refundable, meaning tax filers see a refund of the full $8,000 even if their total tax bill - the amount of witholding they paid during the year plus anything extra they had to pony up when they filed their returns - was less than that amount. But there has been a lot of confusion over this provision. Adam Billings of Knoxville, Tenn. wrote to CNNMoney.com asking: “I will qualify as a first-time home buyer, and I am currently set to get a small tax refund for 2008. Does that mean if I purchased now that I would get an extra $8,000 added on top of my current refund?” Not exactly. Billings won’t get $8,000 on top of his current refund, but he would turn that small refund into a much larger one. If his total tax liability came to $6,000, but he had $7,000 withheld from his payroll, he would normally receive a $1,000 refund. With this credit, his refund would total $8,000. If the credit were non-refundable, as was originally proposed in the Senate version of the stimulus package, he would have only received $6,000, or the total amount he paid in. To qualify for the credit, the purchase must be made between Jan. 1, 2009 and Nov. 30, 2009. Buyers may not have owned a home for the past three years to qualify as “first time” buyer. They must also live in the house for at least three years, or they will be obligated to pay back the credit. Additionally, there are income restrictions: To qualify, buyers must make less than $75,000 for singles or $150,000 for couples. (Higher-income buyers may receive a partial credit.) Applying for the credit will be easy - or at least as easy as doing your income taxes. Just claim it on your return. No other forms or papers have to be filed. Taxpayers who have already completed their returns can file amended returns for 2008 to claim the credit. Lukewarm reception The housing industry is somewhat pleased with the result because the stimulus plan improves on the current $7,500 tax credit, which was passed in July and was more of a low-interest loan than an actual credit. But the industry was also disappointed that Congress did not go even further and adopt the Senate’s proposal of a $15,000 non-refundable credit for all homebuyers. “[The Senate version] would have done a lot more to turn around the housing market,” said Bernard Markstein, an economist and director of forecasting for the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB). “We have a lot of reports of people who would be coming off the fence because of it.” Even so, the $8,000 credit will bring an additional 300,000 new homebuyers into the market, according to estimates by Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors. The credit could also create a domino effect, he said, because each first-time homebuyer sale will lead to two more trade-up transactions down the line. “I think there are many homeowners who would be trading-up but they have had no buyers for their own homes,” Yun said. Who won’t benefit, according to Mark Goldman, a real estate lecturer at San Diego State University, are those first-time homebuyers struggling to come up with down payments. The credit does not help get them over that hurdle - they still have to close the sale before claiming the bonus. Instead, many may look at the tax credit as a discount on the home price, according to Yun. A $100,000 purchase effectively becomes a $92,000 one. That can reassure buyers apprehensive about purchasing and then watching prices continue falling, he added. And it provides a nice nest egg for the often-difficult early years of homeownership, when unexpected repairs and expenses often crop up. Recipients could also use the money to buy new stuff for their home - a lawnmower, a rug, a sofa - and, in that way, help stimulate the economy. To top of page

NBC29-Va. Senate Backs Green Energy Incentive Program Va. Senate Backs Green Energy Incentive Program State lawmakers might expand a proposal brought to them by Charlottesville to cover clean energy support programs across the entire state. Before the start of the legislative session, Charlottesville came to lawmakers with a request: Help us start a green energy incentive program. State Sen. Creigh Deeds D-25th District drafted the bill. “No sooner had it been introduced that Albemarle County indicated that they were interested in it as well, and then Arlington County said ‘Hey, we want to be part of that bill too,”‘ Deeds said. Lawmakers expanded the measure to apply to any interested city or county. Monday the Senate voted 38-1 in favor of the bill. “It’s just really is encouraging to see so many people jump on this in the way that they have,” Deeds said in an interview after the vote. The bill allows local governments to start programs to provide incentives to people who use solar, wind or geothermal energy in their homes or businesses. It includes both new construction and renovation. Lawmakers say it’s a bold new option for communities. “Some of the problems with state laws is it doesn’t allow localities to be innovative and creative in how we address our problems,” said Del. David Toscano D-57th District, the bill’s co-patron. Deeds said the program changes that, “This can be a real incentive to produce energy efficiency and cost savings in every community.” People at the State Capitol say it’s no surprise a measure like this came from Charlottesville’s City Hall. “Our region always wants to be on the cutting edge, and energy is a very hot item right now,” Toscano said. The bill now heads to the House of Delegates, where it’s likely to receive significant support, especially because it uses local dollars — and not state money — for the incentives

For those homeowners thinking of investing in a solar water heater or photo-voltaic system (electrical production) at their home there is good news. The Federal government has extended the existing tax credit for another 8 years. The tax credit is 30% of the investment up to a maximum of $2000 for solar water  heaters and no maximum for PV systems. The State of Virginia is considering legislation which may result, as early as May, in a State Tax credit. Additionally, some solar systems may qualify for SREX’s which are solar renewal energy credits. SREX’s are sold to utility companies via 3rd party aggregaters much like carbon credits. These could be worth as much as $900 per year for a typical solar heating appliance at your home. So, an investment in $7000-$8000 in a solar water heater could return money to the homeowner in four ways: 1. Federal Tax credit 2. Reduced utility bills 3. State Tax credit 4. SREX annual income (with an installation of a BTU meter) for more information watch the video of Governor Tim Kaine when he appeared at the headquarters of Solar Services, Inc in Virginia Beach. Welcome to Solar Services

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