Button Up Energy preforming a new build home test

Living in an older home shouldn’t stop you from reaping the cost and energy savings of today’s new construction that uses environmentally sound building practices.

Obtaining an energy audit for your home is one of the top recommendations made by the Bend Energy Challenge, an effort spearheaded by The Environmental Center to help Bend residents save energy and make their homes healthier and more comfortable.

An energy audit can reveal which aspects of your home would benefit most from a green retrofit.

According to Jody Howe, energy specialist, retrofitting your home has nationwide appeal. Cost savings can be the main incentive, but conserving water and nonrenewable energy by making changes, both large and small, to improve your home’s performance is the main benefit.

“Retrofit is going beyond making your house look good. It’s also about the comfort of your home and your health,” said Howe, who’s been in the energy retrofitting business in Bend since 2009. “The ultimate point [of an energy retrofit] is to conserve our resources.”

A home energy audit is similar to a full body checkup for your house. The cost of an audit varies, but through participating utilities occupants may be eligible for incentives to lower the retrofit cost.

Because each home is different, energy audits are individualized to meet the needs of the owner. Once a homeowner has an audit, they often ask what their return on investment will be when they upgrade their home’s systems.

“Payback is relative,” said Howe. “Cost savings depends on how much retrofitting is required, your particular needs, as well as what your budget allows.”

When Howe evaluates a home for energy use, she takes into consideration the lifestyle of the family. How many people and what ages live in the home? Are there teenagers who tend to take showers often? A larger family that requires increased laundry loads? What about irrigation? Are family members home during the day?

Yet, there is a science to green retrofits.

The first step for retrofitting, while always keeping safety in mind, begins with assessing air infiltration. The majority of air leakage occurs in walls, windows, doors, attics, even floors. Sealing air and filtration adds comfort and reduces heat loss. Start with do-it-yourself weather stripping around doors and windows. Long-term investments such as replacing windows or doors or adding insulation in walls, attic and crawl space can be completed by a contractor. Leaving air sealing to professionals is your safest bet because they perform diagnostics as part of the process.

According to Energy.gov, heating and cooling energy costs eat up more than 50 percent of our energy costs. Ensuring your heating and cooling system is efficient is key. Look for systems that have an ENERGY STAR or EnergyGuide label to confirm quality. Sealing or insulating ducts plus regular maintenance by replacing filters keeps your systems more efficient. Help guarantee the system’s efficiency by adjusting your thermostat when you are away or sleeping.

Heating water is the second highest energy expense, accounting for about 18 percent of our utility bill. Water is essential to our daily lives, and we tend to use more hot water than we realize. However, water heaters have come a long way in the last couple of years, according to Howe. The energy factors in the manufacturing requirements for electric water heaters are much greater now than in the past, she explained. Furthermore, she added, there are also heat pump water heaters available that are at least twice as efficient as any standard water heater.

Having an efficient water heater without any leaks that is set at a maximum of 120 degrees can save money. Washing clothes only in large loads and using cold water not only reduces energy, but saves water. Replace faucets and shower heads of 2 gallons per minute (gpm) or greater with low flow heads of 1.25 gpm.

Central Oregon has high electricity usage because there is limited access to natural gas in many housing developments. The majority of that electricity is generated by coal and hydro power depending on your utility provider.

Because anything that uses electricity can be pulled from solar instead of the power grid, the high desert is the perfect area for solar use, said Lindsey Hardy, Bend Energy Challenge project director and clean energy advocate for The Environmental Center. Solar power as an energy source is getting renewed attention, she said.

“More people are realizing it is a good use of our resources.”

Costs of solar panels have come down due to the fact that manufacturing has become more efficient. Federal and state tax incentives also may apply, but it’s best to call a professional to see if solar is a fit for your home.

Both Howe and Hardy agree that no matter the degree of retrofitting, there’s no need to make changes all at once. Small changes to reduce energy use, which become habit, will save money and make your home more comfortable. Each bit of change will also boost Bend’s chance to win the Energy Challenge, and the $5 million prize. Finalists in the nationwide competition will be selected in April of 2017, with the final winner set to be announced in July of 2017.

The bottom line is that the key to winning the competition is for each resident in the community to be aware of their energy usage and to take steps to be more efficient.