# Presentation: 213608

## How Can We Work Together, Part 2

**Larry Kinney **
**Senior Researcher**
**Southwest Energy Efficiency Project**

## Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP)

**Public interest initiative promoting greater energy efficiency in AZ, CO, NV, NM, UT, and WY**
**Founded in 2001, based in Boulder, CO**
**SWEEP engages in policy analysis and advocacy, and collaborates with utilities, state agencies, environmental groups, universities, and others to fill the need for energy efficiency programs in the Southwest**
**SWEEP began as a joint project of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and the Land and Water Fund of the Rockies; now an independent 501(C)3.  **
**Initial funding has been provided by the Energy Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency**

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## Some global energy numbers

- Worldwide annual energy consumption: 368 Quads, 368 billion person years equivalent
- US annual consumption in 2002: 100 Quads, 100 billion person years of labor equivalent

- SWEEP

## We’re number one!

- With less than 5 percent of the world’s population, the US consumes about 1/4 of the world’s energy and produces almost 1/2 of the world’s garbage.

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## What we really care about

- Helping new buildings to be as energy efficient as practical, given that our planet is finite, in deep trouble, and that our wisdom is limited.

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## Yes, our wisdom is severely limited, but even people who wear silly hats know that exponential growth cannot be sustained

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## What else we really care about

- Using Codes and other mechanisms to limit the number of crummy buildings—and even retrofit some of the old ones.

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## Yes, we need to start thinking about retrofit!  Energy Star Retrofit?!

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## From principles to practices

- Use the discussion, training, and implementation of codes to raise awareness about designing, building, and commissioning excellent new buildings--and verifying that they work

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## So how do we go about it?

- We study what’s going on and assess need as a function of jurisdiction.  (Follow the action; the potential for savings follows waste)
- Look for angles to lend a hand in forming policy, lobbying for adoption, sharing practical wisdom, training codes people, training builders, training trainers
- Evaluate the effects of efforts to improve; find what works and what doesn’t; make mid-course corrections

- SWEEP

## INCREASING ENERGY EFFICIENCY INNEW BUILDINGS IN THE SOUTHWEST:The Role of Energy Codes and other Efforts

- Report to be available soon for downloading from SWEEP’s web site _[www.swenergy.org](http://www.swenergy.org/)_
- Identifies areas of need, nifty things that are already happening (not all of which overlap)

## Animated training has made a big difference in Arizona, Nevada

- All stars like Mark LaLiberte, Joe Lstiberek, John Tooley have preached the gospel of energy efficiency to builders and others—why and how
- In spite of the absence of state-wide codes in AZ, there are more Energy Star homes there than any other state.

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## Fast changes in Las Vegas

- Summer before last, there was a big push to promote Building America and Energy Star in new homes in the Las Vegas area
- The brands were co-mingled and the number of Energy Star certified builders increased by an order of magnitude
- The buying public is now aware of energy issues
- New housing stock a lot better
- We need to emulate the best features of the program elsewhere.

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## Dare to be daring

- Communities in CO and AZ have begun to integrate green building ideas and current I codes
- Embracing these ideas not necessarily inconsistent with current ideas on keeping things simple
- Seek simplicity—but distrust it

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## Advice to budding entrepreneurs from an old hand:

- Never quit
- Never ever quit
- Cash is more important than your mother!

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## Who has the money to do the work that needs to be done?

- Federal government is strapped
- So are most state governments (excepting Wyoming, where extraction taxes save the day)
- Utilities!

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## Lots of arguments

- Codes are remarkably inexpensive ways to bring up the quality of the building stock, but they aren’t magic
- Training is necessary; positive attitudes need to be developed by all parties
- Utilities can play a key role in promoting energy efficiency, codes and standards
- Will help establish their brand and more; TEP uses its program to shave peaks in the summer and fill in valleys in the winter via heat pumps

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## Tucson utilities’ efficiency programs for new homes

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## Drawing circles

- He drew a circle that shut me out
- Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout
- But love and I had the wit to win;
- We drew a circle that took him in.

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## Let us work together!

- Let’s share ideas, success stories, training material (BCAP is taking the lead in the latter)
- Let’s work together to secure commitment of policy makers, utilities, the building community
- Let’s keep QC high by evaluating efforts, building on strengths, and learning to circumnavigate pot holes!

- SWEEP

## What’s your view?

- SWEEP