# Presentation: 761889

## Weatherization Assistance Program Overview

**NETL PMC Meeting for the Eastern States**
**November 15-16, 2006**
**Jean M. Diggs**
**Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program**

## Administration’s Request was $164.198 million
House Mark is $254.554 million 
Senate Mark is $204.550 Million

**House Mark** is $254.554 million
**Senate Mark** is $204.550 Million

**2007 Weatherization Budget**

## Production and Reporting 

- FY 2004 -- 100,026 homes
- FY 2005 – 95,790 homes to date
- FY 2006 Goal – 93,700

## Production Goals (thousands)

## Funding and Expenditures (millions)

## Why Reporting Is Important:	

- Increased pressure from Congress for results
- Future allocations are based on ability to serve population
- DOE Management supports well managed programs (i.e. results and dollars)

## What DOE Needs from Grantees		 

- Quarterly Financial and Program Reports
- Timely submission
- Final Reports for Year ASAP
- Confidence in Data Reported
- Meet Annual Goals

##  Program Evaluation To Focus On PY 2006 and 2007 Homes

 DOE Has Initiated 90-Day Federal Register Public Comment             Process, Will Then Seek OMB Approval For the Survey Plans

 Experimental Plan, Designed By Oak Ridge, Will Be Peer- Reviewed In September

-  DOE Has Initiated 90-Day Federal Register Public Comment             Process, Will Then Seek OMB Approval For the Survey Plans
-  Experimental Plan, Designed By Oak Ridge, Will Be Peer- Reviewed In September

**National Evaluation of the Weatherization Assistance Program**

##  Network Advisory Committee Was Asked To Comment On Plan and Survey Instruments During October

 Core Studies In The Evaluation Will Be Put Up For Competitive Bid With Winners Selected In 1st Quarter of Calendar 2007, OMB willing

-  Core Studies In The Evaluation Will Be Put Up For Competitive Bid With Winners Selected In 1st Quarter of Calendar 2007, OMB willing

**National Evaluation of the Weatherization Assistance Program**

##  Version 8 Training held in 9 states and at three conferences

 Next release expected August 2006 

 NEAT/MHEA Users Manual updates nearly complete 

-  Next release expected August 2006
-  NEAT/MHEA Users Manual updates nearly complete

**Energy Audits ****Weatherization Assistant Update**

**Notes:**
August release:  only minor changes; responses to questions/problems cited by network

More “major” changes to come out in ’08

Users manual nearly done, still some debate on whether it should be one large manual for both NEAT/MHEA, or separate ones

**Energy Audits -****Revalidation & Mobile Homes**

-  Every Five (5) years, per WPN01-4 (6 States Outstanding)
-  During 2007:  All states must submit their Mobile Home energy audit procedures for review
-  Implementation of a Mobile Home audit by all states may be required in 2008

**State examples re: Mobile Homes**

-  Indiana, Minnesota, and South Dakota recently had MHEA-based mobile home procedures approved
-  Colorado uses TAP for mobiles
-  Kansas uses REM/Rate
-  Washington uses TREAT

## Small Multifamily Audit Update

-  Beta version delayed to August, 2007 (due to National Evaluation)
-  Focus will be on buildings with less than 20-25 units
-  Approach will use the NEAT Engine
-  Version 8 platform allows:
-  Multiple occupants
-  More than one audit (unit) per client (building owner)
-  Unlimited HVAC systems per building description

**Notes:**
Could be delayed past ’07, depending on how the Evaluation goes

## Small Multifamily Audit Update – Cont.

- Major modifications include:
- Central heating and water heating
- Envelope constructions (e.g. flat, tarred roofs)
- Common areas
- Multiple water heater and refrigerator replacements
- Steam / hot water heat distribution and related measures
- Infiltration measurement and reduction techniques

**Grant.gov & WinSAGA**

-  WAP to use Grants.gov beginning in 2007
-  Those states without WinSAGA, PMC staff will continue to enter data in WinSAGA
-  WinSAGA will provide the interface with Grants.gov
-  WinSAGA expected to be around at least through 2007

**Grant.gov & WinSAGA**

-  DOE currently developing STRIPES (Strategic Integrated Procurement Enterprise System)
-  DOE will keep Grantees informed of progress
-  DOE will provide training when it becomes available

**Grant Guidance for 2007**

-  Development nearly complete
-  Known changes from 2006 are:
- All Grantees will transition to Grants.gov via WinSAGA
- Maximum Per Unit Average is $2,885
- New language addressing EPACT 2005 Renewables & $3000 PUA, $3,063 for PY 2007

**Grant Guidance for 2007– Continued**

-  Cap of 15% on leveraging dollars
-  Mobile Home audit implementation plan 2007, implement in 2008
-  States’ Managers Meeting co-located with NASCSP Fall Training Conference, October 31-November 3, 2006 in Providence, Rhode Island

## Hot Climate Initiative 

- Whole-House Weatherization Training for Hot-Climate States

## Overview

- Under development since 1995 Dallas & 2001 Phoenix meetings
- Main purpose is to develop climate-specific strategies to elevate energy saving performance in hot climate states
- Intensive, hands-on, week-long training in WX best practices
- Piloted in Mississippi, 2002 & Georgia 2005
- Florida received training in July 2006; South Carolina next
- Other states expressing interest:  Oklahoma & Louisiana

## Whole-House Training

- Crews & Contractors trained in
- Energy Auditing
- Diagnostic Testing
- Health and Safety testing
- Retrofit Installations
- How to set up, operate, and maintain equipment such as:
- Commercial-grade insulation blowers, generators, power tools, blower doors, and combustion analyzers;
- Trucks or trailers to maximize weatherization production

## Whole-House Training - Continued

- Challenges:
- Characteristics of housing stock and variations;
- House sealing, indoor air quality and moisture problems
- Extensive use of un-vented gas or propane space heaters
- Poorly equipped and trained subcontractor infrastructure

## Tribal Opportunities 

- Increase WX service to Tribes

## Weatherization Rule, 10 CFR Part 440.11 Native Americans

- Low-income members of Indian Tribes shall receive benefits equivalent to other low-income persons in the State

## Basis: 

- Native Americans traditionally under-served
- American Indian Reservation Lands not part of Community Action Network
- No direct links between Tribes and CAAs
- Tribal sovereignty, cultural differences, geographic barriers
- Lack of adequate funding to sustain small programs
- Poor housing stock

## Current WX Collaborations

- Pathways: ITCA Project to connect local agencies with Tribes in Arizona
- Northwest Sustainable Tribal Energy Partnership (NSTEP):  Collaboration between Tribes and State/Local/Federal agencies
- DOE Tribal Energy Program:  Interface with DOE WAP

## What we do:

- Encourage communication between Tribes and Local Agencies
- Share information among Federal Agencies/States/Tribes
- Explore new ways of working with Tribes
- Encourage maximum leveraging opportunities and partnerships

## Future Plans

- Continue collaborative efforts
- Increase interaction between WX and other DOE Programs
- Support Training and Technical Assistance for Tribal Programs

**Multi-Year Project Plan**** **

- Based on:
- President’s Management Agenda
- EERE Strategic Plan
- Multi-Year Project Plan
- Weatherization *Plus*

*A Roadmap of Key tasks, including major milestones, to manage a particular program*

**Multi-Year Project Plan**** **

-  For Weatherization, these Key tasks include, but are not limited to:
-  Issue Weatherization Grants to States
-  Support Energy Audits
-  Conduct Technical Training/Projects
-  Plan and Conduct Weatherization-related Conferences
-  Conduct Weatherization-related Peer Exchange

**Multi-Year Project Plan**** **

- (Key tasks continued:)
-  Conduct Weatherization Evaluations and Studies (excluding
-      National Evaluation)
-  Conduct National Evaluation
-  Maintain Weatherization Assistance Program Technical 	Assistance Center
-  Provide Support for Network Activities

## Weatherization Plus

- Our Future, Our Vision –
- Where We Want to Be in 2010

## Weatherization Plus Vision

- By 2010 Weatherization will become the center of the nations Low-Income, Affordable Residential Energy Efficiency delivery network, wherein,

## Weatherization Plus Vision (continued)

- Builders are inspired to build better homes
- Every state/local agency has excellent resources available
- Sustainability is a considered factor in Weatherization decisions

## Overview

- Evolution of the Weatherization Assistance Program from its traditional focus on heating and cooling energy conservation to an expanded focus on whole-house energy usage and whole-community efforts.

## Whole-House Approach

- Incorporates advanced technologies
- Addresses the comprehensive energy usage in low-income homes
- Addresses related health and safety improvements

## Team Result

- Expanded Resources: Leveraging/Partnerships
- Consistent Delivery of Quality Services
- National Information Exchange Resource

##  Network Advisory Committee Will Be Asked To Comment On Plan and Survey Instruments During August and September

 Core Studies In The Evaluation Will Be Put Up For Competitive Bid With Winners Selected In 1st Quarter of Calendar 2007, OMB willing

-  Core Studies In The Evaluation Will Be Put Up For Competitive Bid With Winners Selected In 1st Quarter of Calendar 2007, OMB willing

**National Evaluation of the Weatherization Assistance Program**

**New Opportunities**

** ****Legislative and regulatory change**
-  Section 206 of EPACT 2005
-  Adds biomass & renewable energy system definitions
-  Establishes an adjusted $3000 average-cost-per-unit
-  Defining and evaluating acceptable technologies and systems for use in
-  weatherization: www.wapsirtt.org
-  June 22nd Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (comments by 7/24)
-  June 22nd Direct Final Rule in Federal Register (effective 8/21)
- Changes final unless there are significant adverse or critical comments

**New Opportunities**

* ****U.S. EPA’s Great American Woodstove Changeout***
*www.epa.gov/woodstoves addresses the need for using EPA certified stoves, the need to change out older models and how to launch and integrate such activities in your work*
*Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEP) as a new possibility to leverage additional resources to implement the work*
*“**As part of a settlement agreement, an alleged (pollution) violator voluntarily agrees to undertake (fund) an environmentally beneficial project related to the violation in exchange for mitigation of the penalty to be paid.”*

## Annual Operating Plan (AOP)

-  Continue to fund projects through AOP
-  Priorities for PY 2007 are the same as for 2006
-  Continue laying the foundation for Weatherization *Plus*
-  Increase technical and management training

**Annual Operating Plan (AOP) Continued**** **

-  Develop climate/geography-specific strategies
-  Support Public Information Campaign
-  Enhance energy savings through new energy audit tools and improving data collection methods

## 
 Continue laying the foundation for implementation of Weatherization Plus including leveraging of other funds;

 Increase technical and management training and continue to build the technical base of the program;

 Develop climate/geography specific strategies to enhance energy savings – requests that support the hot climate initiative will get the highest consideration;

-  Continue laying the foundation for implementation of Weatherization *Plus *including leveraging of other funds;
-  Increase technical and management training and continue to build the technical base of the program;
-  Develop climate/geography specific strategies to enhance energy savings – requests that support the hot climate initiative will get the highest consideration;

**Guidance for: ****PMC Training & Technical Assistance AOPs**

##  Support efforts to expand and enhance the Public Information Campaign;

 Enhance the understanding of actual energy savings by developing and verifying new energy audit tools, and improving data collection methods to enhance program management and metrics.

** ****Enhance the understanding of actual energy savings by developing and verifying new energy audit tools, and improving data collection methods to enhance program management and metrics.**

**Guidance for: ****PMC Training & Technical Assistance AOPs – Continued**

## Previous Examples of AOP Activities:

**REGIONAL CONFERENCE **
**  ****Major training**
**PEER EXCHANGE**
**  ****Training**
**  ****Projects**
**  ****Studies**

## Previous Examples of AOP Activities: TRAINING

- Lead-safe Wx curriculum and training
- Mold awareness curriculum and training
- Hot Climate
- Whole house best practices (one-on-one site field training)
- Upcoming regional training forum in WV
- Crew competitions
- SW Training Center in Phoenix
- Launching training center w/BPI certification capability

## Previous Examples of AOP Activities:  PROJECTS

- Evaluations
- Support WX Day Activities
- Tracking use of energy sources in field
- Field Guides for Best Practices
- Web-based Index System
- WX Library

## Previous Examples of AOP Activities:  STUDIES

- NW Crawlspace Mechanical Ventilation Study
- Delta Q duct leakage testing
- Analysis of new method for tracking fuel oil and propane use in field

**DOE Weatherization Monitoring**

*** ******Current guidance: Weatherization Program Notice 01-6***
* **as with all recent guidance, find it at: www.waptac.org *
* **DOE monitors direct grantees at least once every two years*
* **Grantees monitor subrecipients at least once every year*
* **Importance to document, document, document!*
* **Working group to update the SEP and WAP monitoring guides*
* **D&R and workgroup developing technical monitoring tool,*
*     **administrative & programmatic tools a future possibility*
* **www.wapsirtt.org contains a number of Midwest monitoring instruments under the “new technologies” tab*

## Health & Safety

*Not much has changed...here’s what’s in the hopper:*
- Lead Paint & Weatherization
- Lead-Safe Weatherization
- Pollution Occurrence Insurance & Liability
- Mold, Moisture, & Mold Awareness
- Lead paint Study

## Lead Paint in the WAP - (“Nothing New”)

- Asbestos and radon in the 1990s
- Title 10 HUD Housing Legislation in 1998
- Applicable to all HUD related housing activities
- Sets compliance standards for lead hazard control
- Weatherization exempt from HUD compliance levels
- Lead-Safe Weatherization activities integrated in 2001
- Health and Safety Plans in state applications in 2002; updated in 2005

## Workers must conduct activities in a safe manner
Workers must avoid contaminating homes with lead-based paint dust and debris
Workers must use materials, tools and equipment to avoid exposing the customers, themselves, and their families to this hazard 
Workers are to assume the presence of lead-based paint in homes built before 1978
WAP funds may not be used to abate, stabilize, or control the lead hazard

- Workers must avoid contaminating homes with lead-based paint dust and debris
- Workers must use materials, tools and equipment to avoid exposing the customers, themselves, and their families to this hazard
- Workers are to assume the presence of lead-based paint in homes built before 1978
- WAP funds may not be used to abate, stabilize, or control the lead hazard

**Lead-Safe Weatherization**

## Pollution Occurrence Insurance

- No affordable coverage in market
- 13 month investigation by NASCSP
- Liability market unfriendly after 9/11
- Worked with several carriers and brokers
- BC Environmental contacted and joined Project
- American Safety identified as carrier for POI

## Pollution Occurrence Liability - Continued

- Cost related to volume of work to be covered
- Greater volume of work lowers per unit cost
- Incidental environmental disturbance covered
- Not a “lead paint” policy

## Workers must perform services to avoid mold contamination  
WAP funds can not be used to remove mold and other related biological substances  
If necessary, services may be delayed until the existing mold problem can be eliminated
Customer must be notified upon discovery of mold condition 

- WAP funds can not be used to remove mold and other related biological substances
- If necessary, services may be delayed until the existing mold problem can be eliminated
- Customer must be notified upon discovery of mold condition

**Mold and Moisture**

## Mold and Moisture - Continued

- Amend 2005 H& S plans to include a mold awareness training & protocol/checklist
- DOE will develop checklist for those States that need one
- Need some form of notification/disclaimer to client or landlord about the presence of mold
- 2005 State plan must have a description of training plan on awareness of mold and moisture hazards

## Analysis of Lead-Safe Weatherization Procedures 

- Study Being Conducted by National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) with results due by end of  2006
- Seven agencies from Maryland and Rhode Island initially provided 40 units for study
- Due to high attrition two agencies and 20 units added from Indiana in 2006

## Analysis of Lead-Safe Weatherization ProceduresContinued 

- Indiana units focused on dust dispersion activities like blower door and dense-pack insulation
- All crews were trained in Lead-Safe Weatherization
- Preliminary results are encouraging but may indicate need for greater emphasis on cleanup techniques

**Public Information Campaign**

-  Created in cooperation with the National Association of State and Community Services Programs (NASCSP)
-  Purpose:  To get the word out about the Weatherization 	Assistance Program to:
-  The whole Weatherization network
-  National, State, and Local Officials
-  The public at large

**Public Information Campaign – Continued **

-  Branded the Program with the logo:  Weatherization Works!

## Public Information Campaign – Continued 

-  Weatherization Day created, is nationwide, on:  October 30th
-  In 2005 alone, 18 States & local agencies held activities celebrating Weatherization Day
-  Activities include Site Demonstrations for Local and State Officials including Representatives, Senators, and Governors

## Client Education 

- Is an allowable expenditure under program regulations
- Is a critical part of the Weatherization process
- Is the process of explaining what measures are being installed on client’s homes as well as what the client can do to maintain those measures
- Provides additional tips to clients on what they can do on their own to further improve the energy efficiency of their home and reduce their energy bill.