The New American Home®:

Beauty and Efficiency In One

As the centerpiece display home

for the International Builder’s Show,

held the first week in February, The

New American Homesports

qualities unlike any other show

home. With energy-efficient design

a paramount characteristic, the

home uses 58 percent less energy

for heating and 53 percent less

energy for cooling than a

comparable home. The home also

boasts a 91.1 Home Energy Rating

System efficiency level.

Recognizing the home’s superior

rating, as well as the builder’s

ingenuity, the U.S. Department of

Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, presented the builder, John

Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods, with the ENERGY STAR® Certificate during a February

7 event at the International Builder’s Show.

Mark Ginsberg, DOE Deputy Assistant Secretary for Building Technology, State and

Community Programs, explained “The New American Home demonstrates that energyefficient homes are becoming a mainstream strategy for builders. These homes offer

improved quality, enhanced occupant comfort, lower utility bills, higher resale value, and

they lower the nation’s demand for electricity.”

The New American Home is an annual showcase project designed by The New

American Home Task Force and co-sponsored by the National Association of Home

Builders’ National Council of the Housing Industry and Builder Magazine. This year’s

home was a joint effort of John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods, an Atlanta-based

builder; Southface Energy Institute, a nonprofit environmental building group from

Atlanta; and Building America’s Integrated Building and Construction Solutions

Consortium (IBACOS).

Striving to create an attractive, yet energy-efficient house, John Wieland Homes wanted

to establish a level of energy efficiency never before seen in a display home, while

keeping construction costs within reason. It was critical that all costs for energy efficiency

upgrades be kept within reach of most project budgets. A key element in meeting this

goal was planning and designing for performance. 

Intricate and detailed strategies for duct design layout, HVAC optimization and airtightness were developed. The strategies show other builders that heating, cooling and

ventilating a large home can be done economically and efficiently, without sacrificing

performance or homeowner comfort. The home also features improved windows, an airtight, well-insulated building envelope and an energy recovery ventilator.

In addition, The New American Home® incorporates improved moisture control and

PartnerUpdate

INSIDE

REBUILD AMERICA•BUILDING AMERICA

U.S. Department of Energy • Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy www.rebuild.org • DOE/EE-0263

March – April 2002

Continued on page 2 

Continued on page 6

3 ENERGY STAR® Says 'Make a Change'

4 Fuel Cells: 21st Century Energy

5 Caldwell, ID: Leading Idaho in

Energy Efficiency

6 MIT Developing Efficient,

Responsive Homes of the Future

7 Portable Classrooms: An Efficiency

Challenge

8 NEED & EnergySmart Schools

Active Physics

Spurs Major

School Retrofit

Pursuit of Active Physics, an

interactive energy and science

curriculum, has sparked development

of a major energy retrofit to Wyandotte

High School, a historic school in Kansas

City, KS. 

Since the school district adopted

Active Physics in the summer of 2001,

training faculty to provide hands-on

energy instruction, the curriculum has

prompted incorporating energyconservation measures into planned

school renovations. Now, a $6 million

renovation of the historic building will

include energy-saving techniques area

officials learned on a recent trip to

Evansville, IN. 

“Out of Active Physics came interest

in a major energy project for

The New American Home®, the centerpiece display home for

the International Builder’s Show, sports qualities unlike any

other show home.
2 U.S. Department of Energy

School officials say they took the Indiana system and

adapted it for use at Wyandotte. All said, Wyandotte’s

renovation will enhance the building’s overall energy and

environmental performance, lower utility bills, preserve its

historic character and aesthetics and, most importantly,

provide a better learning environment. 

Funds for the project will come from a $120 million bond

county residents passed in 2000. That bond measure calls for

renovations, including heating and air conditioning upgrades

or new installation, to all 57 schools in the district. Although

the use of a 4-pipe system at Wyandotte High School will

result in a higher capital cost to the project, the operational,

maintenance and energy savings to the school district will

pay for the costs in less than three years.

Wyandotte High School was built in 1937 and is world

renowned for its architecture. Its name derives from the

Wyandot Native American Tribe that settled in the region

over 100 years ago. Built by the Works Progress

Administration after a fire destroyed the old school, it is a

registered historic building that contains 296,000 square feet.

The school district will begin its renovation and energy

project in the fall of 2002.

For more information, contact Rebuild America Program

Representative Kirk Bond at kirk.bond@pnl.gov.

Wyandotte,” Rebuild America Program Representative Kirk

Bond says. “And the trip to Evansville spurred interest in

specific ideas for the school.”

While in Indiana, school district officials learned about

HVAC techniques pioneered by Rebuild America Business

Partner Veazey Parrott Durkin & Shoulders (VPDS), an

Evansville architectural and engineering firm. 

In the early 1990s, with cash-strapped school districts

seeking HVAC upgrades, Tom Durkin of VPDS sought to

improve upon the 2-pipe HVAC system used by many older

schools today. The innovative change to the 2-pipe system

uses only one changeover valve, cooler water, state-of-the-art

controls, and individual classroom ventilator systems that use

fresh outside air. The result is improved indoor air quality,

lower utility bills, and affordable heating and air conditioning.

While engineers working on the Wyandotte project liked

the idea of the improved 2-pipe system, historic requirements

prohibited implementing it in the high school. Instead

engineers will use a conventional 4-pipe system that

capitalizes on some of the ideas and innovations they learned

in Indiana, while maintaining the external structural integrity

of the building. For example, the new HVAC system will use

lower temperatures for boiler water, existing outside air

ventilation systems, and advanced pulse boiler systems that

require fewer ignitions and less fuel consumption.

Continued from page 1

Active Physics Spurs Major School Retrofit

The municipal utility of San Antonio, TX, City Public

Service (CPS), recently broke ground on a new energyefficient customer service center that CPS hopes will influence

energy efficiency and sustainable construction in the greater

San Antonio region.

The groundbreaking is part of a larger energy-focused

effort underway in the greater San Antonio area. Utilities,

local governments and other partners have banded together

to create the Metropolitan Partnership for Energy (MPE), a

new organization committed to energy-efficient and

renewable energy projects.

Utility Breaks Ground on 'Showcase' 

Service Center

“This new Northside Customer Service Center will be City

Public’ Service's showcase,” Rebuild America Program

Representative Mike Myers says.

The new CPS customer service center’s state-of-the-art

technology and visibility in a major San Antonio commercial

district will further enhance MPE’s goals, as well as help CPS

better serve its consumers.

CPS, the second largest municipally owned utility in the

country, is a major partner in MPE, formed last year to

enhance energy efficiency in the Texas counties in and

around San Antonio. The organization includes Bexar County,

in which San Antonio is located, Rebuild America partnership

Solar San Antonio, the City of San Antonio, the VIA

Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Greater Bexar County

Council of Mayors, the San Antonio Water System and the

Alamo Area Council of Governments.

CPS hosted the groundbreaking January 8 and utility

executives expect the building to be completed by August

2002. The U.S. Department of Energy and its National

An artist’s rendering of the new customer service center.

Continued on page 9
February marked a milestone for Rebuild America

EnergySmart Schools with the introduction of a tool

that we hope will revolutionize the way schools are

designed in this country, creating better learning

environments for children. On February 8, Assistant

Energy Secretary Dave Garman unveiled the Energy

Design Guidelines for High Performance Schools: Hot

and Dry Climates at the Council of Educational Facility

Planners International Conference in Las Vegas.

The Hot and Dry

guidelines, the first in a

series of climatespecific guidelines for

designing energy smart

schools, cover parts of

Nevada, California,

Arizona, New Mexico

and Texas. 

The Energy Design

Guidelines serve to

reinforce President

Bush’s pledge to “leave

no child behind” in the

effort to improve

America’s schools. And by incorporating energy

efficiency into school design, we reduce our nation’s

dependence on foreign oil, another goal of the

Administration.

The guidelines are a valuable resource for those who

are actively involved in planning, designing, building

and equipping K-12 schools. The U.S. Department of

Energy (DOE) developed these guidelines under the

auspices of the ENERGY STAR® label for buildings and in

coordination with the U.S. Department of Education

and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in

response to requests from school officials and school

designers for climate-specific, school design

recommendations from DOE. 

If we want our children to get a quality education,

we need to take a good look at the classrooms where

they spend most of their day. Students learn better and

teachers work better in healthy, well-lit buildings. Too

many of our schools fall far short of this. Too often we

find classrooms with uncomfortable temperatures,

inadequate lighting, poor air quality and noise

problems from mechanical equipment or poor

insulation. Poor classroom environments also can

View From DC

By Daniel Sze

U.S. Department of Energy 3

Continued on page 10

Call for Sponsors and Exhibitors: 

State Energy Program/Rebuild America

Conference

Host an exhibit or help sponsor the 2002 State Energy

Program/Rebuild America Conference. This is a great opportunity

to raise your visibility or get a product or service noticed. The

conference is scheduled for July 29 to August 1 at the Hotel

Inter-Continental in New Orleans, LA.

For sponsor information, call 202-466-7868 or email Jennifer

May at jmay@pcgpr.com. For conference info, visit

www.2002conference.com.

ENERGY STAR® Says

'Make a Change'

Rebuild America Strategic Partner

ENERGY STAR recently unveiled a

new public awareness campaign

entitled “Change” to encourage

consumers and businesses to invest

in energy efficiency. The public

service announcements (PSA) are centered on the notion that

Americans “can make a change,” as U.S Environmental

Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd Whitman

says, through saving money, protecting the environment and

boosting the nation’s energy security. 

“Change” PSAs have been delivered to major media markets

around the country, with print ads appearing in newspapers,

magazines and other publications. Radio spots also have been

produced in English and Spanish.

The “Change” campaign comes with five energy tips Rebuild

America partners can use and share with their communities.

They are:

Change a light – Replace your five most frequently used light

bulbs with products that have earned the ENERGY STAR.

Heat and cool smartly – Have your system checked annually

and install an ENERGY STAR labeled programmable thermostat so

that you are not paying to heat or cool your house while you

are not at home.

Seal it up – Keep warm air in and big energy bills out by

following ENERGY STAR home sealing recommendations for

adding insulation to your home, and weatherstripping and

caulking around doors and windows.

Put your home to the test – Find out where your home has

room for improvement with the ENERGY STAR Home

Improvement Toolbox at www.epa.gov/hhiptool.

Look for the ENERGY STAR – When you are purchasing

electronics, appliances, office equipment, or even a new home,

always look for the ENERGY STAR label of energy efficiency.

ENERGY STAR is a key element of President George Bush’s

energy strategy, calling on the federal government and all

Americans to use energy wisely.
4 U.S. Department of Energy

When are you buying a new fuel cell for your home or

business? It may be sooner than you think! 

Even though some barriers to buying fuels cells for your

home or business still exist, most have been overcome and

the last few are crumbling. Less than three years ago no

manufacturer offered residential fuel cells. Today, however,

three commercial manufacturers of fuel cells are showing off

residential products in field trials and development projects.

Plus, many more companies already have commercial units

on the market. While these first units are not without

problems, they work and will likely be a power source for

your home or business in the near future. 

But before you rush right out and try to purchase a fuel

cell, you might do well to do a bit of homework and read up

on the technology. 

Three-Part Technology of a Fuel Cell 

A fuel cell is a highly efficient electrochemical device that

produces electricity from hydrogen and oxygen. It’s easiest to

think of a fuel cell as a battery that doesn’t need recharging.

Fuel cells are clean, quiet, reliable and efficient.

A typical fuel cell system consists of three components: the

fuel processor, the power section and the power conditioner. 

The fuel processor, also called a hydrogen fuel reformer,

converts a readily available hydrocarbon, usually natural gas,

into hydrogen gas and cleans up any byproduct. Challenges

with fuel processing systems include emission control and

scrubbing the hydrogen. Emission control is necessary

because the reforming process – removing the hydrogen

from a hydrocarbon – can create carbon monoxide and, due

to impurities in the natural gas, oxides of nitrogen and sulfur.

As fuel cells are quite intolerant of contaminants, the

hydrogen sent to the fuel cell must be almost pure. Scrubbing

the hydrogen also helps control contaminants.

The power section, which is the actual fuel cell, is an

assembly or “stack” of fuel cells that provides the desired

current and voltage. The challenges in the power section

include reliable production of ceramic and membrane plates

and reducing, or even eliminating, the need for precious

metals. Fuel cell manufacturers have overcome most all

production and reliability issues and continue improving on

their successes while reducing costs. Unfortunately, high-cost

precious metals, like platinum, are still required and perhaps

are the biggest single factor holding up low-cost, massproduced fuel cells. Metal alloys hold promise for reducing

the precious metals requirement without compromising

efficiency, and material scientists are pursuing other

promising leads. 

The power conditioner – the final section of the fuel cell

system – converts the direct current output from the fuel cell

into a form suitable for the application, usually alternating

current. A power conditioner typically includes a battery bank

to respond to instantaneous load changes and an inverter to

convert direct current to alternating current. If other energy

sources, like wind and photovoltaic, will be combined with

the fuel cell, then the power conditioner will include isolation

and load management circuitry. There are no significant

barriers to the power conditioner component. 

Before You Buy

When you think about purchasing your first residential or

business fuel cell, there are a few things to consider.

Plan on your new fuel cell having a fuel processor. With a

natural gas infrastructure, natural gas is the easiest and most

reliable fuel source for fuel cells. The natural gas infrastructure

also means a ready-made marketplace for fuel cell

manufacturers. If you don’t have natural gas, hydrocarbons,

such as propane, methanol, kerosene and even gasoline, can

be used with differently configured fuel processors.

Because fuel cells are new to the marketplace, plan on

addressing several challenging issues. Most significant issues

are appropriate siting, operations and maintenance of the

power conditioner, disposing of fuel processor byproducts,

managing the heat and water from the power section, and

electrical connections. Manufacturers, the U.S. Department of

Energy and fuel cell consortiums are working aggressively to

establish codes and standards that will address all these

issues and more.

The purchase cost of a residential fuel cell has fallen, and it

will continue to drop. Just a few years ago fuel cells cost

about $4,000 per kilowatt, but now cost close to $1,500 per

kilowatt. Larger commercial fuel cells are somewhat cheaper.

The goal is to get the cost down to $400 per kilowatt. To put

the cost in perspective, a home generator you might buy at a

local home improvement store costs about $300 per kilowatt.

Fuel Cells: 21st Century Energy 

By Chip Larson

FUEL

PROCESSOR

POWER

SECTION

POWER 

CONDITIONER

CLEAN 

WATER 

& EXHAUST

FUEL/

NATURAL

GAS

AC

POWER

DC

POWER

HEAT/

STEAM

HYDROGEN

RICH FUEL

AIR

REFORMER

FUEL

CELL 

STACK

Continued on page 5

TECHNOLOGY
U.S. Department of Energy 5

With just 29,000 residents, The City of Caldwell, ID, is a model for saving

energy, preserving the environment and protecting the integrity of its

citizens’ tax dollars. Caldwell, located 27 miles from Boise in southwestern

Treasure Valley, was the first municipality to join Rebuild Idaho.

After learning about Rebuild America from Rebuild Idaho’s Sue Seifert and

Ken Baker (who is now with the Idaho governor’s office), Mayor Garret

Nancolas formed a partnership with Rebuild Idaho and began a five-year

plan to retrofit government buildings in the town. First steps included

teaming up with CMS Viron, a Rebuild America Business Partner, to

perform audits on all local government buildings and identify the best

retrofit measures to take. Two years later, the City of Caldwell is nearing its

goal. Every government building has been audited, and retrofits now

underway will cost $120,000, yet save the town $30,000 annually. 

Nancolas is impressed with the project’s steady progress, and he’s working

to share Caldwell’s success with the wider Idaho community. Working with

Seifert and Baker, Nancolas helped spread the Rebuild Idaho partnership to

more of Treasure Valley, a scenic desert home to 45 percent of Idaho’s

residents. Treasure Valley leadership is working to extend the benefits of

performance contracting to all local government buildings, as well as K-12

schools and colleges and universities.

“This is a great example of a small town really affecting a big town rather

than the other way around,” said Nancolas.

According to the mayor, prior to joining Rebuild America, Idaho had never

explored performance contracting, and some state legislation even

prohibited its practice. Caldwell and Treasure Valley leaders worked to

change that legislation in Idaho and neighboring Washington state.

Subsequently, Boise State University and the University of Washington are

undergoing energy audits and plan to retrofit accordingly. Audits also are

currently underway in many Idaho school districts. What’s more, those

participating in performance contracting upgrades will reinvest 2 percent of

their total energy savings into the Treasure Valley partnership fund. The fund

will be used for future upgrades in state government buildings.

“We are stewards of our environment and of residents’ tax dollars,”

Nancolas said. “We want to take what we believe and spread the message.”

For more information, contact the Mayor’s office at 208-455-3011.

Caldwell, Idaho: 

Leading Idaho in Energy Efficiency

Mayor Garrett

Nancolas, a

native of

Caldwell, ID,

has been town

mayor since

January 1998.

He learned

early in life the

meaning of

service and has

spent countless

hours involved in projects to better his

community. Before his election as mayor,

Nancolas served as president of the

Caldwell Service Club Council, eight years

as a city councilman and two years as

planning and zoning commissioner . 

Mayor Nancolas also spent a decade in

the private sector working in the jewelry

and home furnishings industry. In 1997,

he returned to a full-time career in public

service. Since taking office, Nancolas has

lived and worked by a sentiment that

complements Rebuild America’s mission:

“Teamwork – never doubt that a small

group of thoughtful, committed people

can change the world. Indeed it’s the only

thing that ever has.” 

Mayor Nancolas lives in Caldwell with his

wife, Pamela, and their children, Caleb

and Ashley.

Mayor Garrett Nancolas

You’re Ready to Buy

If you consider yourself an early adopter of technology,

you can certainly buy a fuel cell today. A typical residence

needs about a 7-kilowatt unit. Plan to spend about $11,000

for the fuel cell and another $2,000 in related cost. But, if

you’re anxious, wait. A better choice will be the first

production units scheduled for 2003.

Not matter your interest now, when you build or purchase

your next home, perform a major building remodel or plan a

new building, plan for a fuel cell. Fuel cells are here today,

and you will want one sooner than you think. 

For more information on fuel cell technology, contact Chip

Larson with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory at 509-372-

4286 or Chip.Larson@pnl.gov.

Or contatct the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fuel Cell Power

for a Cleaner Future at www.pnl.gov/fuelcells/index.htm.

Continued from page 4

Fuel Cells: 21st Century Energy

ENERGY SOLUTIONS
6 U.S. Department of Energy

durability-related improvements recommended by IBACOS.

The methods undertaken ensure the entire building assembly

will be more durable and long lasting because of this

investment, and John Wieland Homes should benefit from

reduced warranty and liability claims as a result.

“John Wieland Homes has discovered that education and

inspection of systems are key to saving energy without

Continued from page 1

The New American Home®: Beauty and Efficiency in One significant upfront expense,” explained Jeff Akin, West

Region president of John Wieland Homes. “Through IBACOS,

we have been able to thoroughly understand how our homes

perform, making us a better builder.”

IBACOS is one of five Building America teams sponsored by

the U.S. Department of Energy. For more information, visit

www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/building_america/ibacos.shtml.

For more information on The New American Home, contact

Stacy Hunt at shunt@ibacos.com.

MIT Developing Efficient, Responsive

Homes of the Future

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and its

partners are developing a model efficient home that is not

just a new residence design, but also a model living space

that meets and adapts to the owner’s lifestyle. 

Incorporated in this model home, known as “House_n” –

with the n variable representing that there is no single

solution – is efficient design in labor, materials, and energy

and environmental impact. The concept behind House_n is

that a home should be an efficient construction with the

technology and capability to respond to the occupant’s needs.

Kent Larson, architect and director of Changing

Places/House_n Consortium, discussed House_n at a U.S.

Department of Energy (DOE) Building Technology, State and

Community Programs (BTS) lecture January 9 at the National

Building Museum. His remarks are part of a monthly BTS

Lecture series.

“The way we work, live and play must change to respond to

new technology, demographics and work patterns,” Larson said.

House_n is a joint research project led by the MIT

Department of Architecture and the Media Laboratory

Consortium. It has many sponsors and partners, including

Proctor & Gamble, Owens Corning and International Paper

Building Materials Group.

According to Larson and the House_n Web site, current

residential design is incapable of meeting the demands of an

House_n has the technology and capability to respond to an

occupant’s needs.

evolution in technology and society. “Most people live in

spaces poorly tailored to their needs, and technologies for

the home are too often irrelevant gadgets, meeting no

fundamental need and developed out of context,” the

House_n Web site says.

Larson further added that the current state of home

construction is far too labor intensive, with estimates placing

labor costs at 80 percent and materials cost at 20 percent of

total construction cost. Because of this labor intensiveness,

homes today are “generic, low-grade, inflexible, highmaintenance” and, generally speaking, “ill-designed.”

The people behind House_n want to flip those numbers to

expend more on materials such as microchips and other

technology that will meet the increasing demand for

“environs that reflect people’s unique values and needs,”

Larson explained.

The technology behind House_n is “an integrated ‘chassis’

that can be rapidly and precisely installed with minimal field

labor.” Its design also allows for easy installation of necessary

wires and other components to furnish the home. There are

House_n research projects in the works for high-performance

materials, such as a power generating photovoltaic roofing,

and creating a digital network in the house to connect

“anything, anywhere, anytime.”

Energy and environment wise, House_n forecasts a greater

cost for design, engineering, quality materials and new

technologies, but, because of its pre-fabricated chassis, less

on labor and material waste. This minimizes the

environmental “footprint.” Plus the future house also will

have an energy system designed specifically for that

residence with a zero net – that is, the system will “produce

energy equal to consumption.”

Research into House_n and related building design is ongoing,

and the project is developing a series of laboratories where

design alternatives will be constructed and physically tested. 

For more information on House_n, contact Kent Larson at

617-253-8799 or kll@mit.edu. Information also is available at

http://architecture.mit.edu/house_n/.

ENERGY SOLUTIONS
U.S. Department of Energy 7

More and more portable classrooms are being used to

meet the demands of overcrowded schools. They can be

built and sited more quickly, and at a lower first cost, than

larger site-built schools, making them an attractive alternative

to full-fledged building renovations or additions. Yet, despite

their appeal, the increased use of portable classrooms creates

a challenge – to boost the energy efficiency and educational

productivity in these classrooms. 

With this in mind, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE)

EnergySmart Schools is working to transform portable

classrooms into affordable, energy-efficient facilities that

provide an optimal environment for quality education. DOE

EnergySmart Schools has four objectives for portable

classrooms:

1. Develop cost-effective specifications for new and existing

portable classrooms.

2. Explore new HVAC and building technologies to

improve energy efficiency and indoor air quality.

3. Work with industry and schools to evaluate new and

existing portable classrooms.

4. Monitor and test performance of new and existing

portable classrooms.

The DOE’s Building America Industrialized Housing

Program (BAIHP) and Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC),

on behalf of the National Association of State Energy

Offices (NASEO), have been conducting research throughout

the country on the energy efficiency of portable classrooms.

BAIHP already has conducted studies of portable

classrooms in Washington, Idaho and Oregon, where

portable classrooms total close to 6,000. And results from

FSEC’s research can be found online. Preliminary Evaluation

of Energy Efficiency Improvements to Modular Classrooms is

available at www.fsec.ucf.edu/%7Ebdac/pubs/cr1272/.

Evaluation of Energy Efficiency Improvements to Portable

Classrooms in Florida is located at

www.fsec.ucf.edu/~bdac/pubs/CR1133/CR1133.htm.

All in all, preliminary findings emphasize four components:

Building Envelope – Fan de-pressurization tests indicate

envelope leakage can result in uncontrolled airflow from the

classroom to the vented attic. Marriage line gaskets, which

join two sections of a building, taped ceiling drywall or

unvented structurally insulated panel systems may reduce

uncontrolled leakage, save energy and improve HVAC

performance. Improved insulation and windows also are

important.

HVAC System – A critical component to efficient and healthy

operation of the classroom is routine HVAC commissioning.

This includes measuring outside airflow rates for adequate

ventilation and testing controls to insure correct operation.

HVAC Controls – HVAC occupancy sensors are

recommended for automated system regulation during

weekends and holidays. Monitoring heat recovery ventilators

and economizers indicate improved indoor air quality and

reduced energy use.

Lighting – Natural day lighting and T-8 electronic ballast

lighting are preferred.

For more information on this article, contact Mike McSorley

with the Washington State University Energy Program at

mcsorleym@energy.wsu.edu. For more information on the

Building America Industrialized Housing Program, contact

George James with DOE at george.james@hq.doe.gov.

Portable Classrooms: An Efficiency Challenge

This portable classroom in Boise, ID, built in 1972, underwent energyefficient retrofits, including installation of U.35 windows, electronic

ballast T-8 fluorescent lighting, and a new heat recovery ventilation

system/heat pump.

Graph 1: Retrofit Efforts Improve Classroom Efficiency in Idaho

A comparison of energy use data between November-December of

2000 (before retrofit) and the same months in 2001 (post retrofit)

shows a 46 percent savings.

ENERGY SOLUTIONS
8 U.S. Department of Energy

The National Energy Education Development Project

(NEED) knows how to make schools energy smart, and

they’re sharing their knowledge with Rebuild America. As a

Strategic Partner of EnergySmart Schools, NEED brings over

20 years of experience, knowledge and material to

classrooms throughout the country all the while stressing the

importance of teaching children the

fundamentals of energy use and

conservation.

Initiated in 1980, the NEED Project is

a nonprofit organization dedicated to

developing and distributing

comprehensive, hands-on energy

education programs to schools

nationwide. Curriculum is created to

teach the economic and environmental

impacts of energy so students and

teachers can make informed decisions

in school, at home and in the future.

The NEED Program provides

EnergySmart Schools with a wealth of

material for the classroom. This includes objective

information about the science of energy contained within

teacher-approved, educational materials. NEED-produced

activities make teaching energy easy and learning about

energy fun through energy-related games, activities and even

songs. Among the numerous curriculum materials that NEED

provides are: 

Today in Energy – An activity book for grades K-4 that

explores energy uses, costs and trade-offs.

Energy Conservation Contract – A guide for grades 4-12

that helps students learn about saving energy by encouraging

their families to conserve.

Saving Energy at School: Monitoring and Mentoring –

Activities that pair upper elementary students with primary

students to teach and learn.

Learning and Conserving – Activities in which high school

age students use the building as a laboratory to explore

energy use and conservation. 

The partnership was launched in part because Blanche

Sheinkopf, Rebuild America EnergySmart Schools

coordinator, was familiar with the work of NEED and thought

it was a good fit. She contacted Mary Spruill, NEED

program director, who agreed that a partnership would

benefit both organizations. The national partnership allows

each group to leverage the strengths of the other to reach

students and engage them in curricula across the country. 

One focus of the partnership is to help students and

teachers better understand the facility and environment in

which they work and learn and, in turn, how energy impacts

everyday life.

“Kids need to know why they’re doing what their doing

and why they’re studying what they’re studying, “ says

Spruill. “We don’t go to school without energy. We don’t go

to work. We don’t even get out of bed without it. ”

NEED also is dedicated to bringing

teachers up to speed on energy issues,

so they understand and feel comfortable

teaching the subject matter. Most

colleges and universities do not

incorporate energy training courses into

the education major. NEED conducts

training sessions and workshops and

creates lesson plan materials for

educators to incorporate into their

teachings. 

NEED and EnergySmart Schools also

work directly with the schools to

implement energy-efficient

improvements. The partners work with

state energy offices and build partnerships with schools. This

often includes making schools a Rebuild America partnership

so that Rebuild America experts can provide assistance with

retrofit projects or the use of new fuel technologies. 

NEED and EnergySmart Schools are active in every state.

Some ongoing projects include:

Kentucky – NEED received a grant from the State Energy

Program of Kentucky that provides for energy-efficient

workshops and training sessions in six Northern Kentucky

counties. NEED plans to extend the benefits of these sessions

to the rest of the state later this year.

Illinois – NEED and EnergySmart Schools are hosting a

conference in April to train all teachers, facility managers and

superintendents from around the state in efficiency practices.

Students who have excelled in energy efficiency will facilitate

roundtable discussions. Illinois NEED also offers internships,

scholarships, Web-based management tools and other

resources for schools.

North Carolina – NEED is working to create a statewide

energy curriculum for public schools. North Carolina has over

700 educators participating in NEED programs and was

recognized with a State Energy Program Award for its

progress in energy efficiency.

For more information about NEED and bringing energy

efficiency into schools, contact Mary Spruill at

mspruill@need.org or visit www.need.org.

NEED and EnergySmart Schools: 

Energizing Curriculum

The NEED Program provides EnergySmart Schools

with a wealth of material for the classroom.

STRATEGIC PARTNER PROFILE
U.S. Department of Energy 9

A solar oven made from compact discs, a colorful

children’s book and a multimedia presentation on ethanol

fuel are the winning entries in the Igniting Creative Energy

Challenge, an educational competition administered by the

National Energy Foundation, a Rebuild America Strategic

Partner. An educational grant from Johnson Controls, Inc., a

Rebuild America Business Partner, and the United States

Energy Association funded the Challenge.

The winners – three students and a teacher – traveled in

February to the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. The trip

included airfare, lodging, tickets to Olympic events and a

medal ceremony, and opportunities to mingle with athletes.

Participants from grades K-12 were challenged to express

their ideas on energy conservation and the environment via

their choice of media, including science projects, essays,

stories, photographs, artwork, video or Web sites. Student

winners from elementary, middle and high school divisions

were awarded points for creativity, expression and

understanding of how to make a difference in the home or

community. In addition, the teacher with the greatest number

of qualifying student entries won a trip to the Winter Games. 

The 11-member judging panel included science, gifted and

talented music and math educators, a professional artist,

environmental experts and National Energy Foundation staff. 

“Overall, the caliber of entries was unbelievably creative,”

said Dr. Edward Dalton, National Energy Foundation

president. “We are very gratified that the Challenge motivated

so many students to think about their impact on energy and

our environment.”

For more information, visit www.ignitingcreativeenergy.org.

Students Win Trip to 2002 Winter Games

Igniting Creative Energy Challenge Honors Innovation

The Challenge Winners

Elementary Division: Thomas-Jay Burgess, second

grader, Weston Elementary School, Imlay City, MI.,

demonstrated how solar power could supplement other

energy sources by cooking a pizza in a solar oven he

made from recycled compact discs and tinfoil.

Middle School Division: Amanda Jayne Ownby, eighth

grader, Lake Braddock Secondary School, Burke, VA,

used computer technology to author a colorful rhyming

children’s book so kids and their parents can learn about

energy conservation.

High School Division: Grant Lewis, sophomore,

Delavan High School, Delavan, IL, produced a

multimedia presentation on the benefits of ethanol as

an alternative fuel.

Teacher Division: Martin Teachworth, science teacher

at San Diego’s La Jolla High School sponsors an

extracurricular environmental club that provided a local

elementary school with programs to teach energy

conservation, recycling and endangered species

awareness. His students submitted 40 qualifying entries

to the Igniting Creative Energy Challenge.

Winning entries are posted at www.ignitingcreative

energy.org. 

Renewable Energy Laboratory assisted in developing the

project, as did Texas A&M University and the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development. Local firm

Sun Trapper will provide the rooftop solar water heating system.

This “green,” sustainable building will use various

environment friendly and energy-efficient design practices.

When complete, the 72,000 square foot facility will have

energy-efficient systems that include two 100-ton absorption

chiller-heater units fueled by natural gas. Several rooftop solar

panels will power one smaller HVAC unit. A 2,000 square foot

photovoltaic system will convert sunlight directly into

electricity for the building’s use.

CPS is also renovating the structure with reclaimed and

Continued from page 2

Utility Breaks Ground on 'Showcase' Service Center

Continued on page 11

National Energy Foundation Honored with

2002 Olympics Spirit of the Land Award 

As the Olympic Games were coming to a close the

National Energy Foundation (NEF), a Rebuild America

Strategic Partner, was honored in Park City, UT by the Salt

Lake Organizing Committee with the 2002 Olympics Spirit of

the Land Award for its work in environmental education. NEF

credits Rebuild America and EnergySmart Schools, among

other programs such as the Igniting Creative Energy

Challenge and the Academy of Energy Education, for helping

it earn this recognition.

For more information on the National Energy Foundation,

contact Edward A. Dalton, president and CEO, at 801-908-

5800 or Edalton@nef1.org.
10 U.S. Department of Energy

An aerial view of the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.

In early February, a leading liberal arts institution in

Oklahoma officially entered into an aggressive energy

efficiency performance contract to net $3.5 million in facility

improvements and annual energy savings of about $300,000.

“This is a significant milestone for education in Oklahoma,”

University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO)

President John Feaver said. “We are delighted to provide

leadership in this venture.”

The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO)

expeditiously pursued this contract, Rebuild America

representatives consider its zeal a model for other

partnerships to follow – especially in the college and

university market sector. USAO is a Rebuild America

partnership.

USAO designed and negotiated a performance contract

with CMS Viron of Kansas City, MO, a Rebuild America

Business Partner, to improve the energy performance of

campus buildings. Over the next 10 years, CMS Viron

promises the university will net $3.5 million in building

improvements, with energy savings of approximately

$300,000 annually.

In January, CMS Viron completed a comprehensive energy

audit on every building on the campus, identifying several

opportunities for increased energy efficiency. A 10-month

retrofit/construction phase started immediately after the audit

wrapped up. Targeted areas for energy retrofits include

replacing the university’s chilled water plant, installing a new

boiler, efficient lighting and an energy management system.

Water conservation retrofits also are part of the plan.

“In some places we have equipment and wiring that is 40

years old, Tim Stiger of USAO said. “Technology for heating

Oklahoma College Makes Its Mark 

and cooling has advanced by light years in the past several

decades. Saving one-third of our energy costs is a huge step.”

The contract aims to shave 31 percent off campus’ utility

bills, including cutting natural gas consumption by nearly 50

percent. The terms of the contract will reduce the energy cost

per square foot of campus space from $1.96 a year to $1.35 a

year.

A liberal arts university in Chickasha, OK, USAO is the only

public school in the state to make U.S. News & World Report’s

top 100 public colleges list. It also was Oklahoma’s first

college.

Rebuild America Program Representative Alan Nagle

salutes USAO for its “insight and initiative,” adding that “the

future will increasingly resemble institutions such as USAO” –

colleges dedicated to teaching, modern facilities and energy

efficiency.

For more information on the USAO project, contact Alan

Nagle at alan.nagle@ee.doe.gov or Randy Talley at

rtalley@usao.edu.

imperil the health of children. Consider that 20 percent of

schools have indoor air quality problems and that the

incidence of asthma among children has increased to 49

percent since 1982.

We can create learning environments with better lighting,

temperature control, air quality, acoustics and improved

building shells. The money our schools can save in energy

costs through smart, efficient building design can be

redirected to pay for pressing needs such as computers,

books and higher salaries for teachers.

Dave Garman said it best when he told the audience in Las

Vegas that “designing new schools and improving existing

ones by following energy-smart, efficient practices is the right

choice – economically, environmentally and academically.” 

Continued from page 3

View From DC Guidelines Availability 

The Energy Design Guidelines for High Performance Schools:

Hot & Dry Guidelines is available on the Web at

energysmartschools.gov. It will be available on CD-ROM too.

Place an order with the Energy Efficiency and Renewable

Energy Clearinghouse (EREC) at 1-800-363-3732. Hard copies

also are available from EREC. Coming in Spring 2002: The

National Best Practices Manual for High Performance Schools,

for architects, engineers and project managers responsible for

school design or retrofit. Coming in Summer 2002: Design

guidelines for six other U.S. climate zones: Hot and Humid;

Temperate and Humid; Cool and Humid; Cold and Humid;

Cool and Dry; and Temperate and Mixed. Preorder now.

Dan Sze is National Program Manager of Rebuild America.
U.S. Department of Energy 11

Snap Shot: Mike Myers

Mike Myers is a Rebuild America

program and customer service

representative for Texas and beyond.

Vital Statistics

Lives in Austin, TX, with wife,

Tracy, along with three daughters, 6-

year-old Elana, 4-year-old Sierra and

2-year-old Kinsey Elise.

How long have you been

working with Rebuild America?

With Rebuild America in different roles for the past six years. 

How did you get into this line of work?

I’ve been active in energy efficiency, environmental

planning, green building and renewable energy activities for

decades. Okay, maybe a little less, but definitely a long time.

Basically, I got lucky. I’ve been able to work and get paid for

what I studied and enjoy doing. 

I have degrees in environmental management/urban

studies – a field of study that not too many people

understood 20 years ago.

One of my first jobs was with a ranching and oil company.

Then, after graduate school, I actually went right to work for

the City of San Antonio. I first worked on a project to

examine the possibilities of using landfill gas for energy

usage, a project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy via

Public Technology, Inc. and the Urban Consortium Energy

Task Force. I got the job because, for some odd reason I

actually knew how landfill gas could be converted to

productive use. Next, I worked for the City of New York

Mayor’s Office on Energy and Telecommunications, which

then led to work with the City of Austin. In Austin I managed

a wide range of energy-efficient initiatives, including the

creation of the nationally acclaimed Green Builder Program. 

In 1994, I joined the U.S. Department of Energy in

Washington DC in the Energy Efficiency and Renewable

Energy’s Office of Building Technology, State and Community

Programs. In Washington, I was able to work on a national

level with builders, non-profit organizations and community

leaders on a range of energy-efficient topics. I also worked

closely with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

Development, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and

various presidential task forces.

I moved back to Austin in 1998 and did some green

building consulting. In 2000, I joined Aspen Systems as a

national Rebuild America program representative.

What brought you to Washington, DC?

I ran out of cities to work for, so I was asked to come to

Washington and work for the U.S. Department of Energy. 

In 1992 I attended the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio

de Janeiro. The Austin Green Building program had received

an award. It was at the Earth Summit that I began to work

with other national and international groups on developing

local sustainable development policies. Over the years I

continued to work closely with Public Technology, Inc.,

American Public Power Association and other groups on

energy-efficient programs and green building practices. I

gained valuable experience over the years on how to

develop innovative and successful programs like the Austin

Green Builder Program. 

Coming to Washington was a natural step. I was able to

put my local government and field experience to work with

Habitat for Humanity and presidential task forces. It was a

great experience.

What is most rewarding about your work?

Finding ways to make an idea come to life. I like problemsolving.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

What spare time? I have three girls. The time my wife and I

spend with them is the best part of the day. 

What is your dream job?

I have the dream job. I only need time to swing the

hammer and work on my tan.

What is your dream vacation?

Going back to Costa Rica and maybe Brazil with my wife.

My Portuguese is better than my Spanish.

Mike Myers

recyclable materials. “We’re creating a showcase of energysaving alternatives for CPS and its customers,” Project

Manager Alan Demos says. 

CPS partnered with Rebuild America in February 2001.

For years the utility has provided competitively priced

energy with conventional fuels, such as coal, nuclear and

natural gas. But recently it become one of the largest

purchasers of wind power in Texas.

It has taken extraordinary steps by joining MPE. As a

contributor of initially one-half of MPE’s funding, CPS is

proving energy efficiency’s importance by taking on an active

role as a principal partner in MPE, according to Myers.

For more information, contact Rebuild America Program

Representative Mike Myers at mt4myers@aol.com.

Continued from page 9

Utility Breaks Ground on 'Showcase' Service Center
Rebuild America is a

network of partnerships –

focused on communities –

that save money by saving

energy. These voluntary partnerships choose

to improve the quality of life in their

communities through energy efficiency.

Rebuild America supports them with

customized assistance backed by technical and

business experts and resources.

Published bimonthly by the U.S. Department

of Energy to report on Rebuild America

activities, Partner Update now incorporates

news from Building America and High

Performance Buildings, energy-efficient

initiatives of the Office of Building Technology,

State and Community Programs.

REBUILD AMERICA 

Office of Building Technology, 

State and Community Programs

U.S. Department of Energy

1000 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20585-0121

Address Correction Requested

Upcoming Events

High

Performance

BUILDINGS

April 

4 Pacific Northwest’s Electrical Industry Expo

2002

Stadium Exhibition Center, Seattle, WA

Visit www.tsnn.com/events/evitem.cfm?ID=335950.

11 “Best Practices” Roundtable

Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN

Contact Doug Avery at davery@lbl.gov.

30-5/1 The Philadelphia Cooling Workshop

Hosted by Solutions For Progress

Community College of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Contact Deborah Wyse at phillycool@solfopro.com.

May 

7-9 Enviro Expo

World Trade Center Boston, Boston, MA

Contact Russ Ryan at rryan@enviroexpo.com.

20-22 Rebuild America Mid-Atlantic Regional Peer

Exchange

Crowne Plaza Hotel, Richmond, VA

Visit www.cmpinc.net/peerexchange.

June

2-5 Energy 2002 Workshop and Exposition

Wyndham Palm Springs Hotel, Palm Springs, CA

Visit www.energy2002.ee.doe.gov.

6-7 2002 West Coast Energy Management Congress

Conference

Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA

Visit www.tsnn.com/events/evitem.cfm?ID=208408. To submit news or story ideas, contact: 

Maureen O’Brien, 202-466-7391, or email

mobrien@pcgpr.com

NEW!

Check Us Out: www.rebuild.org or 1-800-DOE-3732

New Partnerships

• Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority, OH

• City of North Canton, OH

• Tallahassee Housing Authority, FL

• Cleveland Green Building Coalition, OH

• Northampton County, VA

• Newark Public Schools, NJ

• Brevard Public Schools, FL

Marketing and Communications Rebuild

America Help Line 202-466-7868

Dan Sze presents Rich Heinisch

of Lithonia Lighting, Inc. with a

Certificate of Appreciation for

his and Lithonia Lighting’s

longstanding support and

commitment to Rebuild America

and the Business Partners.

Lithonia hosted the Business

Partners National Summit in

Atlanta in October, collaborated

with Rebuild America on a

lighting guide, and has stepped

up to the plate on behalf of the

program on several occasions.