Fauquier County Conservation Roundtable - April 23, 2012 "An enlightened group of folks who care deeply about how we live, work and play - A 5 year view of 4 local institutions and their energy conservation / sustainability efforts / projects" « Return to List Primary / Website URL:     http://www.energized-fauquier.com PDF File:     fccr energizing local sustainability 23april12.pdf Energizing Local Sustainability: Snapshot (2007 - 2012) on energy issues as they relate to local institutions such as Fauquier County Government, Vint Hill EDA, Fauquier County Public Schools and the Town of Warrenton located in Northern Virginia / Mid-Atlantic (Piedmont) region. Click PDF File (name - above) to view presentation Email or 540 219 0445 to discuss content, provide feedback / comments, supply information and / or data, etc.  Fauquier County Conservation Roundtable (FCCR) has been discussing local issues for over 10 years in the Warren Green Building. Founded originally by Bob Lee the reins were taken over by Paul McCulla, County Administrator. Meetings are held quarterly.

Replace old tubes with T-(n)s or LEDs "Up to 25% of energy bills typically go to lighting" « Return to List Primary / Website URL:     http://www.energized-fauquier.com Electric lighting accounts for approximately 25 percent of all the energy used in buildings in the U.S. Some of this lighting takes more energy than necessary. Short of turning the lights off, one way to cut back on this energy consumption is to install fluorescent lights in place of incandescent or halogen lighting. If you are using T12 lights in your establishment, making the switch to T8 or T5 fluorescent lighting will save the most in energy and money. * The Basics of a Fluorescent Light; The fluorescent light is constructed of a tube-shaped lamp with a chemical phosphor coating on the inside of the tube. The output of light and color are controlled by components called ballasts. *  T8 vs T12 Lights: T12 and T8 refer to diameters of lamp tubes. Thus a T12 lamp has a diameter of twelve eighths of an inch, or 1-1/2 inches. Typically, a narrower lamp is more energy-efficient. Since the T8 is eight eighths of an inch, or one inch in diameter, it is a more energy-efficient lighting mechanism than the T12. T-8 lamps are available a variety of lengths, and they also come in either straight or U-shaped lamps. * A Word on Mercury: Top-quality T8 lamps function with reduced mercury, a potentially harmful substance used in many lighting fixtures. Although recycling is still recommended after these lamps are spent, these lamps are generally more sustainable than T12s. For lighting with no mercury content whatsoever, check out LED lighting. * The Benefits of Retrofitting from T12 to T8  * Retrofitting lamps from T12 bulbs to T8 bulbs is cost-effective and easy to do; Transitioning from T12 to T8 usually costs about $20 per lamp, parts and labor included Installing T8 bulbs usually results in a five to seven year payback period in a commercial setting If you cannot upgrade all at once, upgrade as old T12 lamps burn out

China goes sustainable on a grand scale "What can we do to achieve similar results?" « Return to List Primary / Website URL:     http://www.energized-fauquier.com PDF File:     BBC sustainable cities 3 May 2012.pdf Click on PDF file above to view article synopsis. BBC.com produces a great story on new concepts and strategies for energy, sustainability and long term planning. Thank you Ashley for finding this article and passing it along for others to read. Click on this link for full original article: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120503-sustainable-cities-on-the-rise

Energy conservation process (ECP) - Education / Humor "Products reducing usage of finite energy resources - Going green increases sales" « Return to List Primary (E-Com) Contact: Practical ways to diversify - save water - reduce heating / cooling costs Communications (#/text): Conservation Secondary Contact: E-Com this E-Profile to share new information Address / Area: VA Primary / Website URL: http://www.handlebarclub.co.uk/wbmc.shtml     CONTENTS: 1) INTRO 2) ORIGINAL THOUGHTS 3) TOILETS 4) ENERGY AUDITS 5) SOLAR TUBES 6) WASHERS _______________________________________________________________________ 1) Improvements / modernization of homes helps maintain / increase house values and if two houses are similar, the one with the lower energy bills has a competitive edge. This E-profile encourages conversation about where energy consumption can be further reduced. You might want to seek the services of a local residential energy auditor - see item 4 below _______________________________________________________________________ 2) ORIGINAL THOUGHTS: Above photo and link - Full beards = less shaving, save water. Remember: The conversation on (reducing) shaving as a means of energy conservation started here! Depending on the amount of mustache and / or beard, daily shaving requirements decrease which, believe it or not, saves time, hot water, electricity, batteries, manufactured goods, shaving cream, containers, shipping, waste, landfill, shelf space, after-shave products, foam... depending on the frequency and method of removing facial hair. Of course, this sounds silly - but think about it. Multiply the daily ritual by millions and think of the yearly potential savings of electricity and hot water on a global basis. Think about it! Start an online networking conversation with your friends... _______________________________________________________________________ 3) Toilets / Water (Lower Image Left): The Japanese have taken this item to unheard of levels. However, new equipment is more efficient and uses less water. In the meantime, a house brick placed in the tank reduces amount of water per flush without impacting performance. From Terry's web site (click link in image after mouse-over): Save time, and money. Find out which toilets work in today's world. Despite complaints of poor working toilets, these toilets, in this report have been proven by plumbers and homeowners to work! Yes, they work just fine in spite of the current standards which allow for a maximum water usage of 1.6 gallons per flush (GPF). Terry Love - Bothell WA - updated 9/18/2008 Many of the toilets in this report, have been installed in my own home. You might say, this report has done its "in-home" testing. Consideration was given to plug resistance, completeness of flush, perception of sound levels, and price. Some testers use baby wipes, sponges, plastic balls and tubes to simulate how "we" use them. You can forget about those limitations here. This takes into account "miso paste" testing and homeowner testing. Below you will see homeowner comments and perceptions in addition to my comments. The homeowner becomes part of the report. The new lower flow toilets have been mandated to save precious and limited resources. For those of us that had grown used to 7.0 GPF toilets, it comes as a shock. The first recent evolution in toilets came the 3.5 GPF, and now 1.6 GPF. "Switching to water-efficient plumbing fixtures could save the average household as much as $50 to $100 a year on water and waste water bills." George Whalen "Because of the new low-flow toilets, Americans save $11.3 million everyday on their water bill" David Goike With the changes in the water usage laws of 1992, many encountered plumbing problems. The first round of low-flow toilets were not quite ready for prime-time. Customer complaints were many and plumbers were in the bad position of installing products that nobody wanted to use. Recently, in the wonderful world of plumbing, things have changed with new and updated products. Some of the new plumbing products work better than the old water wasters. _______________________________________________________________________ 4) Energy Audits (Image 2) Costing from $400 - $500 it is best to use a company that has been in existence for at least 5 years with a proven reputation and willing to give local references. Pressure tests for leaks indicate areas where maintenance is required. The home must be "airtight" to reduce hot and cold air leakage which reduces utility bills and saves money on future capital expenses such as solar power. Certified energy auditors also know your local market for reputable contractors, technology, and most important of all - what works in your region of the country to save energy and eventually go "off-grid." _______________________________________________________________________ 5) Solatubes (Image 3) The all new Solar Tube 160 DS and 290 DS Daylighting Systems set performance standards never seen before. These models feature our patented Raybender® 3000 Technology and LightTracker™ Reflector to deliver an Effective Daylight Capture Surface (EDCS) significantly higher than our previous 10 inch and 14 inch Solatube models and nearly double the EDCS of copycat products. Highly effective and simple to install, these models can transform dark interior applications and light more expansive spaces with multiple units creating a unique architectural effect. Great for Bathrooms, Hallways, Corridors, Utility Rooms, Dens, Home Offices, Kitchens, Dining Rooms, and Closets. _______________________________________________________________________ 6) Staber Image 4 lower right Staber high efficiency washers use 67% less water, 50% less energy, and 75% less detergent compared to traditional top load agitator washers. It is the only top load horizontal-axis washer made in the U.S. There are also many design advantages compared to front load washers. Staber washing machines are the most efficient clothes washers available and cost less to use based on total energy, water, and detergent usage. Staber is the only top load horizontal-axis clothes washer made in the U.S. Staber washers operate similar to a front loading washer except you maintain top loading convenience, there is no mildew build-up or odor as with front load machines, and Staber washers are more durable. Our energy efficient washer will be very helpful if you: • are being affected by increasing utility rates • do a lot of laundry (8 loads per week is the national average for a family of 3) • use a well for your water supply • are looking at front loaders but do not want the inconvenience of bending over to load and unload • have septic system problems • use alternative power sources such as solar power instead of regular grid power • would simply like to save over $300 annually in laundry-related expenses (at the national average of just 8 loads/week for a family of 3)     Photos:

FCG - 320 Hospital Drive: Schools & Government / 5 Story Office « Return to List Multiple energy owners - 320 Hospital Drive - FY09's energy cost Period  kWh  $$  CO2 Year      1178880      97719      1332134 Quarter      294720      24429      333033 Month      98240      8143      111011 Week      22922      1900      25902 24Hrs      3274      271      3700                                  Information  Supplier Dominion Meter Last Read June 30, 2009 E-Category Energy: Case Study - Manual County Fauquier State VA Primary (E-Com) Contact: Multiple energy owners - 320 Hospital Drive - FY09 Communications (#/text): FY09 data - info only Secondary Contact: Multiple energy "owners" Address / Area: 320 Hospital Drive Warrenton, VA 20186 Primary / Website URL: http://www.fauquiercounty.gov     Manual systems - Case Study - Full details available on request 1) Multiple (18) heat pump units on roof serving different zones 2) Multiple thermostats of different kinds- some locked, some not 3) Multiple departments: School Administration, shared resources include procurement, external rent paying groups, information technology (secure access / lower floor), server farm with specialized HVAC (outside / ground), budgets, finance, etc. 4) Multiple energy "owners" 5) Dominion 30 minute time interval kWh consumption meter technology installed - IDR Interval Data Recorder providing 365 days x 48 snapshots per day revolving period for detailed analysis and cost saving techniques during Holidays, Weekends, Off hours 6) Building used for energy usage research over an 18 month period 7) Unique energy conservation best practices developed and in use (2009) Case study compares energy usage to similar (government) building with centralized Energy Management Control Systems (EMCS) and onsite chillers

FCG - New Courthouse « Return to List FY09's energy cost Period  kWh  $$  CO2 Year      1087200      104091      1228536 Quarter      271800      26022      307134 Month      90600      8674      102377 Week      21140      2023      23888 24Hrs      3020      289      3412                                  Information  Supplier Dominion Meter Last Read June 30, 2009 E-Category Energy: Case Study - EMCS County Fauquier State VA Primary (E-Com) Contact: FY09 Communications (#/text): Chiller system - EMCS (central computer) Secondary Contact: Info only Address / Area: Warrenton, VA 20186     EMS Case Study - Details available on request 1) Occupants interviewed with respect to comfort levels 2) Central computer based monitoring / control system 3) IDR Interval Data Recorder data analysed (Dominion) 4) Compared to manual energy systems in a building of similar size and use 5) Weekend, Holiday, off-hours research conducted 6) Building "restored / renovated" prior to energy conservation case study at a cost of about $4M

Home (c:1984)-Occupants enjoy more comfort using 65% less energy "Be the change you wish to see in the world - Ghandi (thanks Judy)" « Return to List Primary (E-Com) Contact: Jeanne and David (pseudonyms) Communications (#/text): Update your E-Profile with your energy story / results Secondary Contact: Vic, Burt, Tex and Bruce (RIP - In loving memory) Address / Area: Broad Run (can be left blank - optional) Near Warrenton, VA 20137 2nd Phone # (ext): Feedback / Comments Welcome! E-Com to this Entity. Easy. Private.     Energy conservation: One family attempts a more sustainable lifestyle with less use of grid based electricity in Virginia / Mid Atlantic region 2011 Original heat pump that we had been "nursing with TLC" every winter for at least 3 seasons finally "broke" this past spring. Multiple service calls with different companies had all previously said the same thing - "Can get it running, but you need a new unit!" At 6:30am one morning the outside unit started to "hum" - LOUDLY. Closer inspection revealed a burning smell. Urgent calls to engineers at NOVEC prompted a service call to inspect (free) the remote radio controlled equipment used by NOVEC to idle the HVAC during periods of peak demand. Inspection showed that turning it back on at the breaker could start a fire! A few weeks later after bids and lots of phone calls the new top of the line HVAC equipment became operational. Compared to the old unit (think Ford) the new one is a Ferrari: 5 light aerodynamic plastic blades versus 4 big heavy metal ones, quiet as opposed to noisy, increased air flow (no duct changes), modern thermostat, variable frequency internal fans as opposed to just on or off and MOST important of all wired for the addition of solar panels - Our next step when we can afford it. Budget payments (12 month revolving calculation) to NOVEC last spring averaged close to $200 per month. After a hot summer with AC, budget payments are down to $120 (September 2011). With no rate changes this equals an additional 40% reduction over all prior energy conservation efforts in this home. Compared to the original first invoice of over $500 for December '95 - and the many other cumulative energy conservation efforts for this one home (see below), total savings represent about a 65% reduction in grid based electricity usage - for EVER! This equates to permanent savings of about $3,200 per year or $32,000 every 10 years assuming current utility rates / NO increases (NOT going to happen)! Next steps: Solar for summer air conditioning - Sun room addition with basement pellet stove for winter heating will drop electric bill below $100 per month - ALMOST off grid for increasing lengths of time. Plus hybrid vehicle and MORE "natural" garden areas resulting in LESS lawn to mow! __________________________________________________________ 2010 May: Removing lawn away each year (a little at a time over the last 15 years) and planting trees / letting nature take over is really paying off this spring. Counted 6 active bird nests last spring (5/1/10)! Plus, lawn now takes only 50% of the time to cut (50% finite fuel savings). David has 2 doctors in Manassas so expanding on the "Local" theme - He is changing doctors (one after 15 years) to new ones in Warrenton = less driving and in the event of a hospital stay - local for friends and family to visit. April: Tried growing vegetable plants from seeds (indoors for the first time). Tomatoes, peppers worked well. Problems with corn, sprouts. First group doing well in new garden - brought plants for the second group - will try seeds again next year. Our Association Board of Directors approved a request from a group of owners to rent some equipment (small bobcat) and open up trails for horses, walking, bikes (NO engines) in the Common Areas. For less than $500 and a few days of work we now have 2-3 miles of new paths! Good exercise for everyone! Beware the black bears, especially a mummy with cub(s)! A butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker ..." used to be in every English village. A nation of shopkeepers where every resident would walk or ride a horse to pickup daily supplies (back in the day, no refrigeration). David welcomed Great Harvest Bread on Main Street in Warrenton, where everything is baked daily - a return to an old concept with modern technology to advertise when products are ready - check out their home page - Search "Template#1" and other ways to learn search techniques for Energized Warrenton. Stop by when in Old Town - plenty of parking! March: Moved vegetable garden closer to the house to get more morning sun. Built / prepared cheap wooden boxes to hold a 50 / 50 mixture of compost / top soil from a local nursery. January / February: Worst snow in years - schools closed too much! Kids going stair crazy. Work completed over the years to make house more air-tight really paid off. ____________________________________________________ 2009 8/10/09: Cash for Clunkers - Got rid of 1991 Jeep with 150,000 plus miles and low mpg (<17) for small truck with 25mpg - not a Prius or hybrid but a small step in the right direction. 2009 gas usage averaged 75 gallons per month. Expected to increase in 2010 due to small business development. Number of vehicles now 2 instead of 3 (no backup). 5/26/09: Not mentioned in prior notes for this residence is the longer term efforts towards sustainable living better practices regarding the garden and other exterior subject matter. Since moving into the home (Dec / '95) each spring has resulted in more lawn being turned over to other purposes including vegetables, (fruit) trees, bushes, landscaping and plain old Mother Nature (natural seeding from adjacent trees, by birds, etc.). About 50% of the lawn has been replaced and new areas occur on an annual basis. ____________________________________________________ 2008 12/7/08 updates: Working with original heat pump during the winter has proven to be a challenge - Unit no longer goes through "heating" cycle to keep ice from forming on the coils in the exterior unit - Workarounds include going to backup electric heat that does NOT use the heat pump - May seem expensive but not when managed with space heaters and other heat sources such as a wood stove May / 08 - Residence: Electrical consumption averaged 1410 kWh per month in 2005 / 2006. Rolling 12-month average has dropped to 1209 KwH per month, a 15% reduction. Our BEST / LOWEST month usage was previously 868 and our spring utility invoice had a record low of only 697! ____________________________________________________ 2007 Vehicles (3): 2007 gas usage dropped 24% to 98 gal/mth - 2008: 80 gallons/month (18% ytd). Education: Attended the solar energy display in Washington DC (metro of course), CCAN (University of Virginia campus), PEC and Energy Awareness events (May 2008 - 46 Virginia companies listed as AEEE for each organization thanks to IntraGroups). Viewed a Maryland residence - 90% off grid - changes retro fitted into 92 year old home included solar, non-wood burning stove for winter heating and propane for cooking. Strategy: To continue the energy savings journey. Plan to replace the leased vehicle with a hybrid, add more insulation to the attic, and replace the original heat pump with varied source heat generation units including solar radiant (floor) heat, solar heated water, solar attic fans and tubes to introduce natural light to upstairs closets and darker rooms. Combined this should introduce another 20-35% savings for grid-based electricity in our home. Critical success factors to saving grid-based electricity: Lowering / raising thermostat in winter / summer, re-insulating doors, better use of blinds (closed more in summer during day while people at work -open during day in winter and closed more at night), turning off lights, replacing bulbs (CFLs), and following proven examples from other IntraGroups members of simple ways to reduce electrical consumption. Our private IntraGroups network of "energy saving" families has been fun (celebrating success) and useful for energy knowledge transfer / sharing / conversation. ____________________________________________________ 2006 Cars: Fuel (gas) usage in 2006 usage averaged 129 gallons / month. Vehicles: 1991 Jeep Cherokee, 2005 Jeep Liberty, 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee (leased for 27 months, returned early in 2009). Jeanne changed jobs reducing commute to 20 minutes (from 120) and mileage from 100+ miles / day to only 20 (for work)! David drove 5 times to Ravenswood WV in 2006, early 2007 on business - 356 miles each way guzzling 2011+ Strategy: This residence is going off-grid with solar, geothermal, sun room, passive thermal heating, windmill (for well water) and micro-hydro - stay tuned for details - A model home for Homeowners Associations - Increased value and 'sale' ability in ANY market! The right people doing the right things at the right time! Energized for everyone! Our WINTER Benchmarks / Base Marks for grid-based electricity. Time to upgrade / replace equipment / install backup HEATING? During the summer when costs are LOWER! Energy Conservation: There are many ways to do this - do what works for you! It is a journey, not an event! Photo shows elevation, house faces west. 2800 square feet with HVAC (all electric), Built 1987. 2 adults, 1 teenager, 1 young adult, 1 cat and 2-3 dogs. Wood stove. Almost 2 acres with lawn size reduced each year. Well. NOVEC electric utility. Septic tank. _____________________________________________________ When sharing your best practices a photo helps others adapt your ideas to their situations. NO limit on text. Be as verbose / humorous as you want to be. Contact info can be masked as in this example (pseudonyms) and personal notes are welcome (RIP). _____________________________________________________ Backup NOTES along this conservation journey ... A) Utility from Invoices Lowest kWh monthly usage: 741 Highest kWh monthly usage: 2481 Average kWh (past 12 months): 1306 (24 months is better if you can get this data) B) Utility from Electric Meter (Winter 2010) February - Lowest overnight 12 hour usage (8pm-8am) 48 kWh February - Highest daily 12 hour usage (8am-8pm) 9 kWh Record snowfall insulated home making February heating lower than March. Last home to have snow on the roof either better insulated, or, inside temps better managed for homes of similar construction, elevation, topography, lifestyle, number of occupants, etc. Use space heaters in bedrooms with individual thermostats / timers. Use humidifiers to supplement cntral heating system to keep humidity between 40-50% in winter (feels warmer). Central thermostat varies between 60-64 (national is 68) based on outside temps, sun, time of day, etc. Comfort levels pleasant with appropriate clothing and warm bed coverings at night. March - Lowest overnight 12 hour usage (8pm-8am) 54 kWh March - Highest daily 12 hour usage (8am-8pm) 16 kWh Daily awareness of utility usage really increases knowledge of home and energy habits, comfort levels, equipment efficiency, energy management, etc. Clocks changing (earlier) requires thermostats to be re-adjusted and does save energy despite the inconvenience April - Lowest daily 24 hour usage (8am-8am) 11 kWh April - Highest daily 24 hour usage (8am-8am) 39 kWh Windows open, HVAC off. Overnight heating only with wood stove / space heaters as needed. Filters cleaned. Now that energy (heating) is better managed and all other best practice processes have become habits (takes 30 days) - daily meter recording suspended until air conditioning is used on a continual basis this coming summer. Opening windows and using house to attic fan in late afternoon / evening to draw in colder outside air. Utility invoice dropping every month this year, so far. Extra Base Marks: Elapse time between 1000kWh. First measurement: 23 days. Next measurement: 34 days. Next TARGET: More than 40 days! Attention to detail = SUCCESS!

People Networks - ECN: Energy Conservation Networking "Join the discussion! Reduce utility bills overnight! Accelerate renewable energy technologies via business innovation? What are conservation basemarks? Reducing BaseMarks lowers carbon footprints? E-Com your ideas - TODAY!" « Return to List Primary (E-Com) Contact: Member-to-Member (1-1) online networking is preferred option after you Register Communications (#/text): E-Com / Update your Entity / E-Profile(s) - Often! Secondary Contact: Private 1-1 e-communication (E-Com) within YOUR own Energized Network / Group(s) Address / Area: Warrenton, VA Primary / Website URL: http://www.energized-fauquier.com/     What are Energy Conservation BaseMarks? Energy Conservation: "The right people doing the right things at the right time for the right reasons" Derivations: Base as in Baseline - a starting point Mark as in Benchmarks and Benchmarking - the process of change tracked (metrics) as time passes Use: In conserving grid-based electricity usage (reducing) and finite fuels like coal (search MTP), heating oil, natural gas, petrol, gasoline and diesel we need to know as individuals, where we are today (current consumption) and how it changes over fixed periods of time - hours, days, weeks, months. These are our unique / individual building starting points - Basemarks. Register: Use template #7 for EACH electric meter via any home page Note: Unit of measure is prime. Cost is secondary as it varies over time. Track KiloWattHours (kWh) first. CELEBRATE SUCCESS AFTER RESULTS ARE ACHIEVED! a) Living BASEMARK (home, apartment, office, business). Buildings can be modified / retrofitted from an energy conservation perspective. Energy Star appliances, solar, shade trees, heating / air conditioning, windows, insulation, doors, cracks, topography, comfort levels, design, occupants, alignment (north-south versus east-west), waste in construction, type of assembly, materials, cost, thermostats, use of recycled materials... all affect energy consumption. b) Electric Power BASEMARKS. Nuclear, coal, gas, solar, wind, water, ... Most of us do NOT know where our grid-based electricity comes from. ASK! Talk to neighbors and utility companies. One of our case studies learned in just the past 12 months that their electrical grid-based energy comes from mountain top removal (MTR), dirty coal burning in Virginia of all places - only 100 miles from Washington DC.

Why Thermostat Wars? "The more individuals in a building - The more likely that thermostat "issues" will occur! Comfort levels with heating and cooling systems (HVAC) is personal and impacted by age, health, awareness, exercise, community, topography, time of day, geography, equipment - to name just a few. This URL educates occupants on how to avoid temperature "wars" and live in relative comfort - no matter the time of year, or outside temperature" « Return to List Primary / Website URL:     http://www.intragroups.com What are thermostat wars? Any residence with more than one occupant experiences some level of Thermostat Wars - It may be a friendly conversation about thermostat settings that increase comfort levels for all parties. Or it may degenerate into a "WAR" where players quietly change temperature settings when no-one else is looking.

10-25% energy savings: Energy Conservation Processes (ECP) "TRACKING ENERGY USAGE via this template reduces monthly utility costs" « Return to List Michael - Chez Moi - My House's energy cost Period  kWh  $$  CO2 Year      25200      2400      28475 Quarter      6300      600      7118 Month      2100      200      2373 Week      474      45      535 24Hrs      67      6      76                                  Information  Supplier NOVEC Meter Last Read January 10, 2010 E-Category Energy: Home office case study County Fauquier / Mid Atlantic region State VA Primary (E-Com) Contact: Michael - Chez Moi - My House Communications (#/text): Your comments are very welcome! Feedback E-Com to THIS E-Profile (after Register - see any home page) + Talking to friends and neighbors Secondary Contact: E-Com comments / feedback / suggestions to this E-Profile Address / Area: VA Primary / Website URL: http://www.intragroups.com/     Template #7 (Register online via any home page - FREE) and capture energy saving efforts / benchmarks / Base marks ENERGY CASE STUDY #2: Family moved from Gulf Coast Bay Area Florida to Virginia in December 1995. First electricity bill was over $500, more than double the highest electric utility bill ever received while living in Tampa Bay (same heat pump technology). New occupants figured out very quickly how to reduce grid-based electricity costs. Typical home in Virginia: basement, 3-story, 2800 square feet, circa 1987 The broken wood stove was repaired and used 24 hours per day until the spring of 1996. Electricity costs immediately dropped by about 35%. Note: Use of wood stoves is more eco-friendly than the use of mountain top removal (MTR) of coal for power generation purposes where 75% of energy from ground to building is WASTED (from mines in Virginia and West Virginia)! Here is a list of completed items that have cut their kWh consumption by over 50% - Comparing December 1995 to December 2009 (see above utility data for dec/09) when outside temperatures were similar ($500+ to < $200)! __________________________________________________________________ QUICK solutions for all homes / businesses with heat pump technology 1) Review electric utility invoice and record current usage in a E-Profile via REGISTER on the home page (automatic to template #7) 2) Gather occupants that are impacted by inside comfort levels to discuss ways to depend less on the external heat pump especially when severe cold conditions exist - Team results are better, more permanent and more effective 3) Comfort levels vary by individual - find out who feels the coldest and why - discuss need to wear clothing layers inside the home as well as outside 4) Inside heat needs to be generated by more than just the heat pump - on sunny days open drapes to allow passive heating from the sun - close when sun has passed each window (drapes should be continuous for best insulating effect) - buy space heaters (radiator types with NO fan ONLY) - place in selected areas that may differ between night and day - experiment with location and thermostat settings such as higher day / lower at night - open inside doors (day) close (night) 5) Close ducts to rooms that are unused or used infrequently (unfinished basements, spare bedrooms) and close doors to these areas 6) Check for air tightness around windows and doors when locked - For leaks quick fix is brown painters' tape that can be easily removed next spring (especially between and around vertical double windows) - Better quick fix is insulation tape - If you have an attic fan place insulation above it (do not forget to remove before spring use) and / or cover metal opening (no-one said this was going to look pretty) - Examine your home as if for the first time - when cold is severe touch windows, doors and areas that might have air leaks - Insulate wall light switches with pre-cut "panels" from your local hard-ware store 7) Visit local hardware stores for heat generating items such as vents that redirect hot air from the clothes dryer into the home during winter months - install intelligently. Check humidity levels and consider buying a few humidifiers - low humidity feels colder / higher feels warmer. Place temperature gauge inside refrigerator and adjust settings 8) Install programmable thermostat - discuss settings - 68 degrees is the national (winter) standard but 60-64 is quite livable if you dress warmly. Vary settings by time of day. Increase settings slowly - 1 degree an hour - with highest setting around 4pm and lowest setting after retiring for the night - run heat pump most between 10am and 4pm - less (zero is best) at night (set no lower than 55 at night to avoid pipes from freezing) - Sorry international participants - we still use Fahrenheit rather than Centigrade in the USA! 9) Revisit efforts daily (read meter at same time every day) and discuss weekly with residents (team approach is best) - positive results encourage continued support - Switch light bulbs to CFLs / LED technology - Turn-off when NOT in use - Phantom power equals 5% kWh loss per year increasing to 10% for some new HDTVs (NOT allowed in California) thanks to Arnold - Install power surge protectors so one switch turns off more TVs, DVDs. etc. ___________________________________________________ Without these kWh usage can double and utility bills go out of sight. Share with neighbors. View other priority Entities / E-Profiles for more ideas and comments. BEFORE next winter research and price (including tax incentives) backup heat generation from natural gas, propane, geothermal, solar, tank-less water heaters, dual heating systems, pellet stoves, etc. and carefully consider options that reduce your 100% dependency on grid-based electricity for heating. Review attics - only 1 in 20 homes has adequate insulation. Check for external building leaks with specialized thermal equipment. Get a home energy audit after checking vendor references and with the Better Business Bureau. GOOD LUCK, BE SAFE, AND SHARE RESULTS!

ACEEE State Rankings - 2011 "Where was your state in 2011 - Changes since 2006 when rankings began?" « Return to List Primary / Website URL:     http://www.aceee.org/sector/state-policy/scorecard PDF File:     ACEEE The 2011 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard.pdf Virginia falls further behind as more states are do a better job with energy efficiency - the CLEANEST most cost-effective renewable energy. Virginia remains in #32 through #38 range / ranking since 2006

Energized-Fauguier Sustainable Development Policy - LGEP "Local Government Board of Supervisors support sustainable development (new buildings in 2010) Update: Green policy for existing buildings added (2011)" « Return to List Primary (E-Com) Contact: BOS Communications (#/text): 540 422 8020 Secondary Contact: County Administration Address / Area: Warren Green Building 10 Hotel Street Suite 208 Warrenton Fauquier County, VA 20186 2nd Phone # (ext): 540 422 8020 Fax #: 540 422 8022 Primary / Website URL: http://www.fauquiercounty.gov     Update 2011: New policy passed by Board of Supervisors for existing buildings - GOOD job - Green Power of Local Governments Proposed Fauquier County Green Building Policy for Public Buildings: The proposed Board of Supervisors’ Policy reflected in the Resolution requires the County to plan, design, finance, construct, operate and maintain its facilities to be sustainable.  The proposed policy includes the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system and Reference Guide as the design and measurement standard used to determine the level of achievement for sustainable buildings designed and constructed under this policy. On May 13, 2010, the Board of Supervisors adopted the Planning Commission’s A Plan for Public Facilities which outlined the standards to maintain an adequate delivery of services and delineates the priority and future needs related to current and new facilities.  An overarching principle in evaluating the location of facilities is based on the County’s rural land and service district approach to growth and development in the County.  This approach calls for the development of service districts as sustainable communities, and the future location of new public facilities within those service districts is a key element.  The document is divided into key functional areas and provides discussion of existing facilities, facility standards and level of service, service areas, site location and suitability standards, and priority needs.  The key functional areas are: Library Services, Parks and Recreation, Governmental Office Space, Courts, Sheriff and Emergency Services, Administration and General Office, General Services Complex, Fire and Emergency Services, Solid Waste Management, Schools, Utilities and Airport Infrastructure. This plan can be viewed in detail at the following location: http://viewagenda.fauquiercounty.gov/Bluesheet.aspx?ItemID=469&MeetingID=46 However, key policies established through the referenced plan for new or renovated buildings and facilities are as follows: Recognize that the placement of County buildings and employees in walkable communities contributes to the overall economic health of the County. Provide a pedestrian “movement network” through sidewalks, bike paths and trails serving as linkages within and between commercial properties, community facilities and nearby residential areas. Lead by example by using green building design and low impact development for new public facilities.  New facilities should be designed and developed for good environmental stewardship and have a high degree of energy efficiency. Provide adequate levels of services for the future in new facilities as they are planned and constructed. Green Building Policy Analysis and Initiative: With the completion of the Plan for Public Facilities, the Planning Commission considers integration of a “Green Building” policy as the next step.  Rather than amending this latter planning document, a better approach is to establish a Board of Supervisors’ policy.  The same approach was taken in the adoption of the Fauquier County Board of Supervisors Proffer Policy, which has proven effective in the assessment of all residential rezoning applications. This step in Green Building Policy would initially concentrate on both new public buildings and/or additions.  Such commitment and actual performance, if deemed essential, could then be expanded in the future to provide the requisite incentives for private development to follow this public lead to more sustainable, efficient and environmentally sensitive building construction. The purpose of such a policy initiative is to also demonstrate our established and continued commitment to environmental, economic, and social stewardship, and to contribute to the County’s goals of protecting, conserving, and enhancing the region’s environmental resources. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) recently published a document entitled Greening the Metropolitan Washington Region’s Built Environment (December 2007).  This publication acknowledged that there are a number of independent organizations, industry groups, and public agencies nationwide that have created specific guidelines for green buildings, and most use a point system for certification.  This report provides an excellent summary of those programs, plus offers regional recommendations for the Washington Metropolitan area at the following web location: http://www.mwcog.org/store/item.asp?PUBLICATION_ID=304 As a result of the latter MWCOG study, two basic options have been generally assessed.  One is the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) “National Green Building Program” initiative and the other is the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) nationally recognized Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Program which has an acknowledged green building certification system.  National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).  Green Certification is based on the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines and the ICC 700-2008 National Green Building Standard™. There are three green certification levels available in the Guidelines – Bronze, Silver, and Gold. The National Green Building Standard includes an additional level for residential buildings, Emerald. Land Developments can earn One, Two, Three, or Four Stars. Residential buildings, remodeling/retrofit projects, and developments can be Green Certified to the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines or the National Green Building Standard as detailed below. There are three green certification levels available in the Guidelines – Bronze, Silver, and Gold. The green levels and certifications address key green construction areas including – Lot & Site Development, Resource Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Homeowner Education. NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines have certification available for new, single-family homes only.  This certification includes detached single-family homes, townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes. National Green Building Standards includes certification for the following types of residential construction or development projects: New single-family homes -- Includes detached single-family homes, townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes; New multi-unit residential buildings; Residential portion of mixed-use buildings; Additions to single-family homes that equal less than 75% of existing square footage; Renovations of single-family or multi-unit buildings; Renovations plus additions to single-family homes; Renovations of pre-1980 residential buildings; Renovations that change the use of non-residential buildings into residential uses; Individual sections or phases of residential or mixed-use developments; and Entire residential or mixed-use land developments and subdivisions. The following cannot be Green Certified at this time: Additions only (of any size) to existing multi-unit buildings; Additions only greater than 75% of the original conditioned area of an existing single-family; building that do not involve renovation of the original building; and Developments that do not contain any residential uses. Since NAHB certification standards for non-residential buildings have not been established, the LEED program described next provides that distinct option. U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).   The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, developed by the USGBC, provides standards for environmentally sustainable construction.  Since its inception in 1998, this certification process provides third-party verification that a discrete building or an overall community development (including residential, public and business structures) was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the design, materials and construction aspects that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. The LEED for New Construction Rating System can be applied to commercial, institutional and high-rise residential projects. Practitioners have also applied the system to K-12 schools, multi-unit residential buildings, manufacturing plants, laboratories and many other building types.  Many jurisdictions have initially been introduced to this process through the design and construction of their public buildings.  There are a few examples in our community of new construction seeking LEED Certification, three of which are located in Warrenton: the addition to Highland School, Fauquier High School addition currently under design, and the newly completed Fauquier Bank on Broadview Avenue. LEED for New Construction is a performance-oriented rating system where building projects earn points for satisfying criterion designed to address specific environmental impacts inherent in the design, construction, operations and management of a building. The LEED certification system is organized into five environmental categories: Sustainable Sites (SS), Water Efficiency (WE), Energy and Atmosphere (EA), Materials and Resources (MR) and Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), refer to LEED Measures. An additional category, Innovation in Design (ID), addresses sustainable building expertise as well as design measures not covered under the five environmental categories. The number of points the project earns determines the level of LEED Certification the project receives.  In addition, LEED FAQ provides typical questions regarding the LEED for New Construction and Green Building Certification System.  At this point in time, the LEED program represents the type of Green Building initiative the County should seek for its policy regarding new public building construction. We are not forced to be pioneers in this area of established building design and construction.  The certification program and training is well established nationwide, is performance based, and provides different options from which government can choose dependent upon applicable budgetary constraints through time. Arlington and Fairfax Counties continue to be the governmental leaders in such initiatives within Northern Virginia and the state.  Arlington County’s webpage on this topic is substantial, educational and can be reviewed at the following locations:  http://www.arlingtonva.us/departments/EnvironmentalServices/epo/EnvironmentalServicesEpoGreenBuildings.aspx http://www.arlingtonva.us/departments/environmentalservices/epo/environmentalservicesepoincentiveprogram.aspx Many member jurisdictions within the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) currently use LEED as a guide and rating system for public and/or private projects; here are some examples: Arlington County, City of Alexandria, District of Columbia, Fairfax County, City of Gaithersburg, City of Greenbelt, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, City of Leesburg, Prince William County, City of Rockville, Takoma Park, and Falls Church.  In their report,   the MWCOG indicated that LEED offers the most reliable and widely understood system for guiding green projects.

Energy saving process Step1 - Residential / Small Business / Main St. "Entities making a difference & Step 1: Increasing energy awareness" « Return to List Primary (E-Com) Contact: IntraGroups - Better Practices LLC - An energy conservation company supporting finite energy reduction (the newest clean energy), biomass, geothermal, solar, water, micro-hydro, wind and other renewable energy systems Communications (#/text): E-Com 1-1 to this Entity / E-Profile / Start your own NEW application in 24 hours - Guaranteed These URLs are our clean energy application platform and an example for your consideration Secondary Contact: Hosted by SiteWhirks - Main Street - Warrenton VA - 20186 / Click logo on home page / Owners and developers of BigTeams.com for high school sports activities including Fauquier, Liberty, Kettle Run ... Title: Energized Fauquier supports #1 - (Finite) Energy Conservation and #2 - Sustainable best practices in our immediate geographic area Address / Area: Broad Run, VA 20137 2nd Phone # (ext): 540 219 0445 but leave message if unavailable Fax #: Use E-Com instead! Registration required with current building kWh usage - your first BASE MARK (like a benchmark) Primary / Website URL: http://www.intragroups.com     Step 1: Increasing personal / local energy awareness A) 40+ years ago at Airlie Farm (now Airlie Center) a group brain stormed environmental issues facing our unique blue water planet - Mouse over top right photo for caption / click link for the history of how Earth Day concepts and strategies were born - From the Airlie web site (left click) ... Dr. Head advanced environmental leadership as a core priority at Airlie, both in the stewardship of the Center’s natural resources, and in the focus of Airlie programs. In 1969, Senator Gaylord Nelson met with students at Airlie to promote the concept of Earth Day, and returned to Airlie to commemorate the event in 1993 ... Reference: Earth Day (left click for Wikipedia) B) Energized Fauquier Mid-Atlantic Region Results: Proven energy reductions in homes, businesses, organizations: 1) Fauquier County Public Schools saved 14% / $459K through a new energy conservation program Volunteer efforts / project history 2) Fauquier County Government saved $40K in one summer and $60K in the next 12 months (23%) - normalized for weather conditions 3) 5-bedroom home in Fairfax reduces kWh usage by 82% in <30 days 4) Marshall complex lowers energy use by 38% 5) Richmond residence (new tenants) heating costs up 50% before remedial training put in place 6) Timeframes for these savings may vary but there were NO changes in HVAC systems and minimal (almost zero / building 7) ROI always positive C) 40+ years of conservation: In the US, UK and Spain 75% of the increased demand for electricity since 1970 has come from conservation efforts (newest clean energy) - 25% from new power plant generation ... Reference: Madrid: Climate Strategy White Paper October 19 2010  D) 40+ years of progress: Root causes of energy conservation? 1) Technology including Energy Star appliances, more efficient HVAC, Energy Management Control Systems (EMCS), insulation, windows, architecture, LEED certification, building design ... 2) Rapidly increasing costs of power generation and grid maintenance cause end-users to find ways to lower electrical consumption - Dominion Virginia Power increased rates 18% in summer of 2009... 3) Environmental issues such as Mountain Top Removal (MTR) causing long term (1000 year) toxic waste problems, loss of habitat, loss of life ... 4) Renewable energy systems for power generation / heating / cooling such as solar, geothermal, wind, hydro, biomass ... 5) Utility ability to turn-off end-user HVAC equipment during periods of peak demand ... 6) Education, knowledge, concern 7) Non-profits-politics-EPA-DOE... CONGRATULATIONS - You have completed Step 1!  To continue with Step 2: Key Step2 in Entity, click Search, then View or below Finite energy conservation / technical innovation has been active for over 40 years in the US, UK and Spain. You understand how your local electrical power is generated. You know more about your local energy culture and environment. You see opportunities for saving money through energy conservation. You know that reducing energy usage in ANY building makes a collective difference and that 99.96% of the US population uses grid-based electrical power generated from finite (coal, oil, natural gas, propane) fuels for heating / cooling homes and businesses. IntraGroups Navigation: (1) Backward arrow when returning from text embedded links (2) Returning from clicking a link in an image - CLOSE window 3) This Entity is an example of Format / Template #5 where contact data / text / photos / images / captions / links (optional) are maintained by "members" educating us about energy-related work, products, programs, projects, efforts ... To continue with Step 2: Key Step2 in Entity, click Search, then View    Photos

Energy saving process Step2 - Residential / Small Business / Main St. "Know average grid-based building (kWh) electrical consumption - Register to BaseMark buildings - Energy usage snapshots are CRITICAL KEY METRICS!" « Return to List Primary (E-Com) Contact: Environmental reasons for finite energy conservation - Mountain Top Removal (MTR) for Coal Power Generation Communications (#/text): Mouse over lower photo (3rd from left) and left click to enlarge. Scale: See the parked trucks in the photo? 1000 year toxic waste from blasting 24 hours a day - NOT very smart! Secondary Contact: Inefficient MTR: Less than 25% of the original energy required to mine coal and produce power is delivered to end-users - Does not make economic, environmental or long-term sense? Address / Area: Wise County, VA 99999     Step 2a: Know your electrical usage in buildings you own - rent - lease - use:  Most building occupants do NOT accurately know energy usage. For residences and small businesses locate the latest invoice where most utility companies include a 12-month chart of kWh / month, high, low and average consumption. Online registration to pay bills saves paper, cost of mail, time, etc. and also usually gives a longer period of time (more accurate) for past usage of 18-36 months. Using either method (online or paper) write down / note the average monthly kWh and $ consumed / building, the period of service (usually monthly or quarterly), the name of the utility company, and date meter last read.  Step 2b: Click Register in any home page supported by Group networking  Virginia County Enter 1) Name: Nickname, psuedo, first ... Your choice 2) Entity - in this case a BRIEF building description such as residence or small business, 3-story, 10,000 square feet, c1983, HVAC / dual gas systems 3) Phone (optional) 4) Email address (for registration process, can be deleted later, NEVER seen by ANYONE other than the owner and NOT needed for future E-Com) 5) Click Send 6) Click Yes to Simple Code of Conduct or No to exit Step 2c: Record kWh and $: My E-Profile (Entity) screen data from step 2b is already populated. Change todays date to date meter last read followed by kWh, period, $ and supplier - Click Submit - Registration is now complete. View / Edit / Update as often as you want. Welcome email with random unique password has been sent to you but you can change any data at anytime (recommend you change to something easy to remember). CONGRATULATIONS - You have completed Step 2! Follow their lead / example: $430,000 saved in Fauquier County - Search / View these Entities (next paragraph) Look at these local entities via their recorded consumption snapshots (BaseMarks) - A school system, local government in action ...  1) 10% savings in 12 months - $330K - Fauquier County Public Schools enter FCPS in Entity and click Search - View specific schools (21 including trailers) -  Click CLEAR  2) Saved $40000 in 2009, $60000 in 2010 - Fauquier County Government Buildings enter FCG in Entity and click Search - View specific buildings (32) - Click CLEAR Continue with Step 3 - Key Step3 (NOT case sensitive) in Entity, click SEARCH and View  IntraGroups Applications: This Entity is an example of Format / Template #4. By viewing any of the E-Profiles Searchable in the previous paragraph you saw Format / Template #7 used to Base Mark energy usage in any building via Register and in Step 1 you viewed Format / Template #5. If your business or organization requires a unique Format / Template request:  New Entity Template with Special Layout Please as the subject line      Photos:

Energy saving process Step3 - Residential / Small Business / Main St. "Multiple ways to save energy in existing buildings" « Return to List Primary (E-Com) Contact: Building owner / rentor Communications (#/text): Info only Secondary Contact: Building owner Address / Area: Fauquier County, VA     Completed Step1: Increase energy awareness Completed Step2: Basemarking building - Knowing energy usage Step3 = ACTION: Reducing energy usage _____________________________________________ A) ACTION! 1. Assemble the group / occupants that are impacting usage (anyone who affects consumption). Share the knowledge / data collected in Steps 1 & 2. Each person discusses how they can contribute to saving grid-based electricity. Capture / update these action items in the (group) Entity / E-Profile where kWh date was calculated. Use text field and add a date as the header / title. 2. At this point - NO new equipment is to be installed. These are the "freebies" that just require common sense. A list of basic practices are noted below to stimulate conversation. Copy / Paste / Use as an initial check list to get started. 3. Set reasonable targets (kWh% reduction) based on the level of commitment from the group, time of year, climate, special events such as vacations, trips, etc. 4. Periodically (weekly / monthly / quarterly / seasonally) discuss progress and new data. Adjust actions. Rationalize results. Set new targets. Update Entity / E-Profiles (date sequence new to old text). Celebrate success both within your group, and externally! Spread the word! If you can do it, so can neighbors. These efforts benefit everyone, everywhere. REMEMBER: Tracking expenses is important to most of us but the focus in this program is unit of measure (kWh / time period). Cost is based on rates which change, often on an annual basis. Lowering Kilowatt Hours is the true usage and the target is always to reduce grid-based electrical consumption especially when coal is the original source of energy. If you are lucky enough to have hydro-based power, it is still important to reduce usage as population and the need for (local) power increases. ___________________________________________ B) INTRODUCTION - FOOD FOR THOUGHT BEFORE GETTING STARTED - MATTERS FOR YOUR BRAIN! The low hanging fruit of energy conservation, the slow fat rabbits! You get the idea. Homes / occupants are unique. Building design, age, square footage, orientation, location, elevation, lot size, garden, trees, and # / ages of residents generate the need for unique solutions requiring thought, communications, and commitment to new ideas. Home is one of the most important places in our lives. A place to recharge the batteries and prepare to deal with the next days' challenges. Sustainable living concepts improve the quality of this experience. If there is more than one occupant, there is usually more than one opinion on finite energy conservation. To some it matters, to others it does not. It is a question of awareness, knowledge and understanding of the complex world we live in today, such as, where does our power really come from and how is it generated? Conversely, sole occupants may have a difficult time seeing the forest for the trees. That is why we recommend working with others to discuss alternatives and people-network with friends using our online private ECom 1-1 communications. A problem shared is a problem solved. This proven simple process makes change more fun, effective, and with increased results. It takes minimal effort to start and generates immediate dollar savings, improves the quality of our daily lives, and helps each of us to be a part of the solution, and make a real difference in the grand scheme of things in our world today. Remember: "Teamwork" is very effective and increases the quality and quantity of results. Start a small online network via IntraGroups. The more participants the better. Before reducing finite energy consumption must remind ourselves of current / past usage (Step 2). This helps us to make future projections. This is a journey, not a one-time event. ENJOY! - It is worth the effort! ___________________________________________ C) TIPS: Actions to keep summer / winter energy bills from going through the roof There are simple "free" steps to saving money / and more importantly, energy COOLING & HEATING (7): Thermostats at 78º F - summer and 68º F - winter to realize a 3% to 5% kilowatt decrease Ensure furniture, curtains and rugs don’t block the flow of air from vents and air registers Maintain heating and cooling unit efficiency by changing / cleaning filters monthly Clean dust from supply and return air grilles and heating outlets Make sure the caulk and weather-stripping around your windows and doors is in good shape Seal around wiring / plumbing penetrations. Caulk small holes. Use expanding foam for gaps Ensure ductwork is properly sealed Note: 78 / 68 are general guidelines. With adequate inside humidity in the winter (turnoff in summer) some of us feel comfortable at 64 with appropriate clothing. We know of a few hardy souls in Virginia who are happy at under 60 degree settings in winter! In summer it is quite easy to get used to 80 (less clothing of course). Be European - convert to centigrade. In the summer (5): Keep curtains and shades closed especially on the south east and west sides of homes Avoid using appliances that give off heat during the hottest times of the day (10am-6pm) Use ceiling / portable floor fans which makes the air feel up to 6 degrees cooler Keep plants and brush at least three feet away from outside units Dressing to be cool allows the thermostat to be set a few degrees higher - swimsuits allowed! In the winter (3): Open curtains and shades to let the sun warm your home naturally If you have a fireplace, make sure the damper is closed when the fireplace is not in use Dress warmly indoors as this allows thermostat to be set a few degrees lower HOT WATER (4): Turn down the water heater thermostat. 120ºF is adequate for most homes Take shorter / cooler (especially in summer - adjust over time) showers Install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators and reduce water consumption by up to 50%. Install a water-heater timer and set to heat water 4 to 5 hours a day results in energy savings REFRIGERATOR / FREEZER (6): Ensure they are full and that the seals are in good condition (doors shut tight) Open and close doors quickly - decide what you want before opening Avoid putting refrigerators or freezers in unconditioned spaces like garages Keep refrigerator temperature between 37º and 40º - Check with thermometer – adjust thermostat Keep food away from the interior walls so cold air can circulate faster Keep your refrigerator condenser coils clean. Clean them every six months (spring / fall) WASHER (3) AND DRYER (9): Wash clothes in warm or cold water and rinse them in cold water for most washes Use hot water cycle less often with modern detergents - read labels on new brands Wash a full load at a time - but do not overload Adding dry towel at the start of each cycle reduces drying cycle time by up to 50% Hanging items outside to dry makes clothes last longer, eliminates need for summer dryer cycles Wait until you have a full dryer load Separate drying loads into heavy / lightweight items Dry clothes in consecutive loads as heat is retained in-between Clean the lint filter thoroughly after each load Check the vent periodically to make certain there are no clogs Do not dry clothes completely, hang inside to air Take clothes out when slightly damp to reduce need for ironing BOTH - Do NOT use during local peak electrical utility periods (varies by season / load) DISHWASHER (3): Turn off / avoid the drying cycle if you do not need to dry dishes immediately Wait until your dishwasher is full before using it Do NOT always use - rinse “clean” items and let dry naturally - reduces frequency of use LIGHTING (4): Using smaller lamps over work areas such as desktops avoids need to light whole room Turn off lights when you do not need them Use motion sensors where practical Use CFL light bulbs - Note: Many do NOT work with dimmer switches and burn out prematurely SECURITY (3): Install solar-powered pathway lights for most exterior lighting / appearances / visibility Turn-on exterior lights only when REALLY needed Install motion sensors on some exterior strategically placed lights This combination of lights gives the appearance of occupants being home even if they are not. Motion sensors cause a light to go on which may discourage potential intruders. Solar powered lights can be mounted on exterior walls or posts to increase illumination. They are inexpensive and use NO grid-based electricity. They are lit during the evening and may fade out during the night when most of us are asleep. Dead giveaway that residents are away from home? Exterior lights on during the day! As we started this E-Profile and Process, so it ends. Sustainable living and finite energy consumption require use of our brains, with a little bit of light (pun - dry English humor)labor! HAVE FUN! ___________________________________________ D) SOAP-BOX Coal-fired power plants generate 40% of Americas' annual CO2 emissions. Do you know where and how your electricity supply is generated? "Clean coal" is unproven and if it works will be very expensive and the costs will be passed on to the consumers in increased rates. Each power plant location will probably have local unique requirements for CO2 disposal, if not, solid CO2 transportation to disposal sites uses more energy. Did you know that from when the coal is originally removed from the ground, through power generation, grid transmission, sub-stations and use by each of us, there is a 75% loss of energy? Not a number that utility companies agree with, or share with the public. If the current concepts of power generation are updated and replaced, 3 out of 4 power plants could be closed within 5 years! Nuclear powered plants also have disposal and safety issues. In addition, when they were designed, some designers and engineers forgot about adequate water supply for cooling purposes. In France many reactors were closed down during summer droughts a few years ago. Nuclear reactors are designed for perpetual operation so other than the loss of power when everyone needs it, safety issues increase when shutdowns and restarts occur. SHARE THOUGHTS AND IDEAS VIA NEW ENTITIES - YOU CAN HAVE MORE THAN ONE for different SUBJECT MATTER, points of view, etc. © Copyright RNS IntraGroups™ Applications / Functions - All Rights Reserved. E-Profile(s) / E-Com content responsibility _____________________________________________ E) More ideas to save energy in any existing building: Commercial, government, school or residence 1) Google, Bing .... Search energy conservation, savings, usage, LEED ... for the latest information 2) Follow this process via existing Entities / E-Profiles - Searches after this text 3) Schedule a (reputable) professional energy audit where a residence is usually $400+, and commercial usually $1000+ 4) Talk to neighbors / associates who live / work in similar buildings 5) Talk to other building occupants Regardless of the process - The key point of Step 3 is to ACT and ACTIONS may vary based on the time of year 1) SPRING / SUMMER - Think about changes for next winter while prices for these services are the lowest (less demand) FALL / WINTER - Implement changes for next summer - same logic

Upload PDF capability available October 2011 "Always growing and adding new capabilities. Registrants now have the ability to upload a PDF file using template #9. Save Word, Excel, PowerPoint files, etc. then process for static view with brief description of content in E-Profile (optional) text. Searchable. Use for online presentations / training / documents" « Return to List Primary / Website URL:     http://www.intragroups.com PDF File:     C2I Financing_Energy_Efficiency_Building_Retrofits.pdf PDF file contains case study on how UK, Spain aand USA have lowered the need for new power plants over the past 40 years - published in 2010. Click PDF filename to view content

2nd Conservation Process for Residences / Small Businesses / Main Street "Save at least 10% per year off your electric utility bills with this simple process" « Return to List Primary (E-Com) Contact: Baseline / Base Mark for (vacation) homes / residences / apartments / small businesses and Main Streets everywhere Communications (#/text): Print this E-Profile - Place in a visible location - Update as plans and progress are made Secondary Contact: Pass the word about your results to business contacts, friends and family Address / Area: VA 2nd Phone # (ext): Discuss with your network groups Primary / Website URL: http://www.intragroups.com/     Changing personal habits: Before reducing consumption know past / current electrical usage to make reasonable future projections. This process takes minimal effort to complete and uses existing heating / cooling equipment. Generates immediate $ savings. 1. Collect recent electric utility invoices for each building. Most utilities supply graphs of usage for the past 12-24 months and calculate an average monthly usage. If your utility bills quarterly, adjust data collection time periods. Register via home page to capture annual kWh usage per building. 2. Assemble the group that is reducing usage (anyone who affects consumption). 3. Share the data collected in item 1. You now have benchmarks for current and past usage. 4. Each person discusses how they can contribute to saving grid-based electricity. 5. Capture / update these actions in your (group) E-Profile. 6. Set reasonable targets based on the level of commitment from the group / individuals. 7. Discuss new invoices. Adjust actions. Rationalize results. Update E-Profile containing annual kWh usage with projects, ideas, research links, progress, etc. 8. Celebrate success! Mouse-over (lower) images for captions - middle 2 have useful energy conservation links (click to access)     Photos:

ACEEE state energy efficiency links - Oct '11 "Virginia at #34 for 3 consecutive years?" « Return to List Primary / Website URL:     http://www.aceee.org/sector/state-policy/scorecard #1 Massachusetts #17 Illinois #35 Montana #2 California #17 Michigan #36 Georgia #3 New York #17 Utah #37 Kentucky #4 Oregon #19 Nevada #38 Alaska #5 Rhode Island #21 New Hampshire #38 Arkansas #5 Vermont #22 District of Columbia #40 Louisiana #5 Washington #24 Ohio #40 Nebraska #8 Connecticut #25 Pennsylvania #42 South Dakota #8 Minnesota #26 Idaho #43 Alabama #10 Maryland #27 Florida #44 Missouri #11 Iowa #27 New Mexico #44 West Virginia #12 Colorado #27 North Carolina #46 South Carolina #12 Hawaii #30 Tennessee #47 Oklahoma #12 Maine #31 Delaware #48 Kansas #15 New Jersey #32 Indiana #49 Mississippi #16 Wisconsin #33 Texas #50 Wyoming #17 Arizona #34 Virginia #51 North Dakota Mouse-over / click URL (above) for more information (not state in table)

Energy Research - Gas at $9 / gallon - where? "Entrepreneurs lead with new technology, ideas, innovation, and original thinking" « Return to List Primary (E-Com) Contact: Knowledge transfer - Food for thought Communications (#/text): Optimistic areas for future energy technical changes Secondary Contact: Register new ideas with permission of owner ... Title: ... include links, captions, images to help jump-start these new ideas Address / Area: Global impact / Europe / Mid Atlantic VA Primary / Website URL: http://www.thwars.com     Update - May 2011 Based on the latest data from the UK - after converting from metric to gallons and English pounds to US Dollars - Petrol / gas in England is now over $9 / gallon - Up from $8 the last time we checked! ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sample format / template #1 with plain text (no limit, be reasonable please): Entity / E-Profile posted April / 08 - YES in 2008! ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1) Energy is where the great majority of new jobs are being created and this trend WILL increase for at least the next 25 years 2) Energy touches EVERYTHING for ALL of us EVERY 24 hours 365 days a year 3) Unfortunately our current way of life is UNSUSTAINABLE in the long-term (2033+) 4) Forget global warming / climate change - JUST the expected price for gasoline alone is going to affect ALL of us - UK residents pay close to $8 / imperial gallon - $5 / gallon in the USA is going to seem cheap in 2014 5) Entity / E-Profile originally posted 4/7/2008 - Last updated on 10/23/2011 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ New and innovative approaches improve our quality of life while helping others to benefit - They give us the tools to reduce our finite energy consumption of declining resources Post new data / information / links / papers so others may benefit and learn new ideas / processes / techniques / metrics Add details via Register from home pages - Add contact details after permission is granted Signify Copyright if applicable Add images / photos (jpg / gif format) Add many keywords so Entity / E-Profile can be found by others as YOUR sustainable repository grows in content on a daily, even hourly basis Change is scary but embrace it \/ ENJOY YOUR STAY IN THESE EXCLUSIVE DOMAINS \/ Once Registered you can E-Com the owner (1-1) of this Entity and start a detailed online conversation / chat about a specific subject. Much more compact than email E-Com prevents wasted time and SPAM is never an issue (delete your email address and just login periodically to check for new E-Com, Replies, Updates ... in brief readable formats TRANSFER KNOWLEDGE - LEARN - EDUCATE YOURSELF - TAKE THE LEAD IN YOUR Re-Energized COMMUNITY

FCPS Finite Energy Savings of 10% Fauquier Public Schools fy10 $330K saved "Concerted efforts produce results" « Return to List Primary (E-Com) Contact: Karen Parkinson, Coordinator of Information Communications (#/text): (540) 422-7031 / Click URL below / contact Warren Darrell Secondary Contact: Michael Rainger 540 219 0445 Address / Area: VA 20186 Primary / Website URL: http://www.fcps1.org/     Scroll down for full news release.   In September 2008 IntraGroups Founder Michel Rainger completed a 100 hour volunteer community project for Fauquier County Schools and Government. Findings included: Electrical grid-based expenses of $4M per fiscal year with ratio of County to Schools 20 / 80% and minimal finite energy conservation programs in place. Recommendations on potential savings presented to key players from October 2008 - June 2009. School administration formed a committee in the spring of 2009 and began to implement many of the suggestions made by Mr. Rainger during FY10 which resulted in the savings noted below. Note: School electricity usage increased 8% during FY09.   Through team work and more involvement of school prinicipals, faculty, students and parents it is conceivable that another 10-15% KwH savings can be realised during this school year (FY11).  Above comments respectfully made by Michael  Rainger Founder: Energized Fauquier - Additional feedback welcome to this Entity via E-Com (to Michael) or call Warren - Community project hours now up to almost 700 as of 12/31/2010.  Energy conservation now a part of the Strategic Planning process with many items scheduled for implementation in FY11 - Aspirations 2015 - News release below      Fauquier County Public Schools News Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 8, 2010 Karen Parkinson, Coordinator of Information Phone (540) 422-7031 kparkinson@fcps1.org  FCPS REALIZES SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN ENERGY CONSUMPTION             Low-cost and no-cost energy management measures undertaken in the past year have enabled Fauquier County Public Schools to achieve a 10 percent reduction in energy consumption per square foot. The school division’s total annual energy cost of $3.3 million in Fiscal Year 2009 dropped to $2.9 million in Fiscal Year 2010 as the total energy consumption fell from 148,923 to 134,125 million BTU.           “This means our ‘carbon footprint’ [the direct effect of the school division’s actions on the environment in terms of carbon dioxide emissions] went down by 10 percent,” said Warren Darrell, FCPS director of construction who oversees the school division’s energy management program. “This is significant.”            Mr. Darrell joined Greg Livesay, FCPS director of facilities, in vigorously pursuing improved energy management in every school facility over the past year. They coordinated a number of energy management measures which collectively contributed to the significant savings. These measures varied from the simple – installing “Please Turn Off the Lights” decals on nearly every light switch throughout the school division – to the complex – arranging for lower-cost electricity procurement from suppliers. Men on a mission, Mr. Darrell and Mr. Livesay met with each site administrator to plan ways to manage energy, distributed monthly energy reports to school principals, and worked with County operations personnel to design and implement energy efficiency measures. They de-energized vending machine lighting in all schools, adjusted thermostats in mechanical equipment rooms, and replaced burned-out incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps. They improved procedures for notifying operations personnel of occupied times for heating and cooling operations. They installed programmable thermostats in several modular buildings, electronic time clock controls in several schools, and automatic controls on some street and parking lot lighting. “Our current energy benchmarks indicate that our schools now operate more efficiently than in the past and more efficiently than other public K-12 schools in our climate region,” said Mr. Darrell.           The school division’s energy efforts have not slowed as the new school year begins. FCPS has arranged for lower-cost electricity procurement which will reduce costs by about $130,000 per year, Mr. Darrell said. Already this year, the Information Technology Department has reduced the number of server computers from 45 to 15 and replaced 330 desktop computers with laptops; the department plans to replace approximately 20 inefficient monitors with energy-efficient monitors.            “We will be installing programmable thermostats in more of our auxiliary buildings, like our sports concession buildings,” said Mr. Livesay. Door seals will be replaced, he added.           Other plans – such as installing additional energy efficiency controls and upgrading efficiency of lighting at more schools – hinge on the availability of funds in the coming year. Also, the planned new wing of Fauquier High School will be exceptionally energy efficient.  FCPS intends that the FHS renovation attain a gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating by the U.S. Green Building Council. In the meantime the school division will continue to conserve energy wherever it can without compromising productivity and educational quality. “While it’s always important to reduce unnecessary costs, the budget crunch makes it even more important,” said Dr. Jonathan Lewis, division superintendent. “By reducing energy consumption, we help protect our environment and set a positive example for our students.”