News and Events
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California sues feds to keep PACE on track
California attorney general Jerry Brown has sued mortgage giants Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and its overseer, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, in federal court to stop the lenders from killing programs that allow property owners to borrow funds for energy efficiency and other improvements and repaying loans on property tax bills.
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Major U.S. homebuilders selling energy efficiency as pocketbook issue
Major U.S. home builders are selling increased energy efficiency as a way for buyers to reduce the cost of ownership and for the companies to increase market share. That Toll Brothers Inc., Lennar Corp. and other major builders are touting the money-saving energy efficiency technologies in their new homes should send a message to that segment of the Washington state home building industry that has thrown a fit over an improved state energy code.
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WA puts up $100 million for energy efficiency in schools
A good and familiar theme: “Our immediate goal is to stimulate the economy by creating jobs,” Gregoire said. “We know these construction projects will put people to work right away. In the long term, these projects will have a considerable impact on our economic recovery. Energy efficiency upgrades are proven to significantly reduce operation costs – which will protect valuable tax payer dollars, and at the same time, protect our environment by reducing our energy use.”
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In defense of a better WA energy code
The first fact to consider is the long-term benefit to consumers of buying the most energy-efficient building possible. For lots of things, a purchasing mistake is no big deal. Buy the wrong dinner; it’s a problem for the evening. Buy the wrong light bulb you waste a little on energy bills for a year or two. Buy the wrong house, and you’re saddled with wasted money and energy for decades. Plus, you’re stuck in a home that’s less comfortable than it should be.
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Fannie, Freddie threaten PACE programs
The Obama administration is devoting $150 million in stimulus money for programs that help homeowners install solar panels and other energy improvements, which they pay for over time on their property tax bills. At the same time, the two government-chartered agencies that buy and resell most home mortgages are threatening to derail the effort by warning that they might not accept loans for homes that take advantage of the special financing.
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Lowe’s invests in high-tech energy efficiency retrofitter
The hardware giant has begun offering Recurve retrofit services in its San Francisco-area stores following an $8 million investment in the company. The investment opens up the possibility of an expanded marketing campaign to contractors who shop at Lowe’s, according to a report on the deal at CNET.
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Rural Oregon businesses REAP benefits of OSU program
The assessments and accompanying recommendation are available to any small rural business or farm in Oregon that derives more than half its gross annual income from agriculture. The REAP grant will pick up about 75 percent of the cost of the service, leaving business owners to pay just $370.
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Gregoire, code council delay new WA energy code improvements
The actions – Gregoire’s request and the Council’s June 11 acquiescence – send the utterly false message that better energy efficiency is bad for homeowners. In fact, the code improvements now put on hold will save homeowners far more money than the improvements will cost.
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IKEA to replace all incandescent bulbs in U.S. stores
Ikea, the Swedish furniture chain, will phase out all incandescent lights bulbs in U.S. stores starting Aug. 1, with the goal to eliminate them by the start of next year.
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Video makes business case for energy efficiency
This video by EvergreenFilms.org, supported by the Washington Clean Technology Alliance, puts energy efficiency at the center of the clean technology economy. “Businesses are the environmentalists today,” says McKinstry’s David Allen. See what else he and other leaders in the field are saying about efficiency.
