Energy Targets The environmental effect of using fossil fuels, particularly Climate Change, has emerged as a universal concern. Our foremost climatologist, NASA's Jim Hansen, says that "if humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed and to which life on earth is adapted, paleoclimate evidence and ongoing climate change suggest that CO2 will need to be reduced from its current 385 ppm to at most 350 ppm.".  The Indian scientist and economist Rajendra Pachauri, who accepted the Nobel Prize on behalf of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last year, says "If there's no action before 2012, that's too late. What we do in the next two to three years will determine our future. This is the defining moment."

The 2030 Challenge has been proposed by Architect Ed Mazria in response to Hansen and other scientific data. It suggests that all new buildings, developments and major renovations be designed to meet a fossil fuel, greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting, energy consumption performance standard of 50% of the regional average for that building type. He further suggests that the fossil fuel reduction standard for all new buildings be increased 10% every 5 years so that by 2030, we are achieving a standard of carbon-neutrality (using no fossil-fuel greenhouse-gas emitting energy to operate).

It also suggests that, at a minimum, an equal amount of existing building area be renovated annually to meet a fossil-fuel, greenhouse gas (GHG)-emitting, energy-consumption performance standard of 50% of the regional average for that building type through innovative design strategies, the application of renewable technologies and/or the purchase - 20% maximum - of renewable energy.

Energy efficiency is the cheapest and easiest way to make a difference: the best place to start. The 10-Year Energy Action Plan has 2 strategies as to how we can begin to make our buildings more efficient:

• Improve the efficiency of existing buildings by implementing energy/building performance upgrades for at least 1500 homes within 5 years. A voluntary program, aimed at making 10% of our housing more energy efficient: both electricity and fuel-wise.
  
• Increase the share of high performance buildings that consume at least 30% less energy than typical new construction practices. Changes to the Building Code could mean that, as newer houses are built, we are making them as efficient as possible, given today's available technologies and knowledge.

How Can You Make a Difference Now?
The first step in moving towards low to zero energy buildings is to reduce the energy load. Here are some thoughts on how you can get started today, before the Energy Actions are put in place:

1. Be an Energy Star
   Use the techniques outlined in the EnergyStar building program www.energystarhomes.com to make your building as airtight and well-insulated as possible. Doing these two things will reduce air infiltration and lower both heating and air-conditioning loads.
   
   Methods and materials that provide better insulation are now available on the Vineyard: cellulose, high density foam and icynene. Two island contractors offer these products; Matt Viaggio (508 693 5819) installs cellulose and high-density foam; Howie Marlin (508 696 8602) offers icynene.
   
   Airtight Houses and Ventilation: In the summer, this is not an issue as the windows are often open. In the winter, mechanical ventilation is needed to ensure a certain amount of air exchange. This can be done using exhaust fans on 24-hour timers in bathrooms or with an air-to-air heat exchanger or heat-recovery ventilator. Your mechanical system designer can help with this.
   
2. Register Your Building in the Energy Star Program.
   If you register the building prior to construction, they will review the drawings and specifications and make suggestions as to how to improve energy performance. If accepted into the program, the building will be inspected during construction, helping to find where things need to be improved. To inquire about this program, call contact the Cape Light Compact at 800.797.6699 or go to www.energystarhomes.com
   
3. Use High Performance Windows and Doors
   Even the best insulated building has big holes in it, where the window and door openings are. Using windows and glass doors with as high an R-value as possible improves your building’s energy performance. Insulated glass, simulated divided light windows that are argon filled and with a Low E coating should be a minimum.
   
4. Choose Energy Star Appliances
   Refrigerators, dishwasher, washing machines, dehumidifiers, room air-conditioners all come with energy ratings. Choosing fixtures with the Energy Star and the lowest number on the yellow sticker will greatly reduce electrical loads. Refrigerators, in particular, are big electrical users so, choosing the most energy efficient one is important. Front-loading washing machines use less water and therefore less energy and are easy energy-savers.
   
5. Provide Light not Heat!
   Incandescent lights give off 90% of the energy they consume as heat, not light. Compact fluorescents provide the same amount of light at 1/4 – 1/3 the wattage. Using them in spaces where lights are often on makes a significant difference. Many fixtures now come as either compact fluorescent or incandescent.
   
   A good source for individual bulbs is Energy Federation Inc. Their website (www.efi.org) and catalogue have good explanations comparing lumen output of the two kinds of bulbs and talking about color temperature. It is important that outside lighting also be considered.
   
6. Be Efficient with Heating and Air Conditioning
   The mechanical systems for the house should be as efficient as possible. High-efficiency boilers and furnaces and air conditioning units with high SEER numbers are good choices. A geothermal system might also be a good option, depending on site and budget considerations.
   
   In addition, ceiling fans reduce the need for air conditioning or, when used at the same time, allow for the same feeling of comfort at a higher temperature.
   
   There are a number of heating contractors on the Vineyard who can design and install energy efficient heating systems: BTU Control, LowEnergy Design, and Nelson Mechanical Design are a few options. A mechanical engineer can also provide such information.
   
7. Go Tankless!
   About 25% of the heat generated for heating domestic hot water is lost to the surrounding air. This is called “standby-loss”. A tankless (on-demand) water heater makes hot water as it is called for and eliminates these losses. New models are now available and some can also be used to provide heat for small houses as well. see the HomePower Article—"Tankless is In" Feb-Mar 2005
   
   Pick one that can provide the flow of hot water that you require (for example: hot water for washing clothes and a shower at the same time) and, if you think you might like to supplement with solar hot water, ask for one that can accept variable temperatures of water.
   
8. Turn it down, turn it off!
   Be sure that the systems for the building are designed so that there are ways to shut things off easily. Design the heating/AC zones so that if areas that are not in use, they are not getting conditioned. Make it easy for the clients to turn off systems, lighting, the refrigerator and water heating if they are not going to be around for a period of time.
   
   Once you have done as much with energy efficiency as you can, then renewable energy generation makes sense. See sections on solar- electric, hot water or pool heating- and wind to see how you might include these in the project and think about what might be done in advance if you plan to do these at a later date.


9. Geothermal
   Geothermal systems use the solar energy that is stored in the Earth to provide both heat and cooling to the building. The energy is gathered either through the use of deep wells or by installing horizontal tubing below the frost line. When used in combination with a renewable energy source to provide the needed electricity to run the pumps for the system, this is a way to have a zero energy building.  Two island contractors now offer geothermal systems. Brian Nelson and David Sprague of Nelson Mechanical (508 696 3120) and Merrill Langley and Michael Creato of Martha's Vineyard Geothermal (508 627 4880).