The Memphis chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council is sponsoring an educational seminar highlighting the residential green building program EcoBUILD on August 6th. EcoBuild is a voluntary green building program created by Memphis Light, Gas and Water to stimulate energy and environmental awareness through the promotion and use of energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly technology, materials and techniques in new home construction. Tennessee homes have the highest average annual electricity use in the nation. EcoBuild is an ongoing initiative for residential construction that is seeking to change this statistic.
To date, MLGW’s EcoBuild program has certified over 500 new homes. EcoBuild homes are good for their owners and good for the planet. They have demonstrably lower utility bills and a reduced carbon footprint when compared to typical new homes. Based on research in the Uptown neighborhood, where all single-family new construction is EcoBUILD-certified, average homes uses 34% less electricity and 56% less natural gas than a home built to local codes and typical practices. For a 1,500-square-foot EcoBUILD home this typical savings results in over 5,000 fewer kilowatt hours of electricity per year or an annual savings of over $500 in electricity costs alone.
The seminar’s presenter, Kieth Kulow, is MLGW’s EcoBuild inspector. He has 30 years of experience with residential energy conservation, and is a certified Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Rater. Kieth will provide an introduction to EcoBuild as well as slides highlighting both good and bad practices as they relate to energy efficiency in residential construction.
Event Details:
Registration: Advance Registration Required
Contact: Peter Warren, peter@anfa.com; (901) 278-6868
Date: Friday, August 6th
Time: 11:30am – 1:00pm (Lunch Included)
Location: BRIDGES USA
Cost: $20/$30 (USGBC-MEM members/Non-members)
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Save Big
In case you missed it, WREG ran a great story called Save Big On Your Utility Bill that includes information from our Energy Doctors and details our energy audits. Here's the transcript...
FAST FACTS:
Wasted energy could be costing you big each month on your utility bill. MLGW offers free audits to customers year round. The audit could help you cut your energy costs in half .
(Memphis 7/15/2010) For most of us the high temperatures mean higher utility
bills, but MLGW says you may be paying a lot more than you have to.
A simple inspection could show you how much energy you're wasting each month and what you can do about it.
The owner of a two story 3,000 square foot home in southeast Memphis wanted to know why her utility bills were as high as $500 dollars a month during the winter and well over $200 this summer.
It didn't take long Thursday for a MLGW energy inspector to locate some of the problems.
"This piece of paper passing underneath(your door) shows that air infiltration is a big problem," said Victoria Lamberty.
She found leaks underneath at least two exteriors doors and the front window.
The solution, though, is an easy fix.
"All you need to fix that is a simple bead of caulk and that will hold your utilities in your home," said Lamberty.
The energy technician also discovered the water heater was on an extra hot setting.
She adjusted it to the recommended setting-- with some good news for the homeowner.
"You will immediately see savings on your bill," said Lamberty.
The biggest waste of energy in the home was in the attic where the auditor discovered major leaks around the duct work that connects the heating and cooling system to the rest of the house.
"She's cooling the attic," said Lamberty.
The cost to repair it, though, just 15 bucks.
"Using a caulking product you can do it yourself with a paint brush," said Lamberty.
MLGW energy experts say another way to cut costs during the summer months is to set your thermostat at 78 degrees or higher and use fans.
They also recommend that you turn you air conditioning unit off at least
four hours a day.
"That way you have monitored times when you know your meter is not turning. If you can do that you know know you will be saving energy," said Lamberty.
Your heating , cooling and hot water account for 75% of your energy costs.
Thanks to the audit this homeowner could cut her utility bill in half.
If you would like a free energy audit you can contact MLGW at 528-4188 or you can perform your own energy audit online at http://www.energyright.com
FAST FACTS:
Wasted energy could be costing you big each month on your utility bill. MLGW offers free audits to customers year round. The audit could help you cut your energy costs in half .
(Memphis 7/15/2010) For most of us the high temperatures mean higher utility
bills, but MLGW says you may be paying a lot more than you have to.
A simple inspection could show you how much energy you're wasting each month and what you can do about it.
The owner of a two story 3,000 square foot home in southeast Memphis wanted to know why her utility bills were as high as $500 dollars a month during the winter and well over $200 this summer.
It didn't take long Thursday for a MLGW energy inspector to locate some of the problems.
"This piece of paper passing underneath(your door) shows that air infiltration is a big problem," said Victoria Lamberty.
She found leaks underneath at least two exteriors doors and the front window.
The solution, though, is an easy fix.
"All you need to fix that is a simple bead of caulk and that will hold your utilities in your home," said Lamberty.
The energy technician also discovered the water heater was on an extra hot setting.
She adjusted it to the recommended setting-- with some good news for the homeowner.
"You will immediately see savings on your bill," said Lamberty.
The biggest waste of energy in the home was in the attic where the auditor discovered major leaks around the duct work that connects the heating and cooling system to the rest of the house.
"She's cooling the attic," said Lamberty.
The cost to repair it, though, just 15 bucks.
"Using a caulking product you can do it yourself with a paint brush," said Lamberty.
MLGW energy experts say another way to cut costs during the summer months is to set your thermostat at 78 degrees or higher and use fans.
They also recommend that you turn you air conditioning unit off at least
four hours a day.
"That way you have monitored times when you know your meter is not turning. If you can do that you know know you will be saving energy," said Lamberty.
Your heating , cooling and hot water account for 75% of your energy costs.
Thanks to the audit this homeowner could cut her utility bill in half.
If you would like a free energy audit you can contact MLGW at 528-4188 or you can perform your own energy audit online at http://www.energyright.com
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Peak Times
Our own Bill Bullock wrote a very interesting article on energy consumption during peak times for the Cooper-Young newspaper, the Lamplighter.
You can read the full article here.
You can read more about MLGW's Smart Grid plans here.
The electricity network, all the way from generation to a customer’s meter, is similar to a highway system. If roads are built to handle all traffic smoothly during the few hours per week of rush hour then they are significantly over-built for the rest of the time. Often, there is a compromise in road building where there are bottlenecks and delays at times, but vehicles eventually get where they are going.In distributing electricity, such compromise is not a good option. A bottle neck at any point in the process, whether a lack of generation or too small of a wire or transformer on a pole, can result in an outage. For this reason, infrastructure is built to handle peak load conditions...
You can read the full article here.
You can read more about MLGW's Smart Grid plans here.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Volunteers Needed!
MLGW, WREG and local community agencies have come together for "Beat the Heat," a one day volunteer initiative to place air conditioners in the homes of seniors and the disabled who otherwise have no source of cool air.
Volunteer Mid-South is taking the lead with volunteer recruitment and is looking for volunteers to assist with delivering/installing window air conditioning units on Saturday, August 7. All volunteers are welcomed but there is a tremendous need for individuals with general construction, home improvement, or handyman type skills.
If you are interested in participating, please contact Brian Holifield at bholifield@volunteermidsouth.org or 901-523-2425 ext 213.
Utility Assistance Made Easy
Mayor Joe Ford Makes Low Income Home Energy Assistance
Applications Easier to Receive and Submit
Due to the high demand for utility assistance, long lines have been forming for the past few weeks at the Shelby County Community Services Agency (CSA) office at Raleigh Springs Mall and the office at Winchester and Kirby Parkway. In some instances the lines have formed in the early morning hours, with people waiting for hours to apply for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
“We want utility assistance applications to be available to any citizen and we are changing the way we process applications to be more responsive and available to the public,” said Mayor Joe Ford. “There is no longer a need to see a counselor at CSA or to spend hours waiting in line.”
Mayor Ford announced that utility assistance applications will be made available at the Hickory Ridge Mall Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Citizens in need of utility assistance should come to the southwest entrance of the mall at any time during these hours. CSA staff members will distribute applications as well as receive completed applications. Completed applications for regular utility assistance will be processed within 10 days; applications for emergency assistance will be processed within 48 hours. Citizens will be mailed a letter after the application is processed.
“Many people believe that they must see a counselor in order to get help,” said Dottie Jones, Director of the Shelby County Division of Community Services. “In fact, we can process applications much faster if people will complete the paperwork and return it to us with the necessary documentation. It is much faster and simpler for our customers, and we are pleased to be able to distribute and receive applications at Hickory Ridge Mall.”
Jones stressed that the CSA offices at Raleigh Springs Mall and Kirby Parkway will not see clients in person. “We are asking the public not to line up at our locations because the staff will not see individual clients or process applications while clients wait. We are making the applications available at Hickory Ridge Mall in order to provide a safe environment for citizens and to make the process operate more smoothly.”
Applications and instructions for the utility assistance program are available here.
The mission of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is to assist low income households, particularly those with the lowest incomes that pay a high proportion of household income for home energy, primarily in meeting their immediate home energy needs.
Eligibility is determined through a point system based on the household income, the number of people in the household. Senior citizens and disabled individuals receive additional points. Benefits range from $300.00 to $600.00 depending upon the total points for the household. Benefits are not paid to the customer but are instead applied directly to the customer’s utility account.
Applications for utility assistance are processed in two categories: regular assistance and emergency crisis assistance. Total gross income for a household must not exceeded 200% of the federal poverty income guidelines either program. Emergency crisis assistance is only available when a household has experienced an uncontrollable circumstance(s) during the ninety-day period prior to application, which has not allowed the payment of energy bills. This might include circumstances
such as:
− Household has an unanticipated medical or major household expenses
− Household wage earner has left the home within the past forty-five (45) days
− Significant loss of work hours
In addition to these or other crisis circumstances, the household must have one or more children under the age of six (6) in the home; and elderly member of the household (age 60 or above) or a disabled member of the household.
NOTE: A cut-off notice from the utility company does not constitute an emergency all by itself.
Applications Easier to Receive and Submit
Due to the high demand for utility assistance, long lines have been forming for the past few weeks at the Shelby County Community Services Agency (CSA) office at Raleigh Springs Mall and the office at Winchester and Kirby Parkway. In some instances the lines have formed in the early morning hours, with people waiting for hours to apply for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
“We want utility assistance applications to be available to any citizen and we are changing the way we process applications to be more responsive and available to the public,” said Mayor Joe Ford. “There is no longer a need to see a counselor at CSA or to spend hours waiting in line.”
Mayor Ford announced that utility assistance applications will be made available at the Hickory Ridge Mall Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Citizens in need of utility assistance should come to the southwest entrance of the mall at any time during these hours. CSA staff members will distribute applications as well as receive completed applications. Completed applications for regular utility assistance will be processed within 10 days; applications for emergency assistance will be processed within 48 hours. Citizens will be mailed a letter after the application is processed.
“Many people believe that they must see a counselor in order to get help,” said Dottie Jones, Director of the Shelby County Division of Community Services. “In fact, we can process applications much faster if people will complete the paperwork and return it to us with the necessary documentation. It is much faster and simpler for our customers, and we are pleased to be able to distribute and receive applications at Hickory Ridge Mall.”
Jones stressed that the CSA offices at Raleigh Springs Mall and Kirby Parkway will not see clients in person. “We are asking the public not to line up at our locations because the staff will not see individual clients or process applications while clients wait. We are making the applications available at Hickory Ridge Mall in order to provide a safe environment for citizens and to make the process operate more smoothly.”
Applications and instructions for the utility assistance program are available here.
The mission of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is to assist low income households, particularly those with the lowest incomes that pay a high proportion of household income for home energy, primarily in meeting their immediate home energy needs.
Eligibility is determined through a point system based on the household income, the number of people in the household. Senior citizens and disabled individuals receive additional points. Benefits range from $300.00 to $600.00 depending upon the total points for the household. Benefits are not paid to the customer but are instead applied directly to the customer’s utility account.
Applications for utility assistance are processed in two categories: regular assistance and emergency crisis assistance. Total gross income for a household must not exceeded 200% of the federal poverty income guidelines either program. Emergency crisis assistance is only available when a household has experienced an uncontrollable circumstance(s) during the ninety-day period prior to application, which has not allowed the payment of energy bills. This might include circumstances
such as:
− Household has an unanticipated medical or major household expenses
− Household wage earner has left the home within the past forty-five (45) days
− Significant loss of work hours
In addition to these or other crisis circumstances, the household must have one or more children under the age of six (6) in the home; and elderly member of the household (age 60 or above) or a disabled member of the household.
NOTE: A cut-off notice from the utility company does not constitute an emergency all by itself.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Blame the Squirrel, not the Doves
This is a stock photo, not the actual perpetrator.Not too long ago, a raccoon wreaked havoc in the Medical District. On Friday, it was a squirrel that caused a stir, this time downtown. (There were reports of several dead doves, possibly pigeons, in the area, but they were either victims of the squirrel's shenanigans or their own at an earlier date.)
Memphis has been the victim of two unusual events in as many months.
Friday's outage was caused by a flash over, or an unintended electric arc, like a bolt of lightning that jumps past an insulator. This is made possible through a temporary "bridge" such as an animal, in this case, a squirrel. Rarely does it cause a long outage. Usually it is just a millisecond flicker. If the equipment monitoring system sees a long event - say two eye blinks - it opens special high speed switches to separate the problem area from the rest of the system.
Last Friday was an odd event that we don't have often. A squirrel bridged some bus insulators, which are nonconducting standoffs that keep the high voltage from jumping like a lighting bolt through the air. (We must have a thousand of these in our system.) It was repaired quickly, but SUB 3 is a network station with underground transmission and it takes a little longer to get the power flowing again.
Read more about our animal mitigation efforts here.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Green Power! Way to go, Medtronic!
The Memphis Daily News has a great article about Medtronic Spinal and Biologics, one of the city’s largest purchasers of green power, being recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency for its commitment to purchase 600,000 kilowatt-hours annually of electricity generated by the sun, wind or methane gas.Here's an excerpt:
The EPA has added Medtronic to its Green Power Partnership, which boats 1,200 partner organizations voluntarily purchasing green power.Read the full Daily News article.
Paul Sorrelle, environmental health and safety director at the Medtronic Spinal and Biologics business unit, said a company goal is to cut down on its carbon footprint.
With 1,350 employees, the Medtronic campus at 1800 Pyramid Place includes two six-story buildings, a three-story building and a four-story building.
Medtronic is purchasing about 6 percent of its electricity with green power.
“There are no tax breaks or anything like that,” Sorrelle said. “It is strictly a voluntary program designed to promote development of renewable energy sources to produce electricity.”
The green power comes from 15 solar generation facilities operated by TVA, a wind facility on Buffalo Mountain in East Tennessee and methane gas from the Maxson Wastewater Treatment facility that is piped to the TVA Allen Fossil Plant, where it is co-burned with coal.
Read more about EPA's Green Power Partnership.
Read more about MLGW's Green Power Switch.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
On TVA's Fuel Cost Adjustment Increase
In July 20 edition of The Commercial Appeal, an article forewarns customers to watch their MLGW bills because TVA “electric rates” will increase in August. The article notes that TVA announced this week that “it would be raising its electric rates another 1.5 percent, the sixth consecutive month that they have risen.”There's some clarity needed on what is taking place.
• TVA’s announcement pertained to its Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA) rate, not to its basic electric rates.
• Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division is not seeking nor has it approved any increase for its electric rates.
• The Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA) is the mechanism TVA uses to help recover fluctuating fuel and purchased power costs. The FCA ensures TVA recovers costs as they occur, helping TVA better match its revenues to expenses. FCA is assessed to all of TVA’s customers, including MLGW, who in turn must pass on the cost to their ratepayers.
• The FCA rate varies monthly and is clearly noted on MLGW bills.
• TVA’s August FCA could impact MLGW residential bills by $1.10, based on 1,000 kWh of usage. That’s the change from July 2010 to August 2010.
• The August FCA impact for MLGW customers would be approximately the same (19 cents lower based on 1,000 kWh of usage) compared to the same month a year ago.
• TVA’s FCA rate has increased for six consecutive months. However, June was the first month that FCA was positive since Sept. 30, 2009.
• July and August are just the second and third positive months for the FCA rate in the past year.
• In July 2010, based on 1,000 kWh of usage, the FCA impact on MLGW bills was likely $2.16 compared to June 2010. However, it was still $1.29 lower than the same month a year ago based on 1,000 kWh of usage.
• In other words, the FCA impact on MLGW customers remains lower than it was a year ago.
Knowledge Is Power! (2010 Neighborhood Leaders Conference)
The 2010 MLGW Neighborhood Leaders Conference will be held at the Joyce M. Blackmon Training Center on Raleigh-LaGrange Road on August 6, 2010.This year's theme is "Knowledge Is Power!" and our featured speaker is Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. (Brochure)
You can register online (click here) or call 528-4322. The cost is $5 per person and you can pay on the day of the conference.
Here's a sample of the seminars:
The Power of Social Media
Blogger, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and NING are social media tools changing the way individuals and organizations communicate via the Internet. Hear from a local expert about various social media tools and how they can be used to
communicate and build community.
Financial Relief for Seniors
In today’s tough economic times, seniors living on a fixed income sometimes struggle to make ends meet. Learn about various programs that provide fee reductions for senior citizens.
Organizing to Combat Drugs and Gangs
Combating problems such as drugs and gangs is not an easy task. But there are neighborhoods having success by analyzing community data, organizing and mobilizing various community resources, and targeting trouble areas with community clean-ups. Learn about this process and how your neighborhood can be involved.
Power to Save: EnergySmart Memphis
You will have the knowledge and tools to reduce your utility usage and bill after attending this EnergySmart workshop on do-it-yourself energy efficient home improvements. (Participants in this workshop will receive a free energy-saving kit valued at $40.)
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
And The J.D. Power Results Are...
... Memphis Light, Gas and Water is one of the most improved utilities in the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study(SM) that was released Thursday.
Compared to 2009, MLGW's score jumped to 599 points, an increase of 36 points. (We doubled checked.) It's the third consecutive year that MLGW has posted a double-digit point increase in the survey, which is specific to electric utilities and their residential customers.
MLGW scored 563 in 2009, 548 in 2008, and 536 in 2007. The study measures customer satisfaction with electric utility companies by examining six key factors: power quality and reliability; price; billing and payment; corporate citizenship; communications; and customer service.
While we've come a long way, we still have a long way to go. We're moving in the right direction
Here's what we've done to improve customer satisfaction since the 2009 survey:
Recent MLGW Initiatives and Improvements
• MLGW had no rate increases in 2010.
• Launched an initiative to restore power to cut-off customers during winter (Partnered with the city and county to restore previously cut-off customers during the cold spell in early January)
• Launched an initiative to restore power to cut-off customers in the summer.(When heat index moratorium is in effect, previously cut-off customers can have their services restored by paying $225 and entering a five-month deferred billing
program)
• Enabled Visa and MasterCard pay options with a new payment system. (In addition to Discover, customers have more payment options.)
• Launched In-Home Energy Efficiency program which provides rebates to homeowners for making certain types of home improvements.
• Partnered with the City of Memphis on a Home Energy Efficiency Grant (HEEG)program. These grants will provide $5 million in energy-efficiency improvements to hundreds of MLGW customers.
• Maintained strong financial ratings from Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor’s (Fitch Ratings upgraded MLGW bonds twice to their highest ratings marks, and MLGW is the only retail level utility with a AAA bond rating)
• MLGW has also worked to improve reliability by targeting areas with frequent or long outages (those that last 10 hours or more).
• MLGW has reduced the percentage of customers experiencing outages of 10 hours or more from 20 percent to about five percent.
• MLGW also targeted areas where frequent outages occurred and made improvements that include animal mitigation, tree trimming, or even redesigning the system (recent examples of system redesign/improvements include areas such as Lamar & South Parkway, Scenic Hills, and the U of M area).
• MLGW spent $2 million to replace faulty underground cable in the last year and another $1.5 million in system improvements that serve critical facilities.
• Prepared to launch a three-year Smart Grid Demo with 1,000 customers in the fall. This may expand to an additional 900 customers.
• Heavy involvement and employee volunteerism in community events (i.e. United Way, Special Olympics, LifeBlood, Food Bank, HeartWalk, Diabetes Association, etc.)
• Increased communications with Spanish-speaking customers. (Increased Spanish language MLGW communications; appearances on Spanish radio and television programs, conducted EnergySmart energy education workshops in Spanish)
• Launched text messaging service to notify customers about due dates and pending
cut-offs.
• Increased outreach through social media (MLGW has an active presence on FaceBook, Twitter and MLGW’s blog).
• Increased efforts to repair streetlight outages by issuing “streetlight challenge” to encourage customers to report these outages.
• Implemented Smallest User conservation contest between the Cooper Young and Evergreen neighborhoods to see which one can lower its overall usage the most in
a year.
Coming Thursday: Meeting Where The Buffalo Roam
Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division will hold all of its July 15 public meetings where the buffalo roam -- at Shelby Farms Park!We''ll be in the Visitors Center, 500 North Pine Lake Dr., starting at 11 a.m. with an Audit Committee meeting (Agenda).
The President's Briefing--where MLGW President and CEO Jerry R. Collins Jr. briefs the Board on issues facing MLGW-- starts at 1:30 p.m.
The public will be able to comment during the MLGW Board of Commissioners meeting at 3 p.m. (Agenda.)
Please join us!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
An Advisory For Your Daily Commute
Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division crews are repairing a broken 24-inch water main in the westbound lane of Raleigh LaGrange Road, on the east side of Summer Ave.
Traffic flow will be impacted for at least two weeks.
The water main repair work has already started and could take three to four business days to complete. Additional time will be needed for backfilling and asphalting.
Drivers are urged to use caution or take an alternative route to avoid traffic delays. Additional updates will be provided as the repair work continues.
Traffic flow will be impacted for at least two weeks.
The water main repair work has already started and could take three to four business days to complete. Additional time will be needed for backfilling and asphalting.
Drivers are urged to use caution or take an alternative route to avoid traffic delays. Additional updates will be provided as the repair work continues.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
More Help With Utility Bills
The Commercial Appeal has a good article about the expansion of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
An excerpt:
An excerpt:
After an expansion of federal funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the state legislature this year raised the income ceilings for eligibility from 125 percent of federally defined poverty levels to 200 percent.In Shelby County, the program is administered by Shelby County Community Services Agency, 545-4630.That means a one-person household with an annual income up to $21,660 might qualify. For two-person households, the new ceiling is $29,140; three-person households, $36,620; and four-person households, $44,100.
In addition to income, eligibility for LIHEAP is determined on a priority point system that targets households with members elderly, disabled or children under age 6. LIHEAP assistance is paid directly to the local utility or energy supplier.
Community Energy Conservation Events Tomorrow!
Take part in MLGW's Community Energy Conservation Events tomorrow by visiting one of the following locations between 11am and 1pm. We'll be giving out free conservation kits and energy saving information!Memphis Pink Palace Museum, 3050 Central Avenue
Children Museum of Memphis, 2525 Central Avenue
Germantown Library, 1925 Exeter Rd.
Millington YMCA, 7725 East Navy Circle
Friday, July 2, 2010
Home Energy Check-Up Generates Great Smile
My Home Energy Check-UpShiv Shankar knows the value of MLGW’s In-Home Energy Evaluation (IHEE) program firsthand. He had an energy check-up performed on his home six months ago, and with the recommended home improvements completed, he’s already seeing the savings!
Shankar, a resident of Germantown, set up an appointment a week after signing up, and the inspection was performed by a TVA representative. The $150 cost for the evaluation was reimbursed in addition to a $500 rebate once he had attic and water heater insulation added, windows replaced, storm doors installed and attic wind turbines added. He also caulked cracks and installed energy-saving fluorescent bulbs on his own.
“Even though we’re seeing much hotter weather than last year, we find we don’t need to use fans to stay cool thanks to the added insulation,” says Shankar. “Rooms are actually feeling cooler, and our water heater costs are lower. Even during the winter, we found we didn’t need to use space heaters to stay warm. Utility bills would have been much higher if not for the improvements we made!”
Would Shankar recommend the IHEE program to others? “Most definitely,” he says. “Whatever we did has worked. It’s like getting a free health check-up, then improving the health of your home. The report was comprehensive, with useful information on simple things we could do ourselves, improvements we could have contractors perform, tax credits we could receive and what appliances to purchase in the future.”
You can schedule your home for inspection as part of the In-Home Energy Evaluation program by calling 1-866-441-1430. The recommended repairs will not only result in a rebate of the inspection cost, but you can also earn tax credits and cash incentives for further savings. More information can be found on MLGW’s website at www.mlgw.com by clicking on the In-Home Evaluation Program arrow on the right side of the screen.
A Kinder, Gentler BBQ
For those of you firing up the grill this Fourth of July, I have some bad news.
Nationwide, the estimated 60 million barbecues held on the Fourth of July alone consume enough energy—in the form of charcoal, lighter fluid, gas, and electricity—to power 20,000 households for a year. That one day of fun, food, and celebration, says Tristram West, a research scientist with the U.S. Department of Energy, burns the equivalent of 2,300 acres of forest and releases 225,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide. It also produces other air pollutants — including a few that might surprise you.
The above information is from A guide to guilt-free grilling on the Sierra Club's website. I highly recommend reading it!
Just a few changes in your cooking style can make a difference. Here are some tips from the article:
1. Grilling with charcoal, the traditionalist's choice, gives off more health-harming carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and soot than other methods.
2. Reduce your exposure by choosing lean meats and trimming fat. Marinades made with vitamin- and antioxidant-rich citrus juices, olive oil, and herbs are tasty and may also prevent carcinogens from forming.
3. Using lump charcoal instead of briquettes. "Lump charcoal comes from a genuine tree and isn't ground up or processed in any way," explains Rob Bailis, a PhD student in the University of California at Berkeley's Energy and Resources Group.
4. Trade in your lighter fluid—which releases smog-forming VOCs—for a chimney charcoal starter. Just load charcoal into the chimney pipe, tuck in crumpled newspaper below, and light.
One of MLGW's Green Jobs
Our very own Kieth Kulow was featured in the Commercial Appeal's online Green Edition because of his "green" job...
My Green Job
Energy Career changes its 'color'
Kieth Kulow began working for Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division in 1980 as an energy technician. MLGW serves more than 429,000 households, businesses and organizations in Shelby County. "What many people don't know, however, is that MLGW is the nation's largest three-service municipal (publicly owned) utility, established in 1939," says Kulow.
"MLGW has offered a wide variety of programs and services during my 30-year career, including Energy Saver Homes (in the 1980s); Comfort Plus Homes (in the 1990s) and EcoBUILD, the residential green building program I manage today."
The details
Why did you choose a green career?
I did not choose a "green career" as much as a career in the utility industry. As interest in energy efficiency and environmental impact has grown, my job is viewed now as "green" - even though it's the same work I was doing in the 1980s! No matter
what you call it - energy efficiency, conservation or green - it is always wise to
eliminate energy waste, as doing so lowers your utility bill and improves comfort.
What education/experience did you need for your job? I have an Associate of Building Construction degree, which gives me a detailed understanding of how a building functions as an entire system, with every component interacting. I also attained my Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Rater certification to provide expanded technical expertise in building science and performance testing. There are very few HERS Raters in town and I'm proud to be one of the first.
Most recent job:
EcoBUILD Inspector, where I work exclusively with builders constructing homes under MLGW's EcoBUILD program and its energy conservation guidelines. (Sorry, I am not available to perform HERS Ratings for existing homes.)
Career highlights
What one green practice would you recommend to others? If you're building a new home in Shelby County, I highly recommend you utilize EcoBUILD to ensure your new home will be energy-efficient. Many people assume "new" automatically means "efficient," but I have 30 years of experience that proves otherwise.
What green trends would you like to see in the future? I would like to see Shelby County adopt more progressive energy codes and ensure their compliance so homes do not have such high energy waste. (Did you know, in 2008, the average local household used 36 percent more electricity than the U.S. average? Tennessee leads the nation in electricity use and the MLGW customer average is just slightly lower than the state average.)
I'm probably the only guy in town who wants to work himself out of a job - but if every home were built using updated energy code requirements and inspections, I could retire!
My Green Job
Energy Career changes its 'color'
Kieth Kulow began working for Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division in 1980 as an energy technician. MLGW serves more than 429,000 households, businesses and organizations in Shelby County. "What many people don't know, however, is that MLGW is the nation's largest three-service municipal (publicly owned) utility, established in 1939," says Kulow.
"MLGW has offered a wide variety of programs and services during my 30-year career, including Energy Saver Homes (in the 1980s); Comfort Plus Homes (in the 1990s) and EcoBUILD, the residential green building program I manage today."
The details
Why did you choose a green career?
I did not choose a "green career" as much as a career in the utility industry. As interest in energy efficiency and environmental impact has grown, my job is viewed now as "green" - even though it's the same work I was doing in the 1980s! No matter
what you call it - energy efficiency, conservation or green - it is always wise to
eliminate energy waste, as doing so lowers your utility bill and improves comfort.
What education/experience did you need for your job? I have an Associate of Building Construction degree, which gives me a detailed understanding of how a building functions as an entire system, with every component interacting. I also attained my Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Rater certification to provide expanded technical expertise in building science and performance testing. There are very few HERS Raters in town and I'm proud to be one of the first.
Most recent job:
EcoBUILD Inspector, where I work exclusively with builders constructing homes under MLGW's EcoBUILD program and its energy conservation guidelines. (Sorry, I am not available to perform HERS Ratings for existing homes.)
Career highlights
What one green practice would you recommend to others? If you're building a new home in Shelby County, I highly recommend you utilize EcoBUILD to ensure your new home will be energy-efficient. Many people assume "new" automatically means "efficient," but I have 30 years of experience that proves otherwise.
What green trends would you like to see in the future? I would like to see Shelby County adopt more progressive energy codes and ensure their compliance so homes do not have such high energy waste. (Did you know, in 2008, the average local household used 36 percent more electricity than the U.S. average? Tennessee leads the nation in electricity use and the MLGW customer average is just slightly lower than the state average.)
I'm probably the only guy in town who wants to work himself out of a job - but if every home were built using updated energy code requirements and inspections, I could retire!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
2 Million Solar Panels!
From yesterday's Commercial Appeal. Impressive!
Sharp marks local production of 2 million solar panels
Louease Coley double-checked her machine's monitor Tuesday morning, smiled, lifted a thumb high in the air and turned proudly to her applauding co-workers.
In the noisy din of the Sharp Manufacturing Co. of America factory, Coley had just approved the Memphis facility's 2 millionth solar panel.
That panel was hoisted off Coley's line by Memphis Mayor A C Wharton, Sharp Electronics Corp. CEO Kozo Takahashi and local union leader Paul Shaffer. Coley quickly admitted it was a "very different day at work."
International, national, state and local leaders gathered at the Sharp factory on Mendenhall Tuesday morning to witness the production milestone.
"To put this into perspective for you, the factory has produced enough solar panels to power 65,000 average-sized homes," Takahashi said. "That's nearly a quarter of the homes in Memphis, and it saves nearly 12 million metric tons of carbon dioxide every year."
The factory has produced residential and commercial solar panels in Memphis since 2003. It produced color televisions when it opened here in 1978. The company began microwave production here in 1980 and moved television production to Mexico in 2000.
"This is proof positive that Sharp is willing to put its money where its mouth is," said Ron Kenedi, vice president of Sharp Solar Energy Group and leader of the Memphis facility. "In 2003, Sharp decided the market was valid enough, large enough and prosperous enough to put a factory in service. So, from zero to 2 million is an amazing feat."
Kenedi said the U.S. market for solar panels grows every year. The Memphis production facility has learned to quicken its production pace to meet it, he said, noting that the 1 millionth solar panel rolled off the line in late 2008.
-- Toby Sells: 529-2742
Sharp Manufacturing Co. of America
2007 employees: 230
2010 employees: 400
Online: sharpusa.com/solar
Sharp marks local production of 2 million solar panels
Louease Coley double-checked her machine's monitor Tuesday morning, smiled, lifted a thumb high in the air and turned proudly to her applauding co-workers.
In the noisy din of the Sharp Manufacturing Co. of America factory, Coley had just approved the Memphis facility's 2 millionth solar panel.
That panel was hoisted off Coley's line by Memphis Mayor A C Wharton, Sharp Electronics Corp. CEO Kozo Takahashi and local union leader Paul Shaffer. Coley quickly admitted it was a "very different day at work."
International, national, state and local leaders gathered at the Sharp factory on Mendenhall Tuesday morning to witness the production milestone.
"To put this into perspective for you, the factory has produced enough solar panels to power 65,000 average-sized homes," Takahashi said. "That's nearly a quarter of the homes in Memphis, and it saves nearly 12 million metric tons of carbon dioxide every year."
The factory has produced residential and commercial solar panels in Memphis since 2003. It produced color televisions when it opened here in 1978. The company began microwave production here in 1980 and moved television production to Mexico in 2000.
"This is proof positive that Sharp is willing to put its money where its mouth is," said Ron Kenedi, vice president of Sharp Solar Energy Group and leader of the Memphis facility. "In 2003, Sharp decided the market was valid enough, large enough and prosperous enough to put a factory in service. So, from zero to 2 million is an amazing feat."
Kenedi said the U.S. market for solar panels grows every year. The Memphis production facility has learned to quicken its production pace to meet it, he said, noting that the 1 millionth solar panel rolled off the line in late 2008.
-- Toby Sells: 529-2742
Sharp Manufacturing Co. of America
2007 employees: 230
2010 employees: 400
Online: sharpusa.com/solar
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