Cash for Caulkers is on the way. The bill has already been approved by the House of Representatives and on July 28th, Senator Harry Reid will presented the bill in the Senate. According to USA Today, the Senate will likely vote on the bill within the next 10 days.

This is great news for both homeowners and contractors. The bill provisions $6 billion for energy-efficient or “green” retrofits. It is expected to fund renovations for 3 million families, create 168,000 new jobs and save consumers $9.2 billion on energy bills over the next 10 years.

But in order to cash in on upcoming rebates, homeowners and contractors will need to do their homework. There are 13 types of retrofits eligible for funding and each has unique eligibility requirements and rebate amounts. Some are straight forward and easy to understand. For example, homeowners can receive a $50 rebate for installing 5 or more storm windows or doors. The eligibility details for this retrofit are listed as:

“Must be installed on at least 5 existing doors or existing single-glazed windows. Must comply with any procedures that the Secretary of Energy may set for storm windows or doors and their installation.”

Others are more difficult to understand. For example, to receive a rebate for replacing and sealing ductwork, homeowners must follow these guidelines:

“Sealing must be installed in accordance with BPI standards or other procedures approved by the Secretary of Energy. For duct replacement, you must replace and seal at least 50 percent of a distribution system of the home.”

Or for an even more complex example, check out the requirements for homeowners that want to insulate their attics:

“Must meet the attic portions of the Department of Energy (DOE) or Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) thermal bypass checklist. You must add at least R–19 insulation to existing insulation, and it must result in at least R–38 insulation in DOE climate zones 1 through 4 and at least R–49 insulation in DOE climate zones 5 through 8. Finally, it must cover at least 100 percent of an accessible attic or 75 percent of the total conditioned footprint of the house.”

In this case, homeowners should rely on the expertise of specialists like Building Energy Experts. To learn more about how we can help you qualify for coming rebates, visit our services page.

If you are interested in reading more about the bill, visit Construction Estimating Software Advice. They have created an easy-to-read guide that lists the requirements and rebate details of the 13 types of retrofits. They also bundled similar retrofits into three packages to help those who just need to know how to get started. To read more, visit: http://www.softwareadvice.com/articles/construction/cash-for-caulkers-the-definitive-guide-to-the-home-star-bill-1061110/

Genoa Township Park District installs solar panels at public pool

The Dekalb Chronicle covers Building Energy Experts solar panel installation at the Genoa Township Park District

Solar Panels at Public Pool

Building Energy Experts help make the Dyer Soccer Arena more energy efficient. After conducting an Energy Audit and identifying several areas that could help reduce energy consumption, BEE performed building envelope sealing and insulation upgrades. Owner Mike Ward realized a 40% reduction in energy bills this winter and used that savings to upgrade his 465 Watt high bay lighting to 100 Watt LED lighting. With this upgrade he will realize a savings of 14,600 watts every time the lights are on. See the two articles about this project below.

Chicago Tribune LED project

North West Indiana Times

The Chicago Tribune reports on Building Energy Experts Glenview Windspire Project. Click here to learn more about our exciting next project at the Chicago land suburbs first LEED Platinum Building.

Glenview Park District Windspire Project

Breaking News!

The next Program period of the Chicagoland Natural Gas Savings Weatherization Program is now available!  Now is the time to Weatherize!

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