Obama's Homestar Plan Would Pay for Home Energy
Efficiency Retrofits
AVANNAH, Georgia, March 2, 2010 (ENS) - President Barack Obama
today outlined the details of a new "Homestar" program that would help
create jobs by encouraging American families to invest in energy saving
home improvements. The President spoke of the new program while touring
a training facility at Savannah Technical College.
The Obama administration expects the Homestar program to create tens
of thousands of jobs while saving the equivalent of the entire output of
three coal-fired power plants each year.
Consumers in the program are estimated to save between $200 - $500
per year in energy costs, while improving the comfort and value of their
homes.
The program is an initiative the President mentioned in his State of
the Union address when he called on Congress to pass a program of
incentives for homeowners who make energy efficiency investments in
their homes. Again today called on Congress to pass legislation enabling
the program.
The Senate Democratic leadership included a similar proposal as part
of their Jobs Agenda released on February 4, 2010.
Key elements of the program include:
- Rebates delivered directly to consumers: Like the Cash for
Clunkers program, consumers would be eligible for direct Homestar
rebates at the point of sale for a variety of energy-saving
investments in their homes. Vendors including small independent
building material dealers, large national home improvement chains,
energy efficiency installation professionals and utility energy
efficiency programs would market the rebates, provide them directly
to consumers and then be reimbursed by the federal government.
- $1,000 - $1,500 Silver Star Rebates: Consumers looking to have
simple upgrades performed in their homes would be eligible for 50
percent rebates up to $1,000 - $1,500 for doing any of a
straightforward set of upgrades, including: insulation, duct
sealing, water heaters, HVAC units, windows, roofing and doors.
Under Silver Star, consumers can chose a combination of upgrades for
rebates up to a maximum of $3,000 per home. Rebates would be limited
to the most energy efficient categories of upgrades, focusing on
products made primarily in the United States and installed by
certified contractors.
- $3000 Gold Star Rebates: Consumers interested in more
comprehensive energy retrofits would be eligible for a $3,000 rebate
for a whole home energy audit and subsequent retrofit tailored to
achieve a 20 percent energy savings. Consumers could receive
additional rebate amounts for energy savings in excess of 20
percent. Gold Star would build on existing whole home retrofit
programs, such as EPA's Home Performance with Energy Star program.
- Oversight to Ensure Quality Installations: The program would
require that contractors be certified to perform efficiency
installations. Independent quality assurance providers would conduct
field audits after work is completed to ensure proper installation
so consumers receive energy savings from their upgrades. States
would oversee the implementation of quality assurance.
- Support for financing: The program would include support to
state and local governments to provide financing options for
consumers, helping to ensure that consumers can afford to make these
investments.
The Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute today
supported President Obama's call for Congress to enact legislation to
encourage consumers to purchase and install highly energy efficient HVAC
and water heating equipment.
With unemployment in the construction sector near 25 percent and with
underutilized capacity in our manufacturing sector, the Homestar program
has the potential to boost demand for energy efficiency products and
installation services.
The program is intended to help reduce America's dependence on oil
and support the development of an energy efficiency services sector in
the economy.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, supports the
initiative. "I am excited about the HOMESTAR program that the President
detailed today," he said. "Offering incentives to Americans who make
their homes more energy efficient will help create jobs and save
homeowners money while also helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
This is a promising idea, and Democrats and Republicans should work
together to enact it into law."
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Environment News Service (ENS) 2010. All rights reserved.
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