GREEN TIPS
For suggestions on how you can operate, maintain and improve your home, as well as live your life, more sustainably, check out this informative memo. Following these tips will help to reduce energy and water usage, reduce adverse health risks, reduce resource depletion, reduce carbon emissions and/or save money.
For suggestions on how you can operate, maintain and improve your home, as well as live your life, more sustainably, check out this informative memo. Following these tips will help to reduce energy and water usage, reduce adverse health risks, reduce resource depletion, reduce carbon emissions and/or save money.
LIVE GREEN LLC
Home Performance Services
4318 Curtis Road Chevy Chase Maryland 20815
Tel/Fax: 301.652.5272 Email: info@LiveGreenHome.com
MHIC: 127267 BPI: 5003847 EPA: NAT-50469-1 VA SCC: T041889-9
Tel/Fax: 301.652.5272 Email: info@LiveGreenHome.com
MHIC: 127267 BPI: 5003847 EPA: NAT-50469-1 VA SCC: T041889-9
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
IMPROVEMENTSAPPROACH
LIVE GREEN has the expertise and relationships to provide our clients with true full-service energy performance contracting, which means we are available to implement the energy efficiency improvements that have been recommended in our Home Performance Report in accordance with our high quality standards, in a timely manner, and to serve your best interests.
LIVE GREEN provides "concierge" services without the concierge price, and represents your best interests throughout the installation process:
• We make all arrangements for implementing the work you need (no more, no
less) without any hassle to you. (You don't even need to be there.)
• We use a licensed installer with extensive experience.
• We prep the work area (including laying down protective walkways).
• We oversee the entire installation, making sure it is done right.
• We do a second post-work clean up after the installer's clean up.
• We follow up to test-out the improvements (see Description of Proposal below
for more details) and to make sure you are satisfied with the results.
LIVE GREEN is NOT a “typical” full-service energy performance contractor:
• We provide our Home Performance Analysis services without the
requirement that we be hired to implement the work. (Some firms will only
provide an audit if they are also engaged to implement the work.)
• We only deliver a Proposal for implementing the recommended work if
desired by our client. (Some firms push their implementation services by
including an estimate within their analysis.)
• We will provide a list of other recommended contractors, at a homeowner's
request. (Some firms will not assist you in finding competing bids.) We are
confident that our Proposal will be competitive.
We take these steps because (a) we want to avoid an actual or perceived conflict
of interest between our Home Performance Analysis and Implementation
services, and (b) our goal is to have the Implementation work performed (whether
or not we do the work) so that each client, and the environment, will benefit.
DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSAL
After completing the Home Performance Analysis and at a client’s request, LIVE GREEN will prepare a detailed, competitive Work Proposal for implementing the energy efficiency improvements outlined in our Home Performance Report, which includes all fees and costs for the following:
• All labor and materials, provided by a licensed, bonded and insured contractor
with 30+ years of experience installing insulation and air sealing.
AND
• LIVE GREEN's "concierge" management and owner’s representation
services (see detailed description in "Approach" section, above), to ensure that
the work that you need is properly & timely completed to your satisfaction and
without hassle.
AND
• Follow Up Testing after the energy efficiency improvements are implemented,
including:
FEE FOR SERVICES & COSTS
LIVE GREEN’s fee for its Implementation services is included in the Work Proposal cost. We are confident you will find our full-service fee is competitive with estimates provided by other energy improvement contracting firms.
In addition, LIVE GREEN's Home Performance Analysis customers who implement the recommended energy saving measures with LIVE GREEN receive a 5% discount off the Proposal cost, up to the audit fee paid. (NOTE: Offer may not be combined with any other promotional discount and does not apply to Pepco Program customers. Available for Proposals of $1,500 or greater.) Green Savings Co-op Members receive a 10% discount off the Proposal cost.
Also, note that there are many financial and other benefits, as well as tax incentives and other financing tools, that will help offset the cost of implementing the work. (Check out Incentives & Benefits)
requirement that we be hired to implement the work. (Some firms will only
provide an audit if they are also engaged to implement the work.)
• We only deliver a Proposal for implementing the recommended work if
desired by our client. (Some firms push their implementation services by
including an estimate within their analysis.)
• We will provide a list of other recommended contractors, at a homeowner's
request. (Some firms will not assist you in finding competing bids.) We are
confident that our Proposal will be competitive.
We take these steps because (a) we want to avoid an actual or perceived conflict
of interest between our Home Performance Analysis and Implementation
services, and (b) our goal is to have the Implementation work performed (whether
or not we do the work) so that each client, and the environment, will benefit.
DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSAL
After completing the Home Performance Analysis and at a client’s request, LIVE GREEN will prepare a detailed, competitive Work Proposal for implementing the energy efficiency improvements outlined in our Home Performance Report, which includes all fees and costs for the following:
• All labor and materials, provided by a licensed, bonded and insured contractor
with 30+ years of experience installing insulation and air sealing.
AND
• LIVE GREEN's "concierge" management and owner’s representation
services (see detailed description in "Approach" section, above), to ensure that
the work that you need is properly & timely completed to your satisfaction and
without hassle.
AND
• Follow Up Testing after the energy efficiency improvements are implemented,
including:
- Test-out of energy systems to ensure that combustion safety has not been adversely affected, and to determine the reduction in air leakage achieved.
- Reporting of data to State of Maryland (for homes located within the State). The homeowner will receive a Certificate of Completion from the MD HPwES program for achieving at least 10% annual energy savings.
FEE FOR SERVICES & COSTS
LIVE GREEN’s fee for its Implementation services is included in the Work Proposal cost. We are confident you will find our full-service fee is competitive with estimates provided by other energy improvement contracting firms.
In addition, LIVE GREEN's Home Performance Analysis customers who implement the recommended energy saving measures with LIVE GREEN receive a 5% discount off the Proposal cost, up to the audit fee paid. (NOTE: Offer may not be combined with any other promotional discount and does not apply to Pepco Program customers. Available for Proposals of $1,500 or greater.) Green Savings Co-op Members receive a 10% discount off the Proposal cost.
Also, note that there are many financial and other benefits, as well as tax incentives and other financing tools, that will help offset the cost of implementing the work. (Check out Incentives & Benefits)
HOME DYNAMICS & OPTIMIZING HOME ENERGY PERFORMANCE
Heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter is minimized through air sealing and insulation practices. The two practices work together to create what is known as the “Thermal Envelope” - the barrier between conditioned and unconditioned space.
Your home is constantly breathing in and out; this is referred to as an air change or natural ventilation. Each home has an optimal natural ventilation level based on its unique physical characteristics and placement on the planet. However, most homes have air changes that are in excess of their optimal limit; these homes have air leakage.
Air leakage occurs through the cracks and gaps in the home’s construction. Air infiltrates through these cracks and gaps at the lowest level and exits through the cracks and gaps at the highest level. This airflow through a house is called the “Stack Effect” and is the main reason that a home is drafty.
A home performing at its “ideal” level would be completely air sealed and use a mechanical ventilation system providing natural air change. However, using this type of system is far too expensive for existing homes, so instead the goal is to get the home as close to its optimal natural ventilation level as possible.
The major problem with existing homes is that air sealing was never addressed. In fact, today’s construction, for the most part, does not address air sealing.
Another major problem with most existing homes is that they have very little insulation. All materials have some form of insulating quality known as thermal resistance or R-Value. The R-Value of a material is that material’s ability to resist heat flow through one inch of its thickness. Many attics have 4 inches of batt insulation, which has an R-value of R-3 per inch, thus 4 x 3 = R-12. The recommended R-Value for an attic is R-49.
Batt insulation and blow-in insulation work in conjunction with “still” air that is trapped within the material. Still air is an excellent insulator. When these types of insulation get air movement through them, they lose their effectiveness to insulate properly. (You may have seen batt insulation that has dirt built up in it; this is caused by airflow, which renders the insulation useless over time.)
So, air sealing and insulation work together. They also happen to be the most cost effective improvements you can make to your home.
The three sources of heat loss and gain and the measures used to address them are as follows:
Sources Type Measures
Conduction Surface-to-surface contact Insulation
Convection Air currents Air sealing/Insulation
Radiation Infra-red electromagnetic Radiant barrier
Heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter is minimized through air sealing and insulation practices. The two practices work together to create what is known as the “Thermal Envelope” - the barrier between conditioned and unconditioned space.
Your home is constantly breathing in and out; this is referred to as an air change or natural ventilation. Each home has an optimal natural ventilation level based on its unique physical characteristics and placement on the planet. However, most homes have air changes that are in excess of their optimal limit; these homes have air leakage.
Air leakage occurs through the cracks and gaps in the home’s construction. Air infiltrates through these cracks and gaps at the lowest level and exits through the cracks and gaps at the highest level. This airflow through a house is called the “Stack Effect” and is the main reason that a home is drafty.
A home performing at its “ideal” level would be completely air sealed and use a mechanical ventilation system providing natural air change. However, using this type of system is far too expensive for existing homes, so instead the goal is to get the home as close to its optimal natural ventilation level as possible.
The major problem with existing homes is that air sealing was never addressed. In fact, today’s construction, for the most part, does not address air sealing.
Another major problem with most existing homes is that they have very little insulation. All materials have some form of insulating quality known as thermal resistance or R-Value. The R-Value of a material is that material’s ability to resist heat flow through one inch of its thickness. Many attics have 4 inches of batt insulation, which has an R-value of R-3 per inch, thus 4 x 3 = R-12. The recommended R-Value for an attic is R-49.
Batt insulation and blow-in insulation work in conjunction with “still” air that is trapped within the material. Still air is an excellent insulator. When these types of insulation get air movement through them, they lose their effectiveness to insulate properly. (You may have seen batt insulation that has dirt built up in it; this is caused by airflow, which renders the insulation useless over time.)
So, air sealing and insulation work together. They also happen to be the most cost effective improvements you can make to your home.
The three sources of heat loss and gain and the measures used to address them are as follows:
Sources Type Measures
Conduction Surface-to-surface contact Insulation
Convection Air currents Air sealing/Insulation
Radiation Infra-red electromagnetic Radiant barrier
