SCC Electrical, Inc. Partners with Local Contractors to Make 2005's HOME PERFORMANCE WITH ENERGY STAR Makeover a Hit!

Meet the 2005 Winners: The Stuart Family

Jack and Patti Stuart love living in Colorado Springs. Growing up in a small town on the East Coast, Patti thinks the community atmosphere is a positive one for their two daughters, Ashley (13) and Holly (10).

Patti entered the contest while visiting the Colorado Springs Utilities website. “When I got the call that we were being considered as a semi-finalist, I called my friends and neighbors,” she recalls. “They all told me this must be a scam, that it was too good to be true.” Jack, Ashley (13), Patti and Holly (10) were very surprised when we showed up to award them as the winners of the contest. "I've never won anything," explained Patti.

Patti and Jack of course now realize the bigger picture for the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Makeover. Read the details on what was installed in their home.

1. Home Performance with ENERGY STAR contractors Atlantic Heating, Home Heating and Mountain Air Comfort Systems diagnosed the home, identified the energy and comfort problems, and installed the following equipment:

94% Rheem Modulating Furnace with Modulating thermostat.
2 ton 13 Seer 410A Refrigerant Air Conditioner.
50 Gallon Rheem Water Heater: LO-NOX High Altitude
Line Set, Pad and return air box for Air Conditioner.
All equipment donated by Comfort Air Distributing.

2. PureEnergy Consultants: Energy rating
Estimate annual savings on utility bills is approximately $700
That includes a 45% projected reduction in the amount of natural gas consumed by this home.
The improvements will also reduce CO2 emotions by 6.3 tons. This is equal to 15,750 vehicle miles traveled.
The Energy Rating score increased from 74 to 88. Because it is over 86, the home qualifies for an ENERGY STAR label. This means the home is at least 30% more energy efficient than homes built to the 1993 national Model Energy Code

3. Academy Insulation:
Removed the old insulation from the band-joist, sealed this area with foam then installed R-19 insulation over these areas.
Hung perforated vinyl backed R-11 blankets on the exposed unfinished concrete walls.
Blew in an R-30 over all accessible ceiling areas
Blew the cantilevered floor areas full
Filled the garage ceiling area with living above with insulation.

4. Champion windows:
Installed 20 energy efficient windows that include the following:
Double paned
Argon gas filled
Foam enhanced Frames
Comfort 365 energy efficient glass
Professional installation
Made in Colorado
U-factors of .29 and a Solar heat gain coefficient of .32

5. Ductworks
Provided a Complete Ventilation Cleaning Package, utilizing a patented system that simultaneously scrapes and vacuums debris from the walls and air ducts.

6. SCC Electrical - Electrical Service Experts
Donated the electrical upgrade equipment and labor in order to accommodate the more efficient heating and cooling system.

7. Colorado Energy Science Center
Donated Compact Fluorescent Lighting throughout the home.

TIPS:
What a homeowner should ask their contractor when buying a home or considering upgrades:
1. Has the home received an energy rating?
2. What are the energy components of the home? (For example, you should know what the efficiency level of your furnace is. “Homes have long-term operating costs,” says Shewfelt.)
3. Was my HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning) system sized by a knowledgeable contractor using Manual J? How was it sized?
4. Can I see your utility bills? What is the energy usage of this home on a monthly basis? How does that compare to state averages?

SMART RESOURCES
The Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Makeover would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors.

• Colorado Springs Utilities sponsored the contest, csu.org
• Colorado partner for Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, E-Star Colorado, chpwes.org
• General contracting and home performance services by Mountain Air Comfort, mountainaircomfort.com
• Heating, air conditioning and home performance services by Atlantic Heating and Air Conditioning
• Heating, air conditioning and home performance services by Home Heating Service, homeheatingservice.com
• Heating, air conditioning and hot water equipment by RheemTeam, rheemteam.com
• Energy auditing by Pure Energy Consultants
• Window replacement by Champion Windows, Siding and Patio Rooms, championwindow.com
• Insulation material by Green Fiber, greenstone.com
• Insulation installation by Academy Insulation and Drywall
• Air duct cleaning by Ductworks, ductworks.com
• Electrical upgrades and repairs by SCC Electrical, sccelectrical.com
• Lighting upgrades donated by Colorado Energy Science Center, smartenergyliving.org

Read more about the Smart Energy Living program contest by clicking here.