The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Liz Jambor at Austin Energy Department, 513-322-6353, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Low Income Consumer Advisory Task Force, please contact Liz Jambor at 512-322-6353 LOW INCOME CONSUMER ADVISORY TASK FORCE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING AUGUST 14, 2015 11:00AM TOWN LAKE CENTER – ROOM 100 721 BARTON SPRINGS ROAD AUSTIN, TEXAS 78704 For more information: http://www.austintexas.gov/content/low-income-consumer-advisory-task- force AGENDA CALL TO ORDER 1. CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS The first 5 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. 2. OLD BUSINESS a. Discussion of low income weatherization program, including but not limited to heating and cooling equipment repair and replacement. 3. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS a. Discussion regarding future agenda items including a schedule of topics. ADJOURNMENT
Page 1 of 2 LOW INCOME CONSUMER ADVISORY TASK FORCE MEETING MINUTES AUGUST 14, 2015 The Low Income Consumer Advisory Task Force convened in a Special-Called meeting at Town Lake Center, 721 Barton Springs Road, Room 100, in Austin, Texas. Chairperson, Carol Biedrzycki called the meeting to order at 11:02 a.m. Task Force Members in Attendance: Carol Biedrzycki (Chair), Tim Arndt (Vice Chair), Lanetta Cooper, Richard Halpin, Dan Pruett, Cyrus Reed, and Michael Wong. Karen Hadden was not present at the call to order, but arrived later. Chris Strand was absent. Staff in Attendance: Austin Energy (AE) staff included Debbie Kimberly, Liz Jambor, Denise Kuehn, Ronnie Mendoza, and Toye Goodson. Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department staff included Cara Welch. 1. CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS: GENERAL No citizens signed up to speak. 2. OLD BUSINESS a. Discussion of low income weatherization program, including but not limited to heating and cooling equipment repair and replacement. Members reviewed and made changes to the draft backup document created by Ms. Biedrzycki, “Low-Income Weatherization Program Goals” (Back-up Item 2, August 14, 2015 meeting). At 11:30 a.m., the meeting was recessed. At 11:40 a.m., the meeting was reconvened. Members continued discussion regarding weatherization program goals. An amended version of the document will be distributed at the next meeting. Members reviewed and discussed additional backup documents submitted by members and staff including: “Green Building Pre-Submittal Worksheet” (Back-up Item 2, August 14, 2015 meeting) from Mr. Wong; “A Proposed Weatherization Program” (Back-up Item 2, August 14, 2015 meeting) from Mr. Reed; “8/12/2015 Draft Recommendation – Repair and Replacement of Furnaces and Air Conditioners in Low Income Weatherization Program” (Back-up Item 2, August 14, 2015 meeting) from Ms. Biedrzycki; and “AE Weatherization Program Job Status as of August 11, 2015” (Back-up Item 2, August 14, 2015 meeting) from staff. Each member was encouraged to comment on topics and issues related to the goals of the program as well as issues raised during the review of these documents. 3. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS a. Discussion regarding future agenda items including a schedule of topics. Ms. Biedrzycki distributed a draft agenda for the August 21 meeting and requested input from members regarding the agenda items. Page 2 of 2 Members also discussed including a recommendation in the final report suggesting that a new group be formed by the 10-1 Council to continue the work of the task force past the October 1, 2015 …
POINTS 1 StarNone 2 Stars25 3 Stars50 4 Stars75 5 Stars100TCV score 1. Use this Excel document as a design, specification and pre-ratingsubmittal tool.Consult with your Rater and the "Guide to the Single-Family Rating 2013" for help.Basic Requirements must be met for all Ratings for new construction. Exceptions may be made for renovations. 2. When starting the design please begin the online rating process. 3. You will be charged a service fee of $50 for each rating. After an online rating application has been accepted, you will be sent an invoice.You must make payment to Austin Energy before your rating can be completed. 4. If your project is located outside the AE service area but is inside the Extended Rating Area:You must work with an Extended Area Rater (see www.greenbuilding.austinenergy.com for information).Use the online rating, just as for ratings in the AE service area.Not FulfilledBR + 4-Star Requirements + pointsSquare feet per ton of coolingBasic RequirementsBR + 2-Star Requirements + points BR + 3-Star Requirements + pointsTotal Points0BR + 5-Star Requirements + pointsPRESCRIPTIVEBasic Requirements (BR) Place an x in each yellow box at left and fill in other relevant yellow cells. All Basic Requirements must be checked for a home to rate.0No Stars2-5 Star Special Requirements metPRE-SUBMITTAL WORKSHEETS T A R L E V E L S No StarsR A T I N G R E S U L T SStars Achieved 2013.0 AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDINGThis form is for planning and field use only (not a legally-binding document). Use online Rating to submit actual Rating.I N S T R U C T I O N S TO S U B M I T T E R (A R C H I T E C T / D E S I G N E R OR B U I L D E R)See "Guide to the Single-Family Rating" for explanations of all measures. Codes and testing Modeling score (applies only to new-construction, detached homes)Minimum IC3-Austin score required in 2013 is 0.0. OR minimum HERS score required in 2013 is 70 Current City of Austin IRC, IECC Codes and Amendments must be met, regardless of project location Among others, note that the following City of Austin required standards must be met:IRC with Austin amendmentsIECC with Austin amendmentsUPC with Austin amendments Including Austin Irrigation Design CriteriaHVAC efficiency and designCooling and heating equipment and duct sizing determined by correct Manual J and D …
Members of the Low Income Consumer Advisory Task Force, I am writing to express strong protest for the group’s setting of a special called meeting set for Friday, August 14 while I was out of town at a time that I cannot attend and without my consultation. This meeting concerns a very controversial subject that I strongly disagree with: giving away expensive central air conditioners as part of the free weatherization program. It’s curious why this item that we have discussed several times in the past all of a sudden needed a special meeting. Whether intended or not, setting this meeting while I am out of town and without conferring with me appear deliberate and manipulative. Why the Task Force would even consider such an extremely expensive measure when there are so many other important priorities is short sighted. The payback in energy savings from installing free central air conditioning units is 60 plus years! The resolution that created us calls for finding effective measures to service low and moderate income residents. Wasting limited resources to provide free central units is a huge disservice to the tens of thousands of low and moderate income residents we are tasked to help. In contrast there are no special meetings called to create demand reduction goals as specifically called for in our Charter. In fact, we have several much more cost effective ideas left to discuss and vote on in the short time we have left. This one issue is being exaggerated at the expense of everything else. I request that this special called meeting be postponed and set for a time that I can attend, and that any future meetings be posted on our Web site at least two weeks in advance so all task members and the community can plan their schedule accordingly. Chris Strand
MEMORANDUM TO: Low Income Consumer Advisory Task Force FROM: Carol Biedrzycki, Chair DATE: August 14, 2015 SUBJECT: Special Called Meeting Thank you for agreeing to hold this extra meeting on Friday dedicated to the low income weatherization program. I look forward to seeing you on Friday at 11 a.m. in our usual meeting room at Austin Energy. Please note that the meeting agenda is posted only for discussion. No votes will be taken. To help organize our discussion on Friday I am asking you to consider starting the meeting with a discussion of the goals we would like the low income weatherization program to meet. I believe it will be helpful to have common ground for developing our recommendations. I have drafted broad goals which, when edited, will hopefully guide our discussion about the program and help us work out more specific solutions. I am suggesting that we take 15 minutes at the start of our meeting on Friday to review and discuss the Draft Low Income Weatherization Goals which follow. Please bring your suggested additions and edits to the meeting. I will open the meeting by going around the table for each member to express his or her thoughts on the goals. I am looking forward to this important discussion. DRAFT AUGUST 12, 2015 LOW-INCOME WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM GOALS To reduce the energy burden and energy costs for low‐income families, particularly for the elderly, people with disabilities and, families with children, by improving the energy efficiency of their homes. To reduce bad debt to the utility. To defer or avoid the need for capital investment in new generating facilities and to reduce the burning of fossil fuels for electricity generation and end use applications such as space and water heating and cooking. To provide the program at no out of pocket cost to eligible customers. To improve the healthfulness, safety and, affordability of housing for low and low-moderate income customers. To assure that the customers’ long term needs are met for refrigeration, lighting, cooling, and heating. To leverage utility and other available program resources to offer seamless home repair and weatherization services. To assure that an equitable level of program benefits is delivered to low-income customers. To achieve greenhouse gas reductions to support the city’s climate protection goals. To train and hire residents from disadvantaged communities and increase economic investment in those communities. To evaluate the program in consideration of …
1 III. A Proposed Weatherization Program Austin Energy should create an expanded weatherization program that helps qualified low-income residents through on of three tiers. The basic tier would be modeled on the current weatherization program. We would note that Austin Energy should assess the cost-effectiveness of duct repair and replacement to see if it has been cost-effective. Most households would receive this program. A second tier would be similar to the current program that provides window AC units to certain households, based upon clear eligibility standards. A third tier would allow for central AC repair and replacement. Thus, homes with existing AC units would be assessed through a 21-point check. Those that could be repaired cost-effectively would. Those that were more than 10-years old and that could not be repaired would be replaced. Austin Energy would work with Texas Gas to take advantage of furnace replacement, and some flexibility could be allowed for full replacement based on this funding. Table. Proposed Tiered Weatherization Programs Category Weatherization Basic Program (Tier I) Weatherization Plus Weatherization Whole-House Moderate Program What is Covered Air Infiltration, Attic Insulation, LEDs or CFLs, Fire and CO Monitor, Solar Screens, Duct Work Repair and up to $500 Replacement, Low Flow Water Devices Everything to the left, Plus HVAC-Window Everything to left, plus AC repair or replacement (HVAC-Central) A Rebate Plus Low-Interest Loan Program for those not eligible for low-income weatherization Could be On-bill Repayment or Loan through Velocity/Others Average Per-Home, Per-Kilowatt 2016 Cost $3,500 $4,000 $6,000 Longer-term cost goal $2,000 $3,000 $5,000 Number of Homes Covered 80% 15% 5% 2 (example Only) Eligibility CAP customer, 200 percent of poverty Same, plus young-in or elderly, no potential for repair or replacement of AC See to left, plus Existing AC unit that is more than 10-years-old, can not be repaired through 21-point check, availability of Texas Gas could be factor MW short-term goal 0.8 0.1 0.1 MWh yearly goal 800 150 50 Who Pays for It EES Weatherization– everyone CAP Weatherization CAP Weatherization EES – separate rebate program Recommendations: Create a three-tier weatherization program. The majority of homes would be eligible only for basic weatherization services, but certain individuals and families would be eligible for window AC units or even central AC units depending upon eligibility criteria. The basic weatherization program would be paid for with the EES program, but the more expansive measures would be paid for with CAP …
8/12/2015 Draft Recommendation Number ____ Repair and Replacement of Furnaces and Air Conditioners in Low Income Weatherization Program Targeted Underserved Group: Low income customers Brief Description: Include repair and replacement of air conditioners (central and window), furnaces and refrigerators as an energy efficiency measure in the low income weatherization program. Community need: The summer weather in Austin is extremely hot for certain periods of time. When the heat index reaches 102, Austin Energy, is prohibited from disconnecting a customer’s service1 because air conditioning is necessary to protect a resident’s health and safety especially the elderly and young children.2 While it is possible to live through an Austin summer with no air conditioning, people without air conditioning in their homes are encouraged to take shelter in public buildings with air conditioning during the hottest times of the day. Over one-fourth (118,241) of Austin Energy’s residential customers have incomes that qualify for Free Weatherization.3 Customers living with income below 50% of the Federal Poverty Guideline (FPG) spend 37.6% of household income on electricity. Those at 51 to 100% of FPG spend 11.3% and those at 101 to 200% FPG spend 5.9%. Those above 400% of the FPG spend 1.6%4. Insert data on age of housing stock housing stock As utility bills increase because of higher rates and the pass through of regulatory, community benefit charge and other per kilowatt-hour charges, low income customers are the most profoundly impacted because the energy burden becomes an even higher percentage of household income. There are large numbers of households in the Austin Energy service area with low income, high utility bills and very few energy efficiency program resources. In Texas, 26% of all home energy use is attributable to central air conditioning, 11% to the refrigerator, 9% to space heating, 7% to water heating and 2% to room air conditioning.5 Including repair and replacement of space conditioning equipment and 1 Austin City Code §15-9-109. 2 Sweating out a Texas heat wave, A guide to preventing hot weather illness. 3 Memorandum from Liz Jambor, EdD, Manager, to Low Income Consumer Advisory Task Force 01//5/15., p 5. 4 Ibid. 5 GDS Associates, Evaluation of Austin energy’s ARRA-Supported Weatherization Assistance Program, September 2012, p. 51. refrigerators allows the program to target the most energy intensive equipment in typical households. Program Description: In homes originally designed with central air conditioners and furnaces provide repair or replacement as needed based …
