Executive Summary:
In June 1989, the Virginia Association of Community Action Agencies, Inc.
(VACAA) contracted with the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research
(VCCER) for an evaluation of the Virginia Weatherization Program. The
study ran through December 1990. The main objective of the evaluation
was to improve the energy savings and cost?effectiveness of the program
by developing a new protocol of energy conservation measures and by recommending
improvements in administrative procedures. The evaluation was comprised
of four parts: first, analysis of the savings and cost?effectiveness of
weatherization implemented under the existing program; second, literature
review combined with engineering calculations to identify promising new
energy conservation techniques applicable to Virginia's housing stock
and climate; third, short?term monitoring to test the new techniques'
suitability for Virginia weatherization through a pilot study conducted
in four local agencies; and fourth, assessment of administrative issues
related to implementation of new measures. This is one of the first comprehensive
evaluations of weatherization in a mild climate state.
Key results of the study, contained in this final report, include:
- The new measures tested in the pilot study substantially improved
the cost?effectiveness of Virginia weatherization. By including new
conservation techniques like high?density sidewall insulation and
advanced air sealing, and deemphasizing window replacements and caulking
and weatherstripping, median space heat savings of 24% were achieved
in single?family homes (median payback time of 10 years). Savings
in pilot study mobile homes were somewhat less (median space heat
savings of 17%, payback time of 17 years).
- The pilot study results are even more impressive compared to savings
from Virginia's existing (1988?89) program. The existing weatherization
program concentrated on attic insulation, primary window replacement,
storm window installation, and caulking and weatherstripping. Median
savings were rather low: 10% of space heat use in gasheated single?family
homes, 5% of space heat use in electrically heated single?family homes,
and 10% in mobile homes. The weatherization performed under the existing
program was clearly not cost?effective, with median payback times
of 30 years in gasheated single?family homes, 21 years in electrically
heated single?family homes, and 53 years in mobile homes.
- Heating systems were also examined as part of the pilot study. Serious
safety problems (e.g., backdrafting, improper venting, cracked heat
exchangers, fuel leaks) were found in one?third of the heating systems
inspected. There is a need for the weatherization program to address
these heating system problems, as they would be exacerbated by tightening
the building shell.
- Based on the results for the existing program, the review of other
states' programs, the engineering calculations and the pilot study,
a new weatherization protocol was developed for Virginia. Instead
of a strict step?by?step priority system, it represents a package
of measures to be drawn from during the important diagnostics/estimation
phase of each job. The protocol emphasizes new measures (e.g., advanced
air sealing, sidewall insulation, heating system safety inspection),
and certain existing measures (attic insulation, bellyboard insulation,
water heat wraps), while it deemphasizes or deletes some past measures
shown to be not cost?effective (e.g., replacement windows, extensive
caulking in the neutral pressure zone).
- The project assessed administrative issues that affect the ability
of the Virginia program to implement these recommended standards.
These issues included the reimbursement system, training, program
oversight, and others. One important conclusion was that the new recommended
installation standards cannot be implemented under the current reimbursement
system which is based solely on the cost of installed materials. A
new reimbursement system based on actual labor and materials costs
was recommended.
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