Energy assessment a good start
By MIRIAM MOELLER, The Mining Journal Staff Writer
MARQUETTE — T.J. Brown climbs into the crawl space of a 118-year-old building complex. Methodically, he inspects the foundation, insulation and the pipes that run into and out of the heating units.
“This is copper,” he said, pointing at the hot water line. “Copper hot water lines lose heat all the time; the energy just goes into the crawl space.”
Brandon Croney, 26, — owner of the complex on Division Street — stands next to Brown and listens as Brown advises him to wrap the first six feet of the line in pipe wrap to avoid losing energy.
What Brown was doing is called a home energy assessment — a low-cost service offered by the energy education center Northern Options in Marquette.
Northern Options, created in 2004, is a branch of the downstate based not-for-profit organization Urban Options, which provides energy and environmental information and services.
A state-designated and grant-funded energy demonstration center, Northern Options aims to educate Upper Peninsula residents on energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable building practices, alternative fuels and worm composting.
“We get a lot of people coming to us for low-cost tips that in the long run will save them energy and money,” said Jennifer Binkley-Power, Northern Options program manager.
Brown, Northern Options project coordinator, was doing his latest home energy assessment on Croney’s five-unit residential and business complex that he had recently purchased. Originally constructed in 1890, an addition was built in 1947. In 1991 the building was remodeled.
“When we go to the houses, we’ll put on a door sweep, put on a window kit, change light bulbs (from incandescent to energy saving compact fluorescent bulbs), put seals on the side of their doors — anything we can do to stop ... (outside air) infiltration,” Brown said.
The Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum had an energy assessment done last October, and according to Director Nheena Weyer Ittner the museum has implemented several of the suggestions made by Northern Options.
“We were able to do the things that weren’t outrageously expensive, but many of the recommendations were very plausible,” Weyer Ittner said. “(For instance), all windows and doorways were caulked and sealed with weather stripping.”
In addition to changing light bulbs to energy efficient ones, Weyer Ittner had many of the thermostats in the building switched to programmable ones, “so they are programmed down at non-use times,” she said.
Other changes included lowering the temperatures of all water heaters to 120 degrees, adjusting float levels in the toilets to the minimum water amount, turning down water pressure in the sinks and placing insulation blankets on all of the water heaters.
Maintenance and the regular cleaning of filters, fans and motors is also crucial, according to Brown. The regular maintenance not only saves energy, but extends the life of a furnace or heater.
Weyer Ittner said the museum participates in a furnace maintenance program to take care of those needs.
Another easy energy saving change made in the museum was putting exhibit lights and flashing lights on timers so they automatically shut off instead of being left on, she said.
“In regards to recognizing an immediate change, it’s very hard,” Weyer Ittner said. “Since weather is always a factor and energy prices have fluctuated, it may take years of logging in data before we can emphatically give real numbers and savings. That said, I feel good about every change we have made, we are going in the right direction in being wise stewards of our environment and fiscally responsible.”
For more information, go to www.northernoptions.org
MARQUETTE — T.J. Brown climbs into the crawl space of a 118-year-old building complex. Methodically, he inspects the foundation, insulation and the pipes that run into and out of the heating units.
“This is copper,” he said, pointing at the hot water line. “Copper hot water lines lose heat all the time; the energy just goes into the crawl space.”
Brandon Croney, 26, — owner of the complex on Division Street — stands next to Brown and listens as Brown advises him to wrap the first six feet of the line in pipe wrap to avoid losing energy.
What Brown was doing is called a home energy assessment — a low-cost service offered by the energy education center Northern Options in Marquette.
Northern Options, created in 2004, is a branch of the downstate based not-for-profit organization Urban Options, which provides energy and environmental information and services.
A state-designated and grant-funded energy demonstration center, Northern Options aims to educate Upper Peninsula residents on energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable building practices, alternative fuels and worm composting.
“We get a lot of people coming to us for low-cost tips that in the long run will save them energy and money,” said Jennifer Binkley-Power, Northern Options program manager.
Brown, Northern Options project coordinator, was doing his latest home energy assessment on Croney’s five-unit residential and business complex that he had recently purchased. Originally constructed in 1890, an addition was built in 1947. In 1991 the building was remodeled.
“When we go to the houses, we’ll put on a door sweep, put on a window kit, change light bulbs (from incandescent to energy saving compact fluorescent bulbs), put seals on the side of their doors — anything we can do to stop ... (outside air) infiltration,” Brown said.
The Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum had an energy assessment done last October, and according to Director Nheena Weyer Ittner the museum has implemented several of the suggestions made by Northern Options.
“We were able to do the things that weren’t outrageously expensive, but many of the recommendations were very plausible,” Weyer Ittner said. “(For instance), all windows and doorways were caulked and sealed with weather stripping.”
In addition to changing light bulbs to energy efficient ones, Weyer Ittner had many of the thermostats in the building switched to programmable ones, “so they are programmed down at non-use times,” she said.
Other changes included lowering the temperatures of all water heaters to 120 degrees, adjusting float levels in the toilets to the minimum water amount, turning down water pressure in the sinks and placing insulation blankets on all of the water heaters.
Maintenance and the regular cleaning of filters, fans and motors is also crucial, according to Brown. The regular maintenance not only saves energy, but extends the life of a furnace or heater.
Weyer Ittner said the museum participates in a furnace maintenance program to take care of those needs.
Another easy energy saving change made in the museum was putting exhibit lights and flashing lights on timers so they automatically shut off instead of being left on, she said.
“In regards to recognizing an immediate change, it’s very hard,” Weyer Ittner said. “Since weather is always a factor and energy prices have fluctuated, it may take years of logging in data before we can emphatically give real numbers and savings. That said, I feel good about every change we have made, we are going in the right direction in being wise stewards of our environment and fiscally responsible.”
For more information, go to www.northernoptions.org
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