The Future of Weatherization

Bob ScottEnergy Services Director

NASCSP

Region 8/10 ConferenceMay 13-15, 2014

Boise, ID

What We Will Be Discussing

• A little about WAP pre-ARRA• How ARRA changed WAP• Legislative Update• WAP Advocacy• DOE WAP Updates and Program Direction– Quality Work Plan– Quality Management Plan

• Other as per Group Interest

Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)

• Long time and sustaining operational structure for the residential energy efficiency

• Has spurred home performance• Catalyst for the industry– Promoting building science– Developing diagnostic procedures and installation techniques

– Raising awareness and protocols for health and safety– Largely created the market for supply chain businesses for the industry

WAP Evolution

From insulation, storm windows, outside caulk, etc. to:• Cost-effective measures as per energy audit• Highly trained workforce • Analyzing IAQ and health and safety • Quality tools and equipment • Best installation techniques 

WAP Evolution

From To

Pre-ARRA WAP

• WAP - America’s Best Kept Secret• Bi-partisan support• Kind of low-profile, under the radar

ARRA changed all that

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What Happened during ARRA?

• Political target for President’s opposition• Slow start• Negative Press• IG reports

What Happened during ARRA?

Resounding success by these measures• Weatherized more that 800,000 homes• 150,000 + > projected• Maintained about 15,000 ARRA jobs• Typically 7th or 8th on list of projects

Deadlocked?

What’s Happened Since ARRA?

• 2012 - $68 Million– <30% pre-ARRA– Perception (Reality) of unspent funds available to network

• 2013 - $139 Million– CR of $68 M – sequestration– DOE supplemented WAP by > $70M

• 2014 - $174.3 Million– Good level under the circumstances but– Still below pre-ARRA

What is the Outlook for FY 2015?

Optimistic because –• Presidents budget was $227 M• Senate support letter @ $230 M• House support letter @ $227 M

Not so optimistic because –• FY 2014 budget deal was a two-year agreement• November mid-year elections• Still a lot of gridlock

What is the Outlook Beyond FY 2015?

Optimistic because –• The trend is in the right direction• The ARRA hangover is wearing off

Not so optimistic because –• Congress is still not in a spending mood• Hard to predict sentiment of the country as 2016 elections approach

Can We Influence WAP Funding Levels?

A few things about how Congress works and

The role of local advocacy

What is “Regular Order”

• Regular Appropriations bills with twelve appropriations subcommittees – should be reported from Committee by late spring

• Omnibus Appropriations bills

• Continuing Resolutions

• Supplemental Appropriations

Annual Appropriations Cycle

• President submits budget first Monday in February• Congress adopts Budget Resolution in April• Timetable for Appropriations bills• House & Senate Committee markups in May/June• House & Senate floor action should occur in summer• House & Senate Conference Action• Presidential Action• All bills are supposed to be enacted before 9/30, which is the end of the federal fiscal year  

1. Do your homework2. “All Politics Is Local” (Tip O’Neill)3. Grass roots advocacy is best4. Speak for no more than 3-4 minutes at the most; keep your arguments brief

5. Don’t be surprised if you get a negative        response or lack of interest; keep trying & be       appreciative of time6. Be clear about your “ask”7. Above all: make your “why” clear

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7 Guidelines to Effective Advocacy

Bi-Partisan Approach is Key

• WAP’s poor funding years have always been when the program became politicized

• By its nature, WAP can appeal to both sides of the aisle

• Job creation, adding new tax revenue, and role of private business resonate well these days

Effective Advocacy Approaches

• Letters were the standard but …• Office visits• Emails and phone calls• Social media, particularly Twitter – Real Time Advocacy

• WAP events

Effective Advocacy Approaches

Another key is to be ready to act

• Idaho CAP advocacy in December 2013 was critical in WAP funding increase!

WAP Public Information Campaign

• Major section on WAPTAC• Manuals –– Weatherization Day Planning Kit– Site Demonstration Planning Kit– Social Media Guide– WAP Story Telling Guide

WAP Site Demonstrations

Great way to showcase WAP• Needs careful planning• One key is targeting critical attendees

WAP Site Demonstrations

I’ve heard many times – 

“I had no idea you did all this”and

“How can I get this done on my house?”

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Real Time Advocacy - Twitter

Programmatic Changes in WAP

Web-Based Weatherization Assistant • Multifamily Tool for Energy Audits (MulTEA)• Health and Safety Audit Tool • National Energy Audit Tool (NEAT) – Single-family• Manufactured Home Energy Audit (MHEA)

Programmatic Changes in WAP

Increased Emphasis on Multi-Family• Standard Work Specifications for Multifamily Energy Upgrades • Multifamily Job Task Analyses (JTA)Coming Soon!• Multifamily Tool for Energy Audits (MulTEA) • Technical Guidelines for Multifamily Building Energy Audits

– The Technical Guidelines tell the energy auditor what the data-gathering and energy-auditing process should entail. 

– The guidelines facilitate uniformity in multifamily energy audit methods, to lead to more accurate predictions of energy and cost savings. 

Programmatic Changes in WAP

DOE Quality Work Plan• Based on Guidelines for Home Energy Professionals initiative

• Intent to demonstrate quality and accountability of WAP• Help ensure long term sustainability of WAP as a leader and foundation of the home performance industry

DOE Quality Work Plan

Core Components• Revised / updated Field Standards and Field Guides based on the Standard Work Specifications

• Training Program accreditation• Home Energy Professional certifications

DOE Quality Work Plan

Field Standards and Field Guides• WAP measures must meet minimum outcomes and specifications  outlined in SWS

• WAP Grantees must update / revise their documents and make them available

DOE Quality Work Plan

Quality Control Inspections• 100% of homes are inspected to comply with SWS• Homes must be inspected by a certified QCI– New testing protocols – not the more conventional BPI certifications 

DOE Quality Work Plan

Training Requirements• Grantee Training Plans must include comprehensive training for all WAP workers that is aligned with the NREL Job Task Analysis (JTA) for the position in which the worker is employed.

• Training Plans must address two distinct categories: – Tier 1 Training: Comprehensive, occupation-specific training which follows a curriculum aligned with the JTA for that occupation. Tier 1 training must be administered by, or in collaboration with, a training program that is accredited by IREC for the JTA being taught. 

– Tier 2 Training: Single issue, short-term, training to address acute deficiencies in the field including dense packing, crawlspace, ASHRAE, etc. Conference trainings are included in this category. 

DOE Quality Work Plan

State Implementation Issues• Aggressive plan and timeline - many changes quickly• More information, tools, resources becoming available• Some debate on applying DOE QWP requirements to other funding sources weatherization programs

• Affordability and cash flow

DOE Quality Management Plan

• Discussed at the 2013 Denver Meeting• Again moving via QMP Working Group• Key Components –– Core Competencies for Common Job Classifications• Grantee• Subgrantee

– Recordkeeping and Reporting Consistency

Core Competencies

• Developed by Trainers Consortium in 2007– Did more on technical positions–WAPTAC – Training Resources \ Training Tools

• Working Group is focusing on management positions

Core Competencies

Key Definitions• Competency -minimum level of knowledge and proficiency required to collect appropriate information, make informed decisions, and physically take the needed actions to deliver the high-quality weatherization service in question. 

• Possess a working knowledge - Know how a particular topic impacts the weatherization process; Have the relevant information committed to memory or be able to locate it in readily available sources; and Use the knowledge to make informed decisions and guide weatherization work. 

• Demonstrate the ability to - Physically conduct a test, procedure, or technique on an actual house, a prop, or in a training lab in the presence of someone qualified to assess the particular competency.

Core Competencies Example (2007)

Program ManagerPossess a working knowledge of: • Enabling legislation governing the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Weatherization Assistance Program;

• DOE program regulations 10 C.F.R. 440;• DOE program guidance and policy issued via Weatherization Program Notice or memoranda; 

• Federal, state, and local budget process; • Federal financial assistance regulations 10 C.F.R. 600 and relevant OMB circulars; 

• Applicable state procurement regulations; • State and local approaches to monitoring, training, and technical assistance;• Applicable computer databases and tracking systems and the importance that they remain up-to-date, are secured and backed-up, and are used effectively to manage the program; and 

• Building science principles.

Core Competencies Example (2007)

Program Manager – Local Weatherization CoordinatorDemonstrate the ability to: • Effectively communicate and manage weatherization staff and subcontractors; • Prepare and track a budget for implementing a local weatherization program; • Maintain a purchase order system to track contracted services and materials and tool 

requisitions; • Maintain a coding system to assure expenditures are charged to the correct budget 

category; • Maintain inventory tracking system for materials, tools, and equipment; • Submit accurate financial and production reports in a timely manner; • Comply with federal limits on administrative expenses; • Manage a small construction/production-focused operation; • Ensure rigorous, unbiased, and accurate final inspection of all completed units; • Provide adequate technical training for auditors, technicians, and inspectors directly 

employed by the local agency, and ensure that subcontractors receive appropriate technical training; 

• Ensure that weatherization work complies with state technical program standards;• Coordinate resources; and • Develop and implement innovative leveraging strategies.

Quality Management Plan

Recordkeeping and Reporting Consistency• List of required documents for every client file• Clear documentation of location of items and how it is accessed– in paper file, electronically filed 

Quality Management Plan

• Still no timetable – Denver draft obviously not happening• Operators seem less apprehensive than QWP• Some real benefits

Some Other Issues

• Change in Cost per Unit to $6500– Needed but results in fewer units

• Better quality buildings since 1990 evaluation– Reduced savings potential

• DOE focus on energy savings • Prioritize high users – what about others?• An aging network (with some new rising young stars)

DOE Focus on Energy Savings

No one disagrees except:• Still a lot of work related to Health and Safety and substandard housing issues

• Some dialogue about only weatherizing best candidates in terms of energy savings

The delivery network is basically a social services organization network

What’s It All Mean and Where Are We Going?

• WAP is continuing to evolve and raise the bar to a more standardized approach 

• Funding levels need  to get back to at least pre-ARRA levels

• Doubtful DOE funds will ever be sufficient to meet the need

• WAP operators need to find additional resources and develop additional partnerships to weatherize more homes and do more on the homes

Additional WAP Resources

• LIHEAP funds• Utility funds• Fee for service• Multifamily• Weatherization Plus Health– Affordable Care Act opportunities

• Other?