PORTLAND, OR - State housing authorities and nonprofit affordable housing developers presented their ideas to the statewide energy efficiency working group on Friday for implementing energy efficiency measures in Oregon's low-income households. Over the next month, the working group will settle on a list of proposals for energy efficiency measures as part of Gov. Ted Kulongoski's climate change agenda for the 2009 Oregon Legislature. They'll produce a final report to the governor by mid-August.
Working with members of Kulongoski's staff, the group's co- chairmen produced a draft of seven key proposals, including one aimed at affordable housing, which they presented on Friday at the working group's fifth meeting. "This is the first list the chairs have released in an effort to focus the committee," said Clark Brockman, a principal with SERA Architects and co-chair of the working group. "And some of the interests of the committee aren't on the list."
At the meeting, Oregon Housing and Community Services told committee members they don't need help setting goals for energy efficiency. The agency has already hired consultants to help develop green building standards for new construction and rehabilitation of state-funded affordable housing projects. They expect to release the new standards in August. "Our biggest need is source-neutral, fuel-neutral financing," said Bob Gillespie, housing division administrator for Housing and Community Services.
The agency isn't quite sure how affordable housing developers will pay for green building measures such as energy-efficient windows and appliances. Such upgrades add 2 to 3 percent to the cost of an affordable housing project, or up to $10,000 per unit, said Gillespie. Those costs can be prohibitive to affordable housing developers who already face difficulties cobbling together several funding sources to pay for projects, said Betty Tam, executive director of Umpqua Community Development Corp. in Roseburg.
The committee plans to propose sustainable funding sources and incentives for energy efficiency in affordable housing. Efficiency upgrades in low-income homes will be necessary in order to meet regional goals for greenhouse gas emissions reductions under the Western Climate Initiative, according to the committee's draft proposal.
Also among the committee's proposals were three concepts that Gov. Kulongoski announced would be part of his energy efficiency agenda in a June 17 speech. Though his energy efficiency agenda isn't yet set, the governor says he'll most likely pursue energy performance certificates to inform home buyers and renters about their homes' energy use, a mandate for all new homes to be carbon neutral by 2030, and additional outreach, education and workforce training for energy efficiency.
The committee's proposals expanded the 2030 goal to include new and renovated commercial buildings. The list also includes increased energy-efficiency incentives, financing options such as public bonds and utility fees, the promotion of neighborhood energy systems, and reuse of gray water. "Energy efficiency is going to be one of the major employers for the construction industry in coming years," said Bob Shiprack, executive secretary of the Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council, and a member of the working group.
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