NYSERDA Boosts Contractors, Creates a Skilled Clean Energy Workforce

By Elizabeth Silleck, Westchester Business Journal

The story of BrightHome Energy Solutions, LLC (BrightHome) exemplifies NYSERDA's success in supporting small business growth and workforce development in the clean energy field.


Mike Brown, Partner, Bright Home Energy Solutions from Elizabeth Silleck on Vimeo.


New Yorkers know the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) best for injecting millions of dollars into the state economy for direct support of clean energy projects in buildings and homes. While NYSERDA continues to provide funding for retrofits, energy efficient  construction and renewable energy installations, it might get less attention for its other efforts — namely, business and workforce development. The story of BrightHome Energy Solutions, LLC (BrightHome) exemplifies NYSERDA’s success in supporting small-business growth and workforce development in the clean energy field.

In the midst of a struggling economy, business is good at BrightHome.  Since 2009, the company has created 30 jobs in Westchester County. As a result, the county has 30 formerly unemployed people who have steady income and possible career prospects in the clean energy sector.

One of those jobs went to a disadvantaged worker who received NYSERDA-funded workforce development training at the Osborne Association. BrightHome also hired employees through workforce development initiatives of the Westchester/Putnam Workforce Investment Board, Sustainable South Bronx and WestCOP.

A key ingredient to BrightHome’s success is its participation in NYSERDA’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program, which requires participating contractors to be accredited by the Building Performance Institute (BPI).

“Home Performance training really gave us a foundation for doing energy efficiency work and enabled us to measure the results,” explained Mike Brown, partner at BrightHome.

Home Performance training teaches contractors to view the house as a system, understanding that changes to one part of the home can and do affect the home’s performance overall. As Brown explained, “It’s all about how things interact with each other — we see this house as a living organism with a life span. We want to figure out how to make it last as long as possible.”

One essential diagnostic strategy used by Home Performance contractors is the Comprehensive Home Assessment, which uncovers health, safety and energy-usage data used to determine appropriate energy-saving improvements. NYSERDA is currently offsetting the cost of Comprehensive Home Assessments to homeowners across the state, so contractors like BrightHome can provide them for free or at reduced cost, depending on the homeowner’s income.

In addition, NYSERDA supports a network of training sites across the state and reimburses half the cost of BPI technician certification. Depending on available funding, additional training incentives may be available for certain regions. NYSERDA also helps contractors ramp up their businesses by assisting with initial equipment costs and by providing co-operative marketing dollars.

“Last year alone, NYSERDA reimbursed us about $9,000 toward our marketing activities. We’ve invested in newspaper ads, television, website banners and signage on our vehicles,” Brown remarked.

Once a contractor has successfully obtained BPI accreditation and is approved to participate in NYSERDA’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Program, the contractor’s clients have access to cash incentives, low-interest financing and, for those who are income-eligible, direct subsidies of up to 50 percent of project costs. NYSERDA’s customer incentives are vital to BrightHome’s business.

“Between the financing at 3.49 percent interest and the cash incentives, I have one client right now who is investing in insulation, air sealing, a high-efficiency heating unit and air conditioning system with no out-of-pocket cost. What’s more, the projected energy cost savings will offset the annual loan payments,” said Brown.

BrightHome was formed exclusively as a Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® contractor, but many participants in the program had already been in business for years as home improvement contractors before signing up with NYSERDA. A full list of participating contractors can be found at www.nyserda.ny.gov. You’ll always want to do your homework before engaging any contractor.

BrightHome’s experience with NYSERDA is an example of a public/private partnership that is achieving measurable results. The business is growing, and formerly unemployed people have jobs working on projects that reduce energy use.

For more information about how to become a participating Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® contractor or general questions about NYSERDA, contact your local Energy $mart Communities Coordinator at Elizabeth.Silleck@gmail.com.

BrightHome's Mike Brown Explains the Benefits of an Energy Audit on WCBS Channel 2 in New York

We're in the news! Watch as BrightHome's Mike Brown explains how to lower your heating bills this winter with a free home energy audit.

BrightHome Energy Solutions Expands To Long Island To Help Homeowners Reduce Energy Usage

BrightHome Energy Solutions Expands To Long Island To Help Homeowners Reduce Energy Usage

Sound Beach, NY – BrightHome Energy Solutions, an Elmsford, New York based home energy solutions company, is proud to announce that it is expanding its operations into Long Island. The company has helped countless homeowners across New York and New Jersey increase their homes’ comfort and energy efficiency and navigate the complicated world of green rebates and tax credits.

“Many homeowners are intimidated by the complex-sounding language around tax credits and rebates for energy efficiency improvements,” said Tom Brown of BrightHome Energy Solutions. “We have the expertise to help homeowners make sense of these incentives to maximize their energy efficiency investments.”

BrightHome is well versed in program incentives for Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), National Grid, the Town of Babylon and NYSERDA’s Green Jobs Green New York (GJGNY). In fact, through GJGNY, BrightHome is able to offer unsecured loans of up to $25,000 at rates as low as 3.49% for energy efficiency improvements and many customers qualify for free audits.  BrightHome’s Energy Saving Consultants does the work to save customers the most money.

In addition, homeowners can still take advantage of a 10% rebate on qualifying energy-saving improvements of up to $30,000 with the Home Performance with Energy Star program.

BrightHome Energy Savings Consultant Tom Brown knows there’s more to energy efficiency improvements than just savings. “Our services can make your home more comfortable, reduce drafts and uneven temperatures, eliminate musty smells and even reduce allergens in your home.”

About BrightHome Energy Solutions
BrightHome Energy Solutions, headquartered in Elmsford, NY, offers energy efficiency solutions to residents in New York State. All key team members are trained in building sciences and green weatherization techniques. BrightHome offers a comprehensive, whole-house approach to improving energy efficiency and comfort at home, giving you the most bang for your buck, while protecting the environment.

BrightHome consultants are accredited by the Building Performance Institute (BPI). BrightHome offers the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program, a state and national program from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

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BrightHome is a registered trademark. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

Contact:
Tom Brown
74 Hempstead Drive
Sound Beach, NY  11789
631-849-6303

Governor Cuomo Unveils $8 Million Household Appliance Recovery Program

Today the governor of New York announced a new $8 million dollar plan to help those who suffered damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The plan will help cover the costs of replacement appliances such as refrigerators, furnaces, washing machines and boilers.

A list of eligible equipment and appliances and rebate levels is as follows:

Eligible Equipment & Appliances	Rebate
Refrigerators (ENERGY STAR)	$350
Clothes Washers (ENERGY STAR)	$250
Clothes Dryers w/Moisture Sensor (higher efficiency)	$250
Dehumidifiers (ENERGY STAR)	$100
Furnace (ENERGY STAR)	$2,000
Boiler (ENERGY STAR)	$2,500
Hot Water Heater Tanks (electric- higher efficiency; gas- ENERGY STAR)	$400

More information available on the Governor's website:

http://www.governor.ny.gov/press/09152011StormRecovery

If you have any questions about the new program or for more information, contact a BrightHome team member at (914) 909 - 5300. 

Record Highs Don’t Have to Mean Record High Electric Bills

Heat waves have been sweeping across the nation and record highs have been recorded from coast to coast. With heat like this, air conditioners everywhere are working hard to keep families cool, but yours doesn’t have to work as hard as you might think if your house is optimized to deliver maximum comfort for minimum energy dollars.

One of the best ways to keep your air conditioner from having to work as hard is by making sure your home is properly air sealed and insulated.

“When your home isn’t properly air sealed, cool air can escape through cracks, gaps and spaces,” says Tom Brown, an Energy Savings Consultant with BrightHome Energy Solutions. “Heat can seep into your home the same way. That means your air conditioner has to work that much harder to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.” And we all know that the harder your air conditioner works, the higher your electricity bills will be.

But how do you keep from spending a fortune air conditioning your home if your cool air is slipping through the cracks? Brown recommends having your home’s envelope inspected to detect problem areas. BrightHome has a variety of tests available, including a blower door test and infrared thermal imaging.

Once your problem spots have been identified, you can have professionals like the certified energy experts at BrightHome seal and insulate your home to keep cool air in, hot air out and your electricity bills down. BrightHome technicians use smart, effective, affordable materials that do the most work for the best price, including closed-cell foam, foam board and loose blown cellulose insulation.

Bob from Valhalla, New York can attest to the benefits of sealing and insulation. “Best decision I ever made with regards to the house,” he says. “Plus, the house is much more comfortable…and I sleep easier knowing my house isn't wasting energy like it used to.”

Theses changes won’t just work for you during the summer months either. The same air sealing and insulation that keeps heat out and cool in during the summer will keep heat in and cold out during the winter months. Do the work now and you won’t have to worry about cold spots, drafts and high heating bills when winter rolls around. You’ll feel the benefits all year long.

And finally, let’s not forget the air conditioning unit itself. Air conditioners require regular maintenance to keep them running at peak condition. Having your air conditioner serviced by a company like BrightHome can create a noticeable increase in its performance and in turn a noticeable decrease in your electricity bills. And if it turns out that your air conditioner is in bad enough shape, or that it’s just too inefficient even at peak performance, BrightHome can install a high efficiency air conditioning unit that could reduce your cooling costs by up to 30%.

There’s no need to sweat high electricity bills any longer. It’s time to maximize your energy efficiency dollars and minimize your energy costs.

BrightHome can help you take advantage of Con Edison rebates, Federal Tax Credits or up to $3,000 in New York Home Performance with Energy Star® cash incentives and financing as low as 3.49%.

How To Make Sure Winter Drafts Don't Become Summer Hot Spots

Those cold drafts that blow through houses induce shivers and raise energy bills throughout the winter months are over. But don’t be fooled. Having a poorly insulated and sealed home, which causes those winter drafts, will continue to raise your energy bills throughout the summer. 

“What many people don’t realize is that the same problem areas that make your home cold and drafty in the winter will make your home hot and uncomfortable in the summer,” says Tom Brown, an Energy Savings Consultant with BrightHome Energy Solutions. “Heat enters your home in the same way that cold does, making your air conditioner work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature, which ultimately costs you money on your energy bills.”

Brown recommends checking your home’s airtightness to identify problem areas. BrightHome has a variety of tests available, including the blower door test, where a calibrated fan in a door-panel unit is used to measure how much air your home is leaking, and a thermal imaging test, which uses a camera to detect changes in temperature and create a map of your home’s problem areas. But knowing where your problem spots are isn’t much use unless you know what to do about them.

Brown explains what comes next, “Once we identify the places in your home that need insulation and air sealing, we create a set of custom recommendations designed to save you energy in the most cost efficient manner.  Together with your input we develop the best plan for your needs and budget to properly insulate and air seal your home.”

Many BrightHome customers have identified their windows as a problem area and were concerned that they needed to replace their windows.  In many cases, properly air sealing and insulating the walls around the windows actually proved more cost effective at reducing energy costs and making the house more comfortable. 

Sometimes, however, new windows are necessary or desired.  Argon insulated windows and windows with low-emittance coatings can reduce heat gain during summer months, with the added benefit of reducing heat loss in the winter. Replacing windows is a fine art though. BrightHome technicians who install energy efficient windows are also experienced carpenters who know how to install your windows for maximum airtightness and match your new windows to the style of your home for seamless design integration.

To keep winter drafts from becoming your sweltering summer indoor hotspots and raising your energy bills, give BrightHome a call. A BrightHome certified home energy efficiency consultant can check out your home and give you custom recommendations to help you get the biggest bang for your energy efficiency buck.  At BrightHome our mission is to help you use less energy, save money and be more comfortable. 

BrightHome can help you take advantage of up to $3,500 in New York Home Performance with Energy Star® cash incentives and Federal Tax Credits and financing as low as 3.49%.

White Plains Earth Day Event - $50 per Audit for Tornado Victims

Today, I will be at the White Plains, New York Earth Day Event. It is also a few days after a tornado has killed over 300 of our fellow citizens throughout the south. Our thoughts and prayers are extended to all who have been impacted by this natural disaster.

For every audit that we sign up today at the White Plains event or over the week end on our website, BrightHome will contribute $50 to the American Red Cross tornado efforts.

We hope to see you in downtown White Plains! Mike Brown