Chris and Susan Anderson's Spring Valley home was built in 1960 and designed by Chris's father, an architect. Although the cathedral ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows provide a lovely atmosphere, the structure had a drawback: uncontrollable temperature swings that reflected the East San Diego County seasons.
The Center for Sustainable Energy has published a report that outlines how cities and counties in California can play a key role in achieving state energy efficiency goals and greenhouse gas emission reductions by working toward zero net energy (ZNE) buildings and homes.
CSE is accepting applications for the next session of its highly regarded GETUP Energy Upgrade Career Training to be held October 6-23 in San Diego.
The training is geared toward those who want a career conducting home energy audits or installing energy efficiency upgrades such as insulation, air sealing or HVAC systems. Class sizes are limited to enable personal, hands-on instruction. Graduates are connected with local home performance contractors for 40-hour paid internships to jump-start their careers.
Homeowners in the SDG&E territory have a short time left to take advantage of $400 rebates for home energy ratings.
Demand for home energy raters in California increased in July 2014. That’s when the state implemented an updated version of its building energy efficiency standards, enforcing stricter requirements for third-party testing and verification of home energy performance.
When Qualcomm Incorporated, decided to take greater control of energy consumption at its San Diego locations, the technology selected was combined heat and power (CHP) gas turbines, among the most efficient energy sources available because in producing electricity it also provides thermal energy.
An innovative financing method is helping thousands of homeowners across San Diego County to lower their utility bills by installing solar panels, insulation and high-efficiency heating and cooling systems. Their home improvement projects became affordable by using a loan program called PACE, for property assessed clean energy.
As Southern California experiences record-breaking heat, many families are looking for ways to keep their homes cool without breaking the bank. CCSE’s Home Energy Coaches offer the following tips, some of which can be done right away.
When Chris Branson bought his first home, a 1966-built house in the University City neighborhood of San Diego, he was eager to start remodeling and making improvements. His biggest concerns were the furnace, sliding doors and windows.
"The lights would dim when the furnace was operating and it was too noisy," said Chris. "The doors and windows were not safe and secure, and depending on the weather, you could feel the radiant heat or cold air coming through the windows."
Eliot and Ashley Metzger started researching energy efficiency programs before they even moved into their Scripps Ranch house. It turned out to be time well spent. During their first winter in the 1970-built home, the furnace cycled on multiple times each night and the bedrooms fluctuated between too cold and too hot.
CSE staff are presenting topics that represent our role as leaders in sustainable energy market transformation at the Behavior, Energy and Climate Change (BECC) Conference, Oct. 18-21, 2015, Hyatt Regency Sacramento. Our experts will be sharing:
As the sizzling days of summer persist into the fall, business owners and property managers throughout Southern California continue seeking ways to reduce escalating electricity costs for air-conditioning and refrigeration while utilities struggle to meet the region’s increasing cooling demands.
The San Diego Foundation has granted $42,000 to the Center for Sustainable Energy for expanding a program that provides one-on-one home energy advising as part of the foundation’s “Building Regional Resilience” program that addresses climate issues in partnership with the San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative.
