US Weatherizing has been awarded an Energy Efficiency Expansion Training Grant (EEET) from the Governor’s Energy Office based on the following proposal. Trainings will be scheduled in ten sessions during June, July, August and September. Contact info@usweatherizing.com to receive registration information.
Green Job Creation with Level 1 Air Seal Technician Training
Submitted by US Weatherizing, LLC
Brian Brainerd, Principal
303-339-0878 info(at)usweatherizing.com
Abstract
Applicant proposes a full day, Level 1 training delivered to a total of 100 new residential air-sealing technicians across Colorado. This training will stimulate green jobs, drive market transformation, and improve energy efficiency in new and existing homes. The trained air-seal technician fills a serious gap in the current energy efficiency delivery system where insulation is often installed without continuous air barrier in place. Retrofit measures that do not include air-sealing miss the lowest hanging fruit in energy conservation and CO2 reduction.
Project Narrative
Air-sealing technician is an entry-level trade with low barrier for entry and few tools required. There is currently no standard for this specific job function, so US Weatherizing has developed this technical standard based on weatherization best practices and BPI standards. This is a hands-on training to classes of 10 students. Air-sealing technician is an excellent career path into building performance contracting, including the weatherization assistance program, energy auditing, insulation contractor, deep energy retrofits and zero energy home construction. Level 1 air-sealers are also trained in Carbon Monoxide safety and CO detector installation.
A tier 1 air-seal training prepares entry level technicians to: 1) deliver prescriptive air-sealing to meet 2009 IECC air tightness standards in new construction, 2) Air-seal existing homes for energy efficiency, 3) Calculate residential ventilation requirements per ASHRAE 62.2, 4) Recognize Indoor Air Quality hazards, 5) Install Carbon Monoxide alarms, 6) Explain the benefits of air-sealing and recognize the business opportunity for Air-sealing technicians.
The current delivery mechanism for residential energy efficiency usually does not include air-sealing of the building envelope because most insulation contractors do not understand building performance issues related to air exchange, and they have not recognized the opportunity to increase sales with this value-added service in conjunction with insulation improvements. Insulation contractors have traditionally worked in a low-bid environment with poor quality control and no incentive to meet quality standards. Insulation installers are typically paid on a piece rate.
There are three strategies for delivering air-sealing for homes - 1) As a stand-alone service, 2) through an insulation contractor, or 3) in tandem with an energy audit. Of these three, coordinating air-sealing with the initial energy audit is a promising strategy to achieve market transformation in retrofit delivery. Tandem delivery of energy audit and air sealing is a core strategy behind the US Weatherizing delivery model and Boulder’s neighborhood scale retrofit program, “2 Techs & Truck.”
Coordinating the air-sealing technician with energy auditor is an exciting strategy because it delivers instant energy efficiency improvement in the neighborhood of 10% and leaves the building ready for additional efficiency measures. This eliminates the possibility that the insulation contractor will overlook the need for air-sealing, resulting in a costly missed opportunity for substantial energy conservation.
On the other hand, an air sealer directed by energy auditor with blower door and IR camera will deliver the highest standard of building tightness and indoor air quality.
Partnering the air-sealing technician with insulation contractor can be nearly as effective if the insulation contractor is committed to high performance building standards. In this instance, the air-sealer can install other prep work including vent baffles to ensure quality insulation work. This way, insulation contractors make a simple step forward into building performance contracting. Construction contractors are very slow to adopt new technology and standards, so an air-seal employee who is focused on building performance should help improve quality standards as his skills are expanded with blower door diagnostics, advanced ventilation standards and carbon monoxide safety.
Budget Narrative
The budget narrative is simply based on the number of students completing the training. Program design, presentation materials, exhibits and equipment is provided at US Weatherizing expense. Students, employers or local jobs agency will pay 50% of the $100 fee plus materials and the GEO EEET grant will provide the other 50% of the training fee per student. US Weatherizing will market the training class and co-brand all marketing materials with the appropriate GEO mark.
Project Tasks and Milestones:
- Develop marketing plan for target constituents - June 1, 2010
- Identify specific communities for training outside of Denver metro area - June 15, 2010
- Finalize training program and submit to GEO for comment - June 30, 2010
- Implement marketing plan and book classes - June 15, 2010
- Conduct 1 class per week from late June 2010 through Sept. 30, 2010
- Conduct exit survey of students June thru Sept., submit report October 30, 2010
Responses to General Objectives of Grant specification III A&B
- Proposal to aid 100 small, locally established energy efficiency businesses and non-profits with direct employee training to save costs and ramp up retrofit delivery skills.
- This is an employee educational opportunity made at reduced costs with balance paid by trainee, business, or local partner program.
- This proposal will directly lead to expanded business activity in energy efficient construction and retrofit
- Job creation can be spurred with 100% free training for new hires, and apprentices to the field can train prior to marketing new skills as trained air sealer technician.
- Five one day trainings will be offered in metro Denver and five regional trainings will be offered over a ten week period in May, June and July.
- US Weatherizing is a sole member LLC on a mission to deliver neighborhood scale energy efficiency retrofits. Principal Brian Brainerd is a LEED accredited Building Performance Analyst and green builder committed to efficient delivery of energy efficiency
- Priority regions across the state are served by a 50-50 split between metro Denver and regional targets, including one location in each target area B 1-4.
About Air Sealer Level 1 Protocol Training from US Weatherizing
Level 1 Air Seal Technician is an entry-level skill taught in one day. It is the first stage in professional development at three levels as described in the PATH 36 Uniform Protocol for Energy-Efficient Remodeling of Existing Housing, Published by HUD and NAHB in January 2006.
The PATH 36 Protocol is organized into three general levels of activity. Each level is more difficult than the one below it, but also provides better energy savings and other rewards. Tasks at each level will be designed to make contractors feel successful early on, so they have incentive to take the next step. As contractors master each new task and level, the information system encourages them to progress to higher-level activities.
- Level 1 addresses simple energy-efficiency strategies aimed to improve conventional remodeling approaches.
- Level 2 addresses more systematic home assessments and repairs than Level 1. Contractors at this level begin to diagnose home performance with tests, such as blower door tests.
- Level 3 information is comprehensive and addresses full-scale, whole-house energy retrofit analyses, job bids, installation and quality assurance
Each level will prepare contractors for various types of certification tests. For example, completing Level 2 is roughly equivalent to passing a BPI Core level test, the introductory level of BPI testing.
Qualifications
Brian Brainerd is the sole partner of US Weatherizing, LLC, has 20 years experience in sustainable building and is a LEED Accredited Professional, Certified Building Performance Analyst, and production scale retrofit consultant currently participating in the Boulder ClimateSmart “Two Techs and a Truck” pilot project on a team with EnergyLogic.
Level 1 Air Sealer Core Competencies
Safe Work Practices
OSHA Standards
- Ladder safety
- Fall Protection
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Respiratory protection
- Fire prevention
- Vermiculite identification
Carbon Monoxide Hazards
Mold Factors
Building Science
Fundamentals of building science
Building as a system
Air, Heat and Moisture Flow
Thermal performance and Air barriers
Indoor Air Quality Principals
Installer Skills
Working knowledge
Proper materials selection based on leakage area
Bypass identification and checklist
Minimum Ventilation Rates
2009 IECC Prescriptive Air-sealing Standards
Demonstrated Ability
Use depressurization to locate leakage sites within the building
Align Thermal barrier and Air barrier
Seal attic and floor bypasses at penetrations for plumbing, electrical wiring, flue vents, ducts, dropped soffits and balloon framed walls
Seal bypasses in knee walls and finished attic spaces and basement band joists
Safely seal around chimneys and flues with sheet metal and high temp caulk
Properly select and apply caulk and spray foam insulation
Weatherstrip attic hatch, whole-house fans and attic stairs
Install CO detector
Calculate ventilation requirements and measure exhaust fan flow
Baseload Measures
Install CFL bulbs of appropriate function, intensity and color balance
Install low-flow showerheads