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Thomas Peterson

SEE (SUPER ENERGY EFFICIENT) HOUSING for Existing & New Homes

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SEE (SUPER ENERGY EFFICIENT) HOUSING for Existing & New Homes

Learn and share what SEE housing is all about, and how it goes far beyond most “energy efficient housing” being built in the U.S. today. Importantly, the concepts behind SEE housing can be easily applied to existing/older as well as new homes.

Location: Windham, Maine
Members: 84
Latest Activity: Jan 16

SEE (SUPER ENERGY EFFICIENT) HOUSING

The purpose of this group is to introduce and explain the concept of SEE (Super Energy Efficient) housing. Such homes go way beyond the National Building Code recommended insulation standards (that vary for different zones in the U.S.) They are also at the extreme end of energy efficiency, as supported by the Energy Star Housing Program. SEE standards can easily be adapted for new construction as well as for renovating older existing homes. Virtually every home in the U.S. can become an SEE home. Just imagine, that if a new SEE home uses 75+% less energy for space heating than a new commonly built energy efficient home today, how much improvement can be achieved for an older less energy efficient home. Our homes and offices use 40% of the total energy consumed in the U.S. Adopting this single concept alone, can conservatively cut total U.S. energy use by more than 20% - - TWENTY PERCENT. This is ten times more than the limited potential of any new Alaskan oil fields and can begin producing energy savings within a matter of months - - energy savings that will never run out over time.

SEE housing has many compelling reasons why it will not be a choice, but a requirement for all housing - - both new & existing. They are also a good investment for one’s personal economic future. Find out about SEE housing and you will be sold on its concept & value. Then, find ways to help us promote the idea to friends and beyond!

The advantages of SEE housing are broad and will benefit everyone in some fashion. Individual buyers/owners of SEE homes & buildings will find they have a lower cost of ownership (principal/interest/taxes - - plus energy costs) than if they had the same home as a non-SEE structure - - ever more so as energy prices rise. Also, the value of their housing will surely rise faster than non-SEE housing.

The rest of us will all benefit from 1) less pollution, 2) lower energy costs, as less energy use will mean lower prices, and 3) a much sounder U.S. economy - - in the short-term as well as long-term. In fact, converting older housing to SEE standards will begin a whole new industry in the U.S. - - SEE remodeling. As such, it will get our housing industry back on line and build up our manufacturing base - - an area of the U.S. economy that has constantly been exported. Converting to SEE housing will add well-paying “non-exportable“ jobs to the construction, distribution, and manufacturing sectors. These jobs will be spread evenly throughout the U.S., wherever there are homes and businesses. This will bolster the U.S. economy, as the effect of every dollar added to the U.S. economy is multiplied by a factor of 10. Also, people not spending money on energy will mean they can buy in other areas of our economy - - saving/adding jobs. The result of all this will add to Federal Income Tax revenues - - again benefiting us all.

The next question of any doubters is who will pay for the conversion to SEE housing? Well, the “smart” home or building owner of course! They will initially pay a higher mortgage payment on their SEE home, but they will be more than reimbursed for those costs by their energy savings plus mortgage tax advantages. Bottom line, money not spent on energy will pay for SEE housing, while also improving our environment andkeeping energy costs down, and have a dramatic effect on improving our short-term & long-term economic outlook.

I am proposing SEE as a MAJOR, YET SIMPLE SOLUTION to many of the problems now facing our country. What now needs to happen is to get this information out to those within our society that can really help to get this concept going. We need to get politicians on board (from the Federal to the State level), add the concept of SEE to organizational efforts like the Picken’s Plan, and get each and everyone of us to understand and convince others of the value of SEE housing. All I ask of each and every one of you, that understand what I have proposed, is please help in any way that you can to promote SEE for all of our sakes?

I will periodically add to this site much more detailed support for all that I have briefly touched upon here. WELCOME ABOARD THIS INFORMATION TRAIN !


Discussion Forum

Thomas Peterson

SEE (SUPER ENERGY EFFICIENT) HOUSING - Author Biography 2 Replies

Started by Thomas Peterson. Last reply by Mike Anthony Fernald Sr. Jan 16.

Mark J Warren

WHOLE-HOUSE ENERGY CHECKLIST - 50 Steps to Energy Efficiency in the Home 3 Replies

Started by Mark J Warren. Last reply by Anachronism Dec. 1, 2009.

Thomas Peterson

SEE (SUPER ENERGY EFFICIENT) HOUSING - Chapter One 9 Replies

Started by Thomas Peterson. Last reply by Anachronism Dec. 1, 2009.

Monte Smith

TOOLS, MATERIALS, RESOURCES, LINKS, DEFINITIONS, ETC. 19 Replies

Started by Monte Smith. Last reply by Anachronism Sep. 12, 2009.

Monte Smith

Mocking Up the ideal home 27 Replies

Started by Monte Smith. Last reply by Anachronism Sep. 12, 2009.

James Everitt

National Clean Energy Project: Building the New Economy 3 Replies

Started by James Everitt. Last reply by James Everitt Feb. 28, 2009.

Thomas Peterson

How would you handle this? 1 Reply

Started by Thomas Peterson. Last reply by Allen R. Gale Feb. 24, 2009.

Jerome S. Dodge

A catalog of alternatives 5 Replies

Started by Jerome S. Dodge. Last reply by Jerome S. Dodge Feb. 21, 2009.

Fred Mars

Mandating SEE Building Standards For All New Construction 12 Replies

Started by Fred Mars. Last reply by Earl the Energy Explorer Feb. 7, 2009.

Comment Wall

Comment

You need to be a member of SEE (SUPER ENERGY EFFICIENT) HOUSING for Existing & New Homes to add comments!

Mike Anthony Fernald Sr. Comment by Mike Anthony Fernald Sr. on January 16, 2010 at 4:53am
Now thats a great Idea James.
Tom Bailey Comment by Tom Bailey on January 16, 2010 at 3:53am
The latest petition " Energy indepenence now petition" is a new one we all need to sign.

Please take a second to do it.
Thanks for all you are doing as the labor continues!

Best; Tom
James Everitt Comment by James Everitt on December 17, 2009 at 12:09pm


S.A.F.E. Fencing System

This unique invention combines the functionality of a perimeter fencing system with a unique solar panel system built right into the fence’s upper shell. As the sun rises and sets, the solar panels in the fence collect the sun’s rays and transforms them into free, clean, renewable energy which is then inverted into the electric meter of the home or office building. This system reduces the electric bill and helps eliminate the public’s dependence on carbon based fuels.

A fence that protects your property, the environment, and your wallet!

WATCH VIDEO: S.A.F.E. Energy Fencing System

New Jersey – EarthSure, a renewable energy company and innovator in alternative energy sources announces the latest patent-pending renewable energy invention. Solar Alternative Functioning Energy (S.A.F.E.) Fencing System, is an earth-friendly fencing configuration made out of recycled PVC that not only protects the owner’s property, it also collects the sun’s rays and transforms them into renewable energy!

This unique invention combines the functionality of a perimeter fencing system with a unique solar panel system built inside to conceal the inner walls of the fence. As the sun rises, the sunlight is collected by a series of optical lenses that transmit the light to solar panels which is then transformed into free, clean, renewable energy. This is then inverted into the electric meter of the home, office, or commercial building. This system reduces the electric bill and helps eliminate the public’s dependence on carbon based fuels.

Manufacturers of the S.A.F.E. fence say that the cost of the fence and installation in time will pay for itself. It is the only fence of its kind to offer a return on investment by saving money on the owner’s electric bill. As an added bonus, the purchase and installation can be subsidized by the government anywhere from 30% and up to 50% in some states. Solar energy users can also receive RECs (renewable energy credits) based on how much energy it produces at that location.

Another benefit of the system is that, unlike bulky and unsightly solar panels, this solar energy fencing system is an attractive unit, one that adds beauty and protection to the property, all while reducing our carbon footprint by creating clean, green energy. Earthsure predicts that with all of the benefits of this new fencing system including the look and functionality as well as the earth-saving benefits will convince the public to protect their property and the world with S.A.F.E. Fencing System.

About Earth-Sure:
EarthSure Renewable Energy Corp. is an American corporation innovating technologies to produce energy in a clean and affordable way. Utilizing solar and wind power as a source of renewable energy, EarthSure systems are alternatives to conventional energy producing methods that result in carbon emissions.

Ray Saluccio, an accomplished inventor and entrepreneur founded EarthSure Renewable Energy Corp. in order to market and develop the systems he designs and to bring solar energy production to the masses, easily and affordably.

EarthSure’s goal is to offer a cost-effective way for all individuals and businesses to use Green Energy, regardless of size or industry. They are on the cutting edge of compliance with America's Green Initiatives as they relate to the energy and environmental provisions in the Stimulus Plan. For more information about S.A.F.E. fencing system and the many other innovative developments in solar and wind power created by EarthSure, visit their website at S.A.F.E. Fencing System

WATCH VIDEO: S.A.F.E. Energy Fencing System



Find more videos like this on PickensPlan
Robert Schultz Comment by Robert Schultz on August 3, 2009 at 1:03pm
Take the Energy Star Pledge
By Alison Rogers - Mother Earth News

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is teaming up with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and parent-teacher organizations to train the next generation of eco-conscious citizens. Through the EPA’s Change the World, Start with Energy Star campaign, the groups will focus on teaching kids about global warming.

As part of the program, kids and their families will learn how to save energy by taking the Energy Star pledge, which includes switching to energy-efficient lighting, fully insulating homes, replacing energy hogs with more energy-efficient appliances and other home energy saving tips. Already, more than 2 million Americans have taken the pledge. According to Energy Star, if every American household followed suit, we would save $18 billion in annual energy costs.

Continue reading about the campaign at Energy Star's Change the World webpage.

"Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR" is a national campaign encouraging all Americans to join with millions of others and take small, individual steps that make a big difference in the fight against global warming.


Take the ENERGY STAR Pledge
Kevin Espeseth Comment by Kevin Espeseth on July 16, 2009 at 6:03pm
Ya, well try turning a home from a "record player"; that you have to keep buying "records" for (from the utility companies, the insurance company, the mortgage company) -each month-, to a machine that can MAKE money for the family, instead, and see how far you get.
Robert Schultz Comment by Robert Schultz on July 15, 2009 at 3:58pm
States awash in stimulus money to weatherize homes
By PHILLIP RAWLS, Associated Press Writer Phillip Rawls, Associated Press July 15,2009

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Ready or not, states are getting a tenfold boost in federal money to weatherize drafty homes, an increase so huge it has raised fears of waste and fraud and set off a scramble to find workers and houses for them to repair.

An obscure program that installs insulation in homes and makes them more energy-efficient is distributing $4.7 billion in stimulus funds — dwarfing the $447 million originally planned by Congress this year and the $227 million spent in 2008.

That is enough to weatherize 1 million homes, instead of the 140,000 normally done each year.

President Barack Obama said pouring money into the program would lower utility bills for cash-strapped families, provide jobs for construction workers idled by the housing slump, and make the nation more energy-efficient.

"You're getting a three-fer," Obama said. "That's exactly the kind of program we should be funding."

But some worry states won't be able to keep track of the money.

Leslie Paige, spokeswoman for the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, said the program is open to fraud because of the way oversight is divided. The federal government passes the money to states, then states pass it to community action agencies, and the agencies pass it to contractors who work with customers.

"It's such a Rube Goldberg operation it should be setting off alarm bells," she said.

Energy Department spokeswoman Christina Kielich defended the program, saying the federal government monitors state operations and does a thorough review at least every two years of the local organizations. In addition, states are getting their money in increments and must demonstrate quality control to get more.

The program helps low-income families take steps to reduce their home energy expenses, from caulking leaky windows to replacing heating and cooling systems. The Energy Department says 6.2 million households have benefited since it began in 1976, saving the average household about $350 a year on energy bills.

In addition to receiving an infusion of stimulus money, the program was expanded to cover families making up to twice the federal poverty level, or $44,100 for a family of four. Also, the average amount that can be spent per house was more than doubled to $6,500.

The funding for New York is going up from $20.1 million last year to $395 million. California's share is soaring from $6.3 million to $185.8 million. Virginia's is going up 23 1/2 times, from $4 million annually to $94.1 million.

"I was stunned," said Shea Hollifield, Virginia's deputy director of housing. "Spending that much money will be a challenge."

In Texas, the state's share is increasing nearly 60 times, from $5.6 million to $327 million. To spend the money efficiently and on time, state officials decided to go beyond the community organizations that normally distribute it and route $100 million to large cities.

"They have experience in administering large, complicated programs," said Gordon Anderson, spokesman for the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

States are hurrying to find qualified weatherization workers and caulk-ready homes.

Wisconsin set up weatherization "boot camps" to train workers. West Virginia used to give new workers on-the-job training but is now looking to move to classrooms and online.

Alabama plans to train home builders in how to bid for weatherization contracts. Russell Davis, vice president of the Alabama Home Builders Association, said builders who once had no interest in weatherization contracts now see them as a way to keep their crews busy.

In many states, qualified homeowners are already on waiting lists. But some states don't have enough recipients signed up.

"We are out of clients. We need clients bad," said Cade Gunnells, weatherization coordinator for three counties in central Alabama.

To help find them, states are updating Web sites about the expanded program and working with nonprofit groups, churches and the news media to get the word out. Charles Uptain, a 73-year-old retiree, had his Montgomery home repaired in the weatherized program last year. His utility bills went down by about $60 a month after workers fixed leaky windows, replaced cracked panes, re-taped air-conditioning ducts and blew in new insulation. Uptain's house required 2 1/2 days of work and slightly more than $3,000.

"This wasn't wasteful spending. This was well-spent money," Uptain said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090715/ap_on_re_us/us_stimulus_weatherizing_homes
Mark Hedtke Comment by Mark Hedtke on July 15, 2009 at 7:41am
Tom,
Here is a energy efficiency home tour that might be of interest at this link:
http://www.onlinetes.com/enews.cfm?id=1188
Your Friend,
Mark
Mike Anthony Fernald Sr. Comment by Mike Anthony Fernald Sr. on May 13, 2009 at 2:00am
Hi ya Cheryl

Its good to see you, Hope all is well with you and Family. Have you fully recoved from your accident. I hope so :O}

Thanks for signing in and all yo do .

Mike
Cheryl Shuman Comment by Cheryl Shuman on May 12, 2009 at 3:13pm
Thank you so much for inviting me to join your group! I'm looking forward to making a difference and getting to know all of you.

Kindest Personal Regards,
Cheryl Shuman
Beverly Hills, CA
Aaron Comment by Aaron on March 20, 2009 at 7:42pm
There's a great new site on the ning network for green building professionals and students...check it out: LEEDLoop.com
 

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Monte Smith Thomas Peterson Mark J Warren James Everitt Anachronism Lou De Frog greg lampert Allen R. Gale Mike Anthony Fernald Sr. Chris Lewis Earl the Energy Explorer Douglas Iredale Rex Richardson Jerome S. Dodge Bob Babcock South Dakota Wind Energy Curtis G. Briley Robert Schultz ArtByLetters™®©  Scott L'Ecuyer sharon Lee Nordling roy a. laplante III WALTER REED HealthyJourney W. Dan Chance Chris Oliver Mitch Turner Michelle Parker Bill Tucker
 
 

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