PSE&G Quick Home Energy Checkup Vs. Home Energy Audit: Which is Right for You?
Lately, we’ve had more and more people asking us about the difference between PSE&G’s Quick Home Energy Check-up program and a Ciel Home Energy Audit, so we’ve put together this short piece to help you decide which one is right for you.
Congratulations! If you’ve found your way to this blog entry, then you’re already thinking about one of the most important things you can do as a homeowner: improving the efficiency of your home.
However, with the glut of information that’s out there on the subject, you might also be feeling overwhelmed, confused, or even downright immobilized regarding the best way to proceed.
In the video below, our co-founder and managing member, Scott Fischer, breaks out the offerings of each option, along with why one or the other may make more sense for you. Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll learn when you watch.
A Great Starting Point: PSE&G’s Quick Home Energy Check-up
As we often say here at Ciel, sustainability isn’t a destination, but a journey. If you’re just starting your journey by evaluating your home energy efficiency options, PSE&G’s Quick Home Energy Check-up is an excellent place to begin.
When you take advantage of this program, you’ll get a free customized report containing recommendations for reducing your household energy use. You’ll also gain access to complimentary upgrades, as well as information about PSE&G incentive programs which can offset the costs of the upgrades you choose to make.
Speaking of incentive programs, today's most comprehensive incentive initiative is the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program. A collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, it offers many benefits, including extensive cash-back incentives of up to $5,000 as well as a $15,000 on-bill repayment component for PSE&G customers.
These incentives are so significant that homeowners can end up with little to no upfront costs. That's where a more intensive Ciel Home Energy Audit comes in.
Maximize Your Energy Efficiency Efforts with a Ciel Home Energy Audit
When it comes to making the most of Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program incentives, a Ciel Home Energy Audit offers a powerful partnership.
Following a thorough examination of your home, you’ll receive a thorough report on your home’s efficiency. Your personalized Ciel Home Energy Audit report will detail the specific upgrades you can make and how much you’ll save by making them, along with pricing for each upgrade and a breakdown of the incentive money that’s available to you.
There's No Better Time Than Now
More than a million people across the country have participated in the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program. New Jersey is a leader when it comes to the benefits of joining them.
And there’s even more good news on this front. Whether you take the very first step of understanding your options with PSE&G’s Quick Home Energy Check-up or you’re ready to accelerate your journey with a Ciel Home Energy Audit detailing exactly what you need to do to optimize your home efficiency improvements (and your savings), you'll be on your way.
We’d be delighted to join you on your journey. To learn more about the difference between PSE&G’s Quick Home Energy Check-up and a Ciel Home Energy Audit, watch the video. Then, email us at info@cielpower.com to let us know how we can help you reach your home energy efficiency goals.
How to Save on Air Conditioning Costs This Summer; Ciel Weighs In On ABC’s Good Morning America
Rising temps and soaring inflation are adding up to a less-than-ideal outcome for homeowners looking to stay cool this summer: Higher utility bills. In fact, you may be paying as much as 16.2 percent more on your air conditioning bills in 2022 than you did in 2021.
The good news? There are some things you can do to keep costs low this summer.
When Good Morning America ran a recent segment on soaring air conditioning costs, they checked in with Ciel team leader Scott Fischer for insights into the situation. Conserving energy and saving money happen to be two of the things we do best here at Ciel, and we were delighted to tag in.
How can you deal with weaknesses in your home’s energy efficiency if you don’t know what they are? That’s why the best first step toward improving your home’s energy efficiency is performing an energy audit.
A Ciel energy audit not only hones in on places where your home is losing or wasting energy, but also provides you with a specific list of recommendations for energy efficient upgrades and improvements. Whether you do them piecemeal or in one fell swoop, you CAN make a difference—both this summer and moving forward.
Small Changes Add Up
While an energy audit is the most powerful and proactive move you can take as a homeowner, there are also some changes you can make RIGHT NOW to lower your bills—starting with turning your thermostat up 7-10 degrees for 8 hours a day. With this one change, you can trim as much as 10 percent off your annual cooling costs.
Other strategies for saving on AC include using a fan and closing windows and blinds during the day when temperatures spike. Have window cooling units? Make the most of them by isolating specific areas of your home that you want to keep cool.
Of course, cooling costs are just the start. The GMA segment also shares other strategies for conserving energy, including unplugging devices you aren’t using, air drying your dishes, and lowering the temperature on your hot water heater.
With gas and grocery prices also skyrocketing, it pays to keep costs low where you can. Watch the GMA segment here to learn more about how to stay cool this summer—both when you’re relaxing at home….and when you’re opening your utility bills.
One Homeowner's Experience with PSE&G's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Energy Efficiency Incentive Program
Wondering whether PSE&G’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® energy efficiency incentive program is right for you?
Homeowner and Ciel client Dennis Wilson weighs in with his experiences and insights after participating in PSE&G’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR energy efficiency incentive program — the New Jersey Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program.
While participating in the program, Dennis underwent a home energy audit, installed energy-efficient upgrades in his home, and received both the cash-back and on-bill repayment options available through PSE&G.
Ciel customer Dennis W. describes his recent participation in New Jersey’s energy efficiency program.
Dennis W. lowers household energy use by installing energy-efficient home improvements through New Jersey’s energy efficiency program.
New Jersey homeowners have a lot of things to think about. Attic insulation may not always be atop that list.
This was the case for Dennis Wilson—until one day, he looked around his attic and noticed that it had very little visible insulation compared to what he’d seen in other homes.
He also knew this meant costly air leaks and energy loss.
Dennis’s discovery prompted him to look into the various energy efficiency programs available to New Jersey residents, specifically the incentives available for air sealing and other energy conservation upgrades available to residential customers through the State of New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities for New Jersey residents.
His findings led him to us.
The Many Advantages of a Ciel Home Energy Audit
Our team was delighted to talk to Dennis about the energy efficiency of his 50+-year-old home, along with potential upgrades to minimize energy losses and maximize efficiency. As a first step towards participating in New Jersey’s energy efficiency program, Dennis signed on for a CIEL Home Energy Audit to identify specific areas of concern, along with strategies for addressing them.
In addition to reducing his family’s carbon footprint with a Ciel Home Energy Audit, Dennis was positioning his family for some serious financial savings available through New Jersey’s energy efficiency incentive programs both in the form of:
lower energy bills
AND
financial incentives through the 2022 New Jersey Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program.
Partnership Toward a More Efficient and Comfortable Home
In the video, Dennis weighs in on his experiences working with CIEL. One theme that emerges? The partnership aspect of the process. From the initial conversation to follow-up testing, we’ll work with you to ensure your questions and concerns are addressed.
After our initial testing, we provided Dennis with a report capturing the recommended steps. Only when Dennis was fully satisfied that the recommended upgrades and outcomes would be a good investment did the project move forward. And because he was working from home then, Dennis had a front-row seat to watch while these upgrades were being installed in his home.
If you’ve been wondering how to improve your home’s energy efficiency, and/or questioning whether a home energy audit is right for you, and if your utility company offers incentives, there’s no one better to hear from than a homeowner like Dennis Wilson, who’s just been through the process himself.
Soaring Energy Prices Drive Up Heating Costs | ABC World News Tonight
If you’ve seen your heating bills skyrocket this winter, you’re not alone. The combination of plunging temperatures and soaring inflation has led to a literal “perfect storm” of factors contributing to the issue. Add in the real storm that pummeled the Northeast in late January, and many homeowners are finding themselves with unexpected and crippling utility costs.
At Ciel Power LLC, we’re all about helping today’s homeowners live more comfortably and affordably in their homes through energy-efficient upgrades. That’s why ABC World News Tonight came to us when they ran a story on the phenomenon.
Here’s a closer look at the situation, along with Ciel co-founder Scott Fischer’s advice for homeowners looking for relief.
Escalating Heating Bills
Heating system types have been affected to varying degrees. Households with natural gas are seeing an average 30 percent increase in their heating bills, while households relying on electricity are seeing an average increase of 6 percent. Households dependent on heating oil and propane are seeing even more dramatic increases at 43 percent and 54 percent, respectively.
While the numbers are different, the theme is the same: Heating costs are rising for everyone. The good news? There are things you can do to stop the bleed.
Ciel Power Weighs In
As an energy efficiency expert, Scott knows a thing or two about heating and cooling costs. In the report, he weighs in with a top tip for weathering this storm: Signing up for Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®.
This national partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency helps contractors and energy programs deliver meaningful home energy upgrades. Participation gives homeowners access to a comprehensive home evaluation, recommendations for upgrades, access to a network of trained and qualified contractors, and cashback to improve your home’s energy efficiency. It’s a win-win.
And you don’t necessarily have to make big changes, either. Says Fischer, “A tube of calk and some weather stripping goes a long way.” In fact, it can help your home retain up to 10 percent more heat.
We’re big believers in the adage, “A little goes a long way,” here at Ciel Power LLC. And you can do “a little” right now by watching the ABC World News report below. In less than two minutes, you’ll learn how to start moving in the direction of a safer, healthier, and more energy-efficient home.
Click the video above to watch.
Charged Up; Why One Business Owner Switched to Electric Vehicles
Can businesses gain an advantage with electric vehicles? A look at how electric vehicles impacted the maintenance, marketing, recruiting, and customer engagement strategies of our company.
Thanks to NJBIZ for including the piece in today's edition, and a special thanks to Environment New Jersey and the New Jersey Sustainable Business Council for exploring the conversation in their recent webinar series.
(Must be a NJBIZ subscriber to view the full piece)
There are So Many Reasons We Feel Good About the Newest Addition to our Home Energy Audit Fleet
Tesla. Mere mention of the word evokes thoughts of innovation and progress. Having owned and driven our Tesla Model 3 as part of our home energy audit fleet of vehicles for a year now, we’re here to tell you: It’s a sweet ride with an even sweeter impact on the planet.
Ciel purchased its first Tesla Model 3 just over one year ago. The Tesla Model 3 is the first electric vehicle added to Ciel’s Home Energy Audit fleet of vehicles.
The Benefits of Going Electric
Electric cars have come a long way, baby. And while the technology is always advancing, we've reached a point where the environmental benefits of driving an electric car far outweigh any potential downsides.
The primary reason to switch to an electric car is its impact on the environment. Because they don’t use exhaust systems, electric cars have no emissions. This means that unlike gas engines, they don’t pump fumes into the air. This facilitates fewer greenhouse gasses and cleaner air.
Additionally, electricity is a renewable resource when powered with solar, wind and water, whereas gasoline is not renewable because it’s created using oil.
And while you may pay a bit more upfront for an electric car, you can also look forward to savings over the course of its lifetime -- both in terms of running cost and maintenance. According to Car and Driver, electric cars cost about a third as much to run as gas-powered cars. Plus, oil changes are a thing of the past with electric cars, as are other typical maintenance and repairs you’d find with traditional gas engines. You can even look forward to fewer brake replacements with an electric car.
New Jersey’s recent introduction of a $5,000 rebate toward the purchase or lease of an electric vehicle helps to further lower the cost of ownership for New Jersey households.
Sharing the Tesla Love
Talking about the benefits of owning and driving a Tesla are one thing. Actually experiencing them for yourself is another. As a Tesla owner, we can happily attest to the fact that the Model 3 is everything we hoped it would be and more.
One major difference we’ve noticed is that the Model 3 is significantly quieter than its gas counterparts. In fact, some electric car models actually add engine sounds to give the driver the feel of a traditional engine! For us, however, the silence is bliss -- especially in our “white noise” world.
The Tesla Model 3 also accelerates like a charm, and is remarkably spacious. we also love its sleek contemporary feel. And then there’s the fact that it continually gains new and enhanced features thanks to regular over-the-air software updates. we just open the “Software” tab on the touchscreen, and are notified of any new updates with the option to install immediately or schedule for later.
Buying a new car is a big decision and a major investment. When you decide to purchase an electric car, you’re not just investing in your own financial wellness and quality of life, but also in the wellbeing of the planet -- and we can't think of a better investment than that.
If you’re still on the fence about whether a Tesla Model 3 or other electric car is right for you, a rebate or tax credit may be just what you need to make the leap. Go here to check out state-specific incentives aimed at getting more drivers behind the wheel of eco-friendly electric vehicles.
Ciel Home Energy Audit Program Yields 1,000 Trees!
In 2018, Ciel Power committed to planting one tree each time the company performed a home energy audit. This August, Ciel crossed a significant milestone with its home energy audit tree-planting program, planting more than 1,000 trees since the inception of this program two years earlier.
Every day, we wake up in the morning and come to work examining people’s homes to see how we can make them more comfortable and energy-efficient. Most days, we repeat the process several times each day.
Our routine is so habitual that sometimes we hardly even think about it — let alone ponder the impact it may have on the planet. And yet if you’re out driving around to people’s homes each day, you’re adding to the burden on the environment every time you show up for an appointment. Why? Because we’re visiting so many places each week, consuming energy through the equipment and vehicles that help us do our jobs.
While there’s a pretty compelling case for planting trees, the question remains: would a few trees a day add up to meaningful change? Fast-forward two years and our membership with TreeEra has resulted in the planting of more than 1,000 new trees. When you look at it this way, what initially seemed like a very small impact has escalated into a pretty significant one -- taking us further off the sidelines in reducing our individual carbon footprint and in the much greater fight against climate change.
Ciel Power Home Energy Audits and Upgrades Featured In New York Times Article
Cold Comfort by Jen A. Miller
Is your home ready for the first deep freeze? As the winds gear up and winter’s icy fingers beckon, a home-energy audit could help.
Ciel Energy Expert Shares Home Heating Tips On ABC World News Tonight with David Muir
Colder temperatures have arrived in the northeast, and Ciel Energy Expert, Scott Fischer, joins ABC News Chief Business, Technology, and Economics Correspondent, Rebecca Jarvis on a Ciel Home Energy Audit underway at the home of Kathryn Timpson in Summit, New Jersey.
Colder temperatures have arrived in the northeast, and Ciel Energy Expert, Scott Fischer, joins ABC News Chief Business, Technology, and Economics Correspondent, Rebecca Jarvis on a Ciel Home Energy Audit underway at the home of Kathryn Timpson in Summit, New Jersey.
In this segment, Ciel uncovers three ways to lower the Timpson family’s energy bills. Recommendations include adding insulated window treatments, installing a learning thermostat with wireless remote sensors, and adding insulation to the garage ceiling to improve comfort in the room above the garage.
Click here to watch the video.
Princeton University Hosts New Jersey Climate Policy Forum
A student led New Jersey Climate Policy Forum took place this weekend at Princeton University to answer the question; “what policies should New Jersey pass in the next 10 years in order to achieve its 2050 emissions goals?”
A student-led New Jersey Climate Policy Forum took place this weekend at Princeton University to answer the question; “what policies should New Jersey pass in the next 10 years to achieve its 2050 emissions goals?”
The forum, hosted by Princeton University, and organized by The Princeton Student Climate Initiative, sought to understand the perspectives of a diverse group of stakeholders on eight different topics, including; long-term emission reductions, transportation, buildings, economic transition, coastal resiliency, and solid waste. Invited guests included representatives of sustainability groups, academia, labor, business, energy, government, and environmental justice sectors.
The forum is intended to be used as a launchpad for the creation of a summary report designed to help policymakers charged with formulating New Jersey’s 2019 Energy Master Plan, a strategic vision for the production, distribution, consumption, and conservation of energy in the State of New Jersey.
Ciel Power LLC Managing Member, Scott Fischer, joined the “Buildings” Round Table discussion, one of eight parallel discussions taking place at the full-day event. Other invited stakeholders on the “Buildings” panel included Brandon Castro, Work Environment Council; Julianne Cort, The Climate Mobilization; Senator Linda Greenstein, Molly Jones, Sustainable Princeton, and Trina Mallik, The Nature Conservancy.
The summit was organized, moderated, and attended entirely by students.
The Princeton Student Climate Initiative, a student group with the Pace Center for Civic Engagement at Princeton University, hosted the event in collaboration with NJPIRG Student Chapters, Princeton Citizen Scientists, Rutgers Students for Environmental Awareness, Science Policy and Advocacy at Rutgers, Chi Epsilon NJIT Chapter, Stockton Echoing Climate Optimism, and West Orange Fight for Green Club.
Event sponsors included the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, the Center for Policy Research in Energy and the Environment, the Princeton University Chemical Biological and Engineering Department, the Princeton University Chemistry Department, the Graduate School Government Events Board, the High Meadows Foundation Sustainability Fund, the Keller Center, and the Pace Center for Civic Engagement, the Princeton Environmental Institute.
Reducing New Jersey's Energy Consumption and Emissions | 2019 Energy Master Plan
Scott Fischer, Managing Member of Ciel Power LLC joined with Richard Lawton, Executive Director of the New Jersey Sustainable Business Council to offer insight to the committee.
To achieve the Governor’s ambitious energy goals, the Energy Master Plan Committee is organized into five work groups. The Reducing Energy Consumption Forum took place on September 14th, 2018 at the New Jersey Statehouse and was led Sara Bluhm, Business Ombudsman for the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.
With Executive Order 28, Governor Phil Murphy put New Jersey on a path to 50% renewable energy by 2030, and 100% renewable energy by 2050. Reducing energy consumption and emissions while maintaining efficiency and affordability will also be an integral part of New Jersey’s 2019 Energy Master Plan.
In preparation for this transition, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities announced a series of five public hearings to gather information in key areas;
Clean and Renewable Energy
Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure
Reducing Energy Consumption
Clean and Reliable Transportation
Building a Modern Grid.
The public hearings bring stakeholders and citizens together to put New Jersey on track to meet these goals.
On Friday, September 14th, 2018, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities hosted the Energy Efficiency Stakeholder Meeting at the State House Annex in Trenton, New Jersey.
Scott Fischer, Managing Member of Ciel Power LLC joined with Richard Lawton, Executive Director of the New Jersey Sustainable Business Council to offer insight to the committee.
Our own Scott Fischer, Managing Member of Ciel Power LLC, joins Richard Lawton, Executive Director of the New Jersey Business Council, at the Reducing Energy Consumption Energy Master Plan Stakeholder Forum on September 14th, 2018 in Trenton, New Jersey.
New Jersey Home Performance with Energy Star; Simple Steps to Lower Energy Use
In case you missed it, the conversation was in full swing at CivicStory's Ecology & Economy: Can New Jersey Lead In Renewable Energy forum in Summit, New Jersey. Sustainability experts like Richard Dovey, President of the Atlantic County Utilities Authority and Chair of Sustainable Jersey, Laura Stern, Co-Founder & President,Nautilus Solar Energy, and Claire Cummins, a newly minted sustainability expert with a Masters Degree in Sustainability Management from Columbia University, captivated the audience with their perspectives on New Jersey's ability to lead in the area of renewable energy.
In this excerpt, Scott Fischer, Co-Founder and Managing Member of Ciel Power shares information about New Jersey Clean Energy's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program. The incentive program, administered by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, offers cash-back and financing incentives to New Jersey homeowners for installing energy efficiency upgrades.
Why Is My House Cold? Ciel's Own Scott Fischer Shares Tips for the Snowpocalypse
The freakish frost sprawling up the eastern seaboard for the past several weeks has household energy bills spiking as home heating systems work overtime to keep up with temperatures well below the freezing mark.
Today, Rebecca Jarvis, host of ABC World News Tonight's Your Money brings together energy efficiency experts from across the country to examine ways to lower winter electric bills.. Our own Scott Fischer joined the conversation from his home in Nutley, New Jersey.
How Can I Lower My Heating Bill?
The freakishly cold temperatures being foretasted for New Jersey have homeowners scrambling to protect their homes against frigid temperatures, elevated energy costs, and comfort issues inherent in older New Jersey homes.
With sub-zero temperatures and "bomb cyclones", the voracious combination of below-zero temperatures, hurricane-force winds, and nearly foot of snow that slammed New Jersey earlier this year, Scott Fischer, Managing Member of Ciel reconnected with Rebecca Jarvis, host of ABC World News Tonight's Your Money to examine ways to save money on winter heating bills.
If you haven't prepared your home for colder weather, there are some smart, even scientifically-backed stay-warm tips to note. In this segment, we caught up with the Friedman's of Ridgewood NJ nearly a year after their Ciel Home Energy Audit. The home energy audit performed on their older Ridgewood, New Jersey home uncovered a number of upgrade opportunities including insulation, air-sealing, and weatherstripping.
5 tips to reduce your heating bill this winter
As an arctic chill grips much of the country, home heating costs are soaring. The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts they could spike as much as 32 percent this winter. That could increase even more if temperatures continue to drop below the current forecast. So how can consumers save...
'Realizing Tomorrow's Potential' A Look Back On Our 2017 New Jersey League of Municipalities Conference
The New Jersey League of Municipalities Conference is where state leaders and local officials from across New Jersey's 565 municipalities and 21 counties gather to discuss the year ahead.
The annual affair, which this year features the theme “Realizing Tomorrow's Potential,” invites guests of the event to “learn as much as they can” with three days of breakout sessions on topics ranging from cyber-security to pension and heath benefit reform.
Sustainable Jersey
This year's event featured a number of breakout sessions hosted by Sustainable Jersey, a nonprofit organization that plays an important role in fulfilling New Jersey's sustainability goals.
With 89% of New Jersey's population living in a Sustainable Jersey certified municipality, the organization encourages communities to pursue sustainability programs in an effort to reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and improve environmental equality.
There's a financial and recognition component woven in, too, as actions taken by a municipality are tracked, tallied, and submitted for points towards bronze, silver or gold certifications and access to grants and financial incentives to support other sustainability projects.
Who Was There & What Was The Agenda?
The guest list was stacked with elected officials as a mix of Mayors and Council Members came together with employees of cities, states, towns, and boroughs for three days of intensive meetings, workshops and networking events.
On the third day of the event, guests made their way to a corner of the fourth-floor meeting space at the Atlantic City Convention Center where Sustainable Jersey hosted a breakout session focused on ways to conduct effective outreach of energy efficiency programs.
Our Session
Summit Mayor Nora Radest presided over the session and was one of several panelists who underwent a Ciel Home Energy Assessment. Summit-based Hometowne TV lent its efforts to the Mayor's home energy audit with coverage of the event on the inaugural episode of “See You Around Town.”
Panelists
Beth Lovejoy, Chairperson of the Summit Environmental Commission and Christine Symington, Program Director of Sustainable Princeton joined the group of panelists to discuss the City of Summit's Home Energy Insight Program and Princeton's EnergySmart Homes program.
Michael Thulen from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Tony O'Donnell, an Economist with Sustainable Jersey, and Scott Fischer, Managing Member of Ciel Power LLC rounded out the panel of speakers.
Introduction
The presentation started at 9:00 A.M. with Summit Mayor Nora Radest welcoming attendees and introducing the morning's first speaker Tony O'Donnell, an Economist at Sustainable Jersey.
Performance Statistics
O'Donnell quickly set the tone for the meeting, citing statistics that showed a 6.8 fold average increase in household participation in New Jersey's Home Performance with Energy Star Incentive program for municipalities that engaged the Sustainable Jersey Home Performance with Energy Star Municipal Program Action Item.
To obtain these numbers, Sustainable Jersey compared NJHPwES participation rates for two years leading up to the launch of the municipal outreach program against participation rates that occurring while the municipal energy efficiency outreach campaign was underway.
The specific municipalities included Glen Rock, Highland Park, Millburn, Princeton, Watchung, and Woodbridge, New Jersey, each current or former outreach programs administered by Ciel Power LLC.
Ours & Other NJ Clean Energy Incentive Programs
Michael Thulen, ESIP Coordinator for the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities addressed the crowd next offering an overview of the wide assortment of energy efficiency incentive programs available through New Jersey's Clean Energy program including:
Home Performance with Energy Star
COOL Advantage
WARM Advantage
Residential New Construction
Comfort Partners
New Jersey Smart Start Buildings
Local Government Energy Audit
Pay for Performance
Direct Install
Combined Heat & Power
SREC Registration Program (SRP)
Utility Financing Program
Summit
Shortly after Mike's remarks, Beth Lovejoy, Chairperson of Summit's Environmental Commission, and Scott Fischer, Managing Member of Ciel Power LLC recounted their efforts behind the creation of Summit's Home Energy Insight program, a residential energy efficiency outreach program designed to promote awareness and participation in New Jersey's Home Performance with Energy Star program.
Program Benefits:
A single, vetted, municipally-endorsed provider
A highly-discounted rate for home energy audits
Comprehensive safety household safety testing
A strong likelihood of improved comfort & energy efficiency upon the completion of the project
Cash-back and financing incentives available to help offset the cost of the recommended upgrades.
A Personal Note
Beth Lovejoy interrupted her remarks for a moment saying;
"I'm taking off my Summit Environmental Chairperson hat and putting on my homeowner hat.”
to indicate that the upcoming remarks were not being offered as a representative of Summit, but rather a non-official capacity. She continued;
“My personal experience with everyone on the Ciel team was very positive. There were three rooms in my home that were always very cold during the winter.” She said, “John, my Ciel Home Energy Auditor, used blower door testing and another device that shows temperature as color [an infra-red camera] to figure out why.”
“We had Ciel install the work they recommended and these rooms have been much more comfortable since. During our project, Ciel's team arrived on-time, was very respectful of our home, and cleaned up after themselves at the end of each work day.”
Princeton
Later that morning, Christine Symington took the microphone to discuss the more than 175 home energy audits performed in Princeton as part of Sustainable Princeton's EnergySmart campaign.
More than 35 Princeton homeowners installed energy efficiency upgrades as part of this campaign.
A follow-up survey indicated the following reasons that residents of Princeton heeded the recommendations and installed upgrades:
Improve Home Comfort: 38%
Reduce Energy Use: 38%
Reduce Energy Bills 19%
Other 5%
Symington also indicated that the survey results obtained by Sustainable Princeton revealed that the incentives available through the New Jersey Home Performance with Energy Star program were an important reason for respondents to request a home energy audit and were an integral part of the program's success.
Home Energy Auditing: A Day In The Life of an Energy Auditor
It's 11 a.m. in Glen Rock, New Jersey, and John Sladky, a Ciel Power Home Energy Auditor is hard at work helping this homeowner understand why his living room and daughter's bedroom located above their garage is generally colder than the rest of the home during the winter.
On this day, during a home energy audit arranged by the homeowner as part of Glen Rock's Energy Smart Rock Homes program, our Ciel Power auditor is put to the test -- so far he's already found two pipe fittings leaking natural gas in the basement of the home and a water heater whose exhaust is not properly venting.
These green-shirted Ciel Power technicians carrying combustion analyzers, combustible gas detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and blower doors are the heart and soul of the energy audit process. In the four years since Ciel Power performed its first energy audit in New Jersey, these skilled technicians have helped Ciel Power become the official provider of Glen Rock's Energy Smart Rock Homes campaign, Greenable Woodbridge's Home Energy Assessment campaign, Highland Park's "It's In Our Power" campaign, and Sustainable Princeton's EnergySmart Homes home energy assessment campaign.
Day after day, these technicians explore homes throughout New Jersey to determine how they lose or waste energy. Doing so involves a combination of experience, book smarts, and specialized diagnostic equipment designed to help pinpoint areas of air-infiltration, poor insulation, and other deficiencies in what they call the "building envelope".
"I wanted to become a home energy auditor because I really enjoy helping people get a better understanding of how the individual systems in their home work together to form a complete system," says John Sladky, the soft-spoken 21-year-old Ciel Power Home Energy Auditor who handles many of the Ciel Power audits in Bergen County, New Jersey. "Sometimes," says Sladky, "simple adjustments or repairs can make a tremendous difference in the overall performance of a home, so I'm there to help the customer gain a better understanding of their home and most importantly, to be comfortable in their own home."
Since each home takes John up to three hours to complete, John performs two, possibly three home energy audits per day, most of them with a common dilemma: Whether it's due to poor insulation, outdated mechanical equipment, or high air-infiltration rates, these homes cost a considerable amount of money to heat and cool, and it's occupants are often uncomfortable in their home during the summer and winter months.
"Most of the homeowners I meet with are surprised to learn that up to $15,000 worth of cash and financing incentives are available to New Jersey residents through the New Jersey Home Performance with Energy Star program to upgrade the insulation, heating, air-conditioning, and hot water systems in their homes," says Sladky.
"I really need to head back to the office to get these photos uploaded," says John. "The company does not like to have customers waiting long to receive their report". Referring to the Home Energy Assessment report that Ciel Power customers receive shortly after their home energy audit.
John quickly heads back to the office to submit the eight pages of data he's collected on this home. In addition to the data collection forms, John submits over fifty standard photographs as well as infrared images taken to better understand insulation levels in the walls of these homes.
This information is passed along to Kevin, a graduate of New Jersey Institute of Technology's engineering program. Kevin oversees Ciel Power's administrative division as Ciel Power's Home Performance and Administrative Manager. Kevin's team works directly with the New Jersey Home Performance with Energy Star program and it's administrators at Conservation Services Group (CSG).
In minutes, Kevin has the data collected during the Glen Rock home energy audit entered into Real Home Analyzer, CSG's propitiatory software designed to perform energy modeling. He begins to create a custom report using easy-to-understand graphical images to communicate the results of the home energy audit to the customer.
"We've had several iterations of this report over the past several years," says Kevin. "We're continually refining and enhancing this report to provide as much information as possible, with the understanding that most of our customers aren't involved with building science on a daily basis."
Kevin is located in Ciel Power's Lyndhurst headquarters, an open "bullpen" style facility designed to encourage interaction between its auditors, engineers, operations, and customer experience managers. This open forum helps foster collaboration between John, Kevin, and the rest of the Ciel Power staff to ensure they are meeting each customer's expectation and providing the highest level of service to every customer.
While customer service has helped propel Ciel Power to the forefront of the home performance industry, the company's growth has not been without growing pains. "The past few years have seen significant expansion and growth in both the volume of home energy audits we perform and the number of energy efficiency upgrades we install." said Scott Fischer, Managing Member of Ciel Power LLC. "We've learned a lot of lessons during our relatively short tenure, and we continue to learn new ones on a daily basis."
Asked to recall a specific incident, Scott quickly pointed to an online review left by a disgruntled customer on Yelp. "That review really hit home for me," said Scott. "We completely dropped the ball with that customer, and I've made some sweeping changes to this company as a result of that review." Scott continued. "We exist as an organization to serve our customers, our community, and the state incentive program we participate in. Since the changes we've made as a result of that review, we've really connected more with our customers and I think the huge jump in the number of positive online reviews we've seen is a testament to these efforts."
As Kevin completes the customers Home Energy Assessment report, he invites Michael Mulholland, a Ciel Power Home Performance Consultant to review the upgrades being proposed for this home. As a Glen Rock resident himself and having recently completed his fiftieth Energy Smart Rock Homes presentation, Michael has become very familiar with the housing stock in Glen Rock. As it turns out, adding insulation and performing air-sealing measures throughout this home is projected to yield over 25% energy savings, qualifying this customer for a $5,000 cash-back incentive payment and a $10,000 zero interest loan through the New Jersey Home Performance with Energy Star program.
Asked whether this was an unusual occurrence, Mulholland stated: "The average home in Glen Rock is over fifty years old. The vast majority of homes in the area of Glen Rock and Ridgewood are a perfect fit for the New Jersey Home Performance with Energy Star program. These older homes are often qualifying for the top incentive tiers of the NJHPwES program, and we are seeing Bergen County residents truly excited about participating in this incentive program."
It's now early evening and Michael is leaving the office with several customer reports. Michael's two appointments scheduled for later this evening are both qualifying for $15,000 in financial incentives. It's a common occurrence with older homes and Michael is excited to share the news with these homeowners.
"Increasing the energy efficiency of an older home is a process." Mulholland continued, "With the increasing threat of climate change, the rising cost of energy, and the simple pleasure of being comfortable in your home, energy efficiency retrofits make sense to a lot of the customers that i'm meeting with."
Contact Ciel Power at 201-632-3463 or visit
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