1

Solar NeighbourhoodsContractor Update Meeting

February 4, 2009

                        

 

                   

       

                   

      

Toronto Atmospheric FundToronto Energy Efficiency OfficeToronto Environment Office

2

1. Update on Program2. EcoEnergy Home Audit3. Project Applications & Financing Option4. SDHW Building Permits & Engineering Services5. Marketing Opportunities for Solar Hot Water 6. Open Discussion

Agenda

3

What’s been going on since September?

Program Update

4

Solar Neighbourhoods Program Update

• General update• Barriers identified and addressed over the

past 6 months• Moving forward

5

I’ve got an interested customer, what do they need to do?

-or-What’s this report the homeowner gave me?

The ecoENERGY + Solar Home Audit

6

Solar Neighbourhoods and the ecoENERGY program

Solar Neighbourhoods has selected one NRCan licensed home energy assessment firm – Windfall – to be the program’s energy assessment firm

Energy Assessment Firm will undertake:1. Energy Assessment of Homes2. Solar & Hot Water Site Assessments3. Reporting on the success of project/program measures to

reduce overall energy consumption from conventional energy sources in Riverdale

7

Solar & Hot Water Site Assessment

• Windfall will provide a report to homeowner on:– Viability of solar (is it a good site and are there any concerns, i.e.

roof condition, shading)– Estimate of hot water consumption (base case)

• To be used by contractor for the RETScreen modeling– Recommendations on hot water energy reduction opportunities

• Water use reductions (i.e. low flow shower heads, lifestyle changes)• Energy use reductions (i.e. thermostat setting, heat trap, water

blanket)• Contractor can use these recommendations to quote to the

homeowner on the cost to supply/install– Estimate of hot water consumption (energy efficiency case)

• To be used by contractor for the RETScreen modeling

8

Solar Site Assessment & RetScreen

• The last section of the solar audit report will list the following information for the Contractor to use in the RetScreen analysis, which must be submitted with the Program Application Form:

RETScreen SDHW Modelling Inputs Base CaseIf Recommendations

Implemented

Hot Water Usage (litres/day): 300 256

Temperature Setting of Hot Water Tank (oC): 60 49

Hot Water System Efficiency (%): 0.46 0.70

9

10

Ready to make a sale?

Program Application & Incentive Options

11

Program Application Form

• The Contractor fills out the Program Application Form with the homeowner and submits it to the TSNI Program AdministratorReview of the Program Application Form

• The form must be filled in in its entirety, and signed by both the homeowner and contractor

• Upon approval for TSNI funding, go ahead with building permit application and installation

12

Solar Neighbourhoods Incentives

Financing• $500 rebate +• No-interest financing

on remainder of system cost

Rebate• $1,000 rebate

– Paid directly to Contractor; $1,000 is deducted from the system cost

Two Options to Homeowners:

13

Solar Neighbourhoods Loan Option

Financing Partner: EnWise Capital Corporation

1) Credit Application– Required before signing Conditional Sales Contract– Enter applicant info, checked against valid IDs (get copies)– Enter Vendor Info (that’s you)– Enter system price (roughly) for loan amount approval– Customer’s signature required to run credit check– Call EnWise to run credit check, get instant approval and

amount approved

14

Solar Neighbourhoods Loan Option

2) Conditional Sales Agreement• Price information should match TSNI Program Application• Loan term: Customer chooses – up to 10 years (120 months)

max• Payments = Loan amount / Loan term (months)• Deposit for system may be paid by homeowner, or by EnWise

(up to 30%), BUT there will be a $50 admin fee if EnWise fronts the deposit

• Customer signs front, initials loan terms on back• Attach void cheque to allow pre-authorized payments

(mandatory)

15

Becoming an EnWise Authorized Dealer

• Value-added service: use financing as a selling tool (beyond Riverdale)

• Offer your customers financing for a range of home improvement projects

• Authorized dealers will receive loan payments by courier within 2 business days

Overview of Dealer Application

16

Contract signed, ready to install?

Assistance In Getting Building Permit Approval

17

Building Permit Requirements

• See Q & As handout• See Building Code Requirements handout

18

TSNI Engineering Services Support

• TSNI has contracted with an engineering consulting firm, Sustainable Edge, to provide assistance in preparing building permit submissions

• TSNI will provide assistance to contractors to have 1 system obtain an engineer-approved set of drawings and appropriate documentation which is acceptable to Toronto Building.– Contractors pays first $200, TSNI pays engineering costs up to $1,800– Further costs would be charged by the consulting engineer directly to the

contractor

• Submission of the Product Participation Application is the first step– An initial “consult” will be arranged with the contractor and the consulting

engineer once the contractor is approved for participation to identify the support needs

19

Solar Neighbourhoods Marketing Program

• We’re here to help you market your products in ward 30!– Give us your suggestions

• Planned Marketing Materials:– Lawn signs, Door hangers, Brochures,

“Solar Neighbourhoods Eligible” logo

• Events– Workshops; contractor fair; energy

“tupperware parties”; outreach to community groups, schools, etc.

20

21

22

Solar Neighbourhoods Marketing Program

Co-op Advertising

• Solar Neighbourhoods will financially support advertising by eligible suppliers. We will pay 50% of the costs of material development, placement and/or distribution to a maximum per supplier of $500.

• Guidelines:– Material must refer to the Solar Neighbourhoods program or carry the

Solar Neighbourhoods eligible mark– Advertising must be primarily targeted to consumers in Ward 30.– All materials must be produced and distributed by June 30, 2009.– Expense receipts will be required for claiming co-op funds and must be

presented by July 31, 2009.

23

Marketing Events

• Spring into Solar Show – March 28 (tentative)– Displays and workshops

• Solar Wine and Cheese – mid March– by invite only (registered with program)– Displays and individual discussion with contractors

• Solar Pool Seminar (April)– In North York – still in planning stage

24

25

Discussion on Marketing SupportWhat can we do to assist in making

sales?

26

EXTRA SLIDES (FOLLOWING) for Q&A or FUTURE MEETINGS

27

Water Conservation Measures – An Opportunity

28

Integration of Solar & Energy Conservation Initiatives

• City of Toronto has a limit of 8-year paybacks on all energy projects– Yet we are installing a number of products (such as solar) that have 10-16 year

paybacks– Trick is to combine multiple initiatives into one project

• The impact of this is shown in the RETScreen modelling• It is recommended that the Solar Contractors combine hot water conservation

and energy efficiency improvements into their solar quotations– The RETScreen modelling in the energy efficiency case will give a much better

payback than just solar alone– Also opportunity to increase profit margins as many energy efficiency improvements

are low cost and have high mark ups• City Staff are developing support initiatives to encourage contractors to assist in

water conservation initiatives (example – water saving kits) – see next slide

29

Integration of Solar & Energy Conservation Initiatives

• What sort of support can we provide to encourage solar contractors to sell/install water conservation equipment?– Bulk purchases– Marketing materials– Product research & training

• Discussion required?

30

Project Payment Claims

• Claims for payment will be made by the contractor after completion of the Building Department’s Inspection

• Payment is made to the contractor and is used to reduce the homeowner’s system price

• TSNI will have the option of delaying payment of project claims if the contract has outstanding project violations, until after the violations are resolved.

31

Project InspectionsUpon completion of project and its commissioning there are 3 inspections:

1. Building Permit Inspection • Contractor to arrange with Building Department• Contractor will need to be on site• Will be the basis of which to submit project payment claim

2. Solar Neighbourhoods Inspection• Each contractor will have their first 3 systems inspected; spot checks thereafter• Contractor to arrange with TSNI • Contractor will need to be on site• Will be done in conjunction with #1 (if possible)• Done by the solar inspection delivery agency (TRCA)• Will use CSA F383: Installation Code for Solar Domestic Hot Water Systems as the basis• Review of Project Commissioning & Inspection Report form

3. EcoENERGY “E” Audit• Homeowner to arrange• Solar Contractor does not need to attend• Done after all ecoENERGY initiatives are complete• Have up to 18 months after initial home energy assessment has been done• Required to obtain the federal and provincial rebates

32

Monitoring ProgramBasic Monitoring• All systems must have basic monitoring, incl:• Pump run-time odometer• Thermometers on return line and solar tankAdvanced Monitoring• Meters and Controls under development• TSNI will install and remove after one year if not

purchased by the homeowner

33

Basic MonitoringBasic MeteringThe following is required on all SDHW systems:1. Pump run time meter (for all systems that use a pump to circulate heat transfer fluid through the solar collectors)

The pump run time is to be in hours and shall not be resetable.This shall be used to compare operating hours with other systems installed in the program.

2. Pipe thermometer on the solar return lineThis shall be a surface mount (with insulation) or probe type thermometer (digital or analog read out) to read the

actual temperature of the heat transfer fluidThis shall be used to confirm operation of the system.

3. Solar tank thermometerThis shall be a probe type thermometer (digital or analog read out) to read the actual temperature of the potable

water in the solar storage tankIf the system is seasonal (i.e. tank is on the roof) then the thermometer must have a remote readout accessible in

the living space of the homeowner.This shall be used to confirm operation of the system.

The cost of this equipment shall be included in the system price offered to customers in the TSNI program.All solar contractors are encouraged to promote the use thermal energy (or heat) meters on the potable water line so

that the homeowner has increased awareness of the savings achieved using the system.At the end of one year of operation the customer is required to complete a System Performance Report (see Appendix H)

and submit to TSNI.

34

Advanced Monitoring• At least three systems installed by each contractor will

be advanced monitored. – Systems will be selected for advanced monitoring based

on location, site and customer profile and type of SDHW system to ensure data is collected from a diverse population of systems.

• Performance monitoring is required to fulfill a basic requirement of the Phase I of the TSNI: to ensure that the installed systems perform according to expectations and provide the estimated savings.

• The TSNI Program will cover the cost of the metering equipment for advanced monitoring.

• The contractor and customer will be notified in the approved Program Application Form if the system will be advanced monitored.

• The installation of the data acquisition hardware and sensors will be done by either an independent third party or TSNI program staff.

• Advanced monitoring will be carried out for one year. At the end of the monitoring period the customer will have the option to purchase the monitoring equipment or TSNI program staff will remove the equipment.