The Alma School Board has authorized a $3 million bond referendum asking school district voters for permission to borrow money for school building and education technology improvements.

A referendum on the spring election ballot April 7 seeks money to install a geothermal heating and cooling system, as well as upgrades and replacements of electrical works, lighting and windows.

Money also would go for building and grounds repairs and upgrades, replacement of transportation vehicles and new technology equipment.

The school district has spent more than a year studying building energy costs and upgrades that could be made to lower expenses. A steam boiler heating system that burns fuel oil is operating at only 60 percent efficiency, according to studies. The schools heating plant system was installed 62 years ago. The most recent work on the system was done over 20 years ago.

The school board said the early 1950s boiler system was obsolete and useless in ability to apply modern automated controls for timed and building zone heating. A new heating system controlled by a computer software program could be used to control temperatures in rooms throughout the building when in use or vacant.

The school board has recommended installing a geothermal system boiler hot water heating to lower heating costs that have shot up from $24,000 to $122,000 a year since around 2000.

The school has single-pane, metal-framed windows in the high school that were installed in the 1950s and 60s. Elementary school windows were replaced with thermal-paned aluminum framed windows in the 80s.

Referendum technology improvements would include upgrading and expansion of computers used for learning by students.

The school board said technology updates were limited over the past six years because of budget constraints. The school has now fallen behind in utilizing technology for educating children, studies found.

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Alma school referendum seeks $3M for building, tech upgrades

Solar City

Solar panels have been around for a while, but they cost tens of thousands of dollars to install, making them an impossible dream for many homeowners. Solar City is one of a handful of companies in the Bay State pioneering a new way to pay for residential solar panels, which could make them more accessible.

Under the new Solar City model, homeowners pay nothing to have panels put on their roofs; the company fronts the installation cost. Solar City technically owns the panels, but sells the energy they generate to the homeowner under a type of lease agreement.

Company representatives said homeowners in Massachusetts who switched all their power usage from the standard grid to solar panels would cut their energy bills by about 45 percent. In fact, Massachusettss tax laws make it one of the most solar-friendly states in the country and can help homeowners save money.

There are a few caveats, though. Not every house can support enough solar panels to power itself, and Solar City wont install unless they think its worth it. Fortunately, though, you can get a solar quote for free. Next

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Cool, Weird and Useful Ways to Improve Your Home at the New England Home Show

Construction is underway for the largest geothermal residential community in the United States, inside Norton Commons.

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The development is building 1,800 homes using special geothermal heating and cooling, which makes use of the earth's natural temperature to keep homes cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

"The earth will maintain a constant 52 degrees so we're running that pipe down 400 feet, two holes manifold that pipe together and bring it into the house," said Jay Kaiser, director of sales and marketing for Corken Steel Product Company.

The geothermal system connects to a unit inside the house that builders say is quieter than the traditional air conditioner or furnace.

For new homes, it costs the builder about $18,000 to install this system, with a possible tax credit of 30 percent for the buyer. But Norton Commons anticipates significant savings on utility bills.

"You can save anywhere from 65 and 80 percent on your utility bills," Kaiser said.

That means if it usually costs $200 per month to heat a home, this system could slash that to as low as $40.

"It taps into renewable energy and therefore is green, and Norton Commons is well versed in green initiatives," said Marilyn Osborn Patterson, marketing director at Norton Commons.

"Our homeowners are excited, our prospective homeowners are very excited but also we've gotten a lot of positive feedback regionally and nationally too."

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Construction underway at Norton Commons for largest geothermal community in US

SAUGEEN SHORES-

The average Saugeen Shores homeowner faces a combined 3.09 percent increase for town, County and school board taxes this year - but that number could change if councillors add or cut more from the operating and capital budgets before final approval at the end of March.

That 3.09 percent total tax hike is an additional $87.63 this year for a combined tax bill of $2,919 for the average homeowner.

The capital budget which requires $1.2-million in taxes, and the $9.8-million operating budget are described as "stay the course' by Kate Allen, the town's Director of Finance, who said there are no new services and no major service level changes in a status quo financial plan.

Deliberations were tough according to Mayor Mike Smith who said they had to balance wants with needs in times of dwindling provincial dollars - $350,000 less than last year - and a growing wish list from citizens.

'We got (the increase) down there by deferring some things and cutting a bunch of things," Smith said after a four-hour budget meeting Feb. 4 that cut approximately $60,000.

For the town's portion of the tax bill, the budgets include a 3.87 percent increase which equates to an additional $48.36 on the average house assessed at $270,000. The town will collect $11.9-million in property taxes this year, up from $10.4-million last year

"I'm happy that we got down to where we are, and that's probably where we're going to end up," Smith said after the meeting.

Councillors voted not to borrow $1.3-million to begin implementation of phase one of the Port Elgin Waterfront Master Plan.

Vice-deputy mayor Diane Huber said with little or no discussion on how the proposed $1.39-million would be spent, the proposal was a weird one to even have here.., and was very premature.

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Compromise budget means a total 3.09 percent tax increase in Saugeen Shores- probably

Chinese dama (middle-aged housewives) can become the world's model energy savers if only they spend less time at the kitchen stove.

A survey has found that, on average, Chinese homes spend as much as 4.5 times the amount of energy on cooking meals as German or British homes, or about 2.5 times the amount used in French homes.

Preparing stir-fry dishes with high-temperature oil or boiling meat overnight uses far more energy than merely mixing salads and reheating packaged food in micro-waves, the survey by Beijing's Renmin University of China concluded.

Each stove in the kitchen of a Chinese home is used on average more than two times a day and for 32 minutes on average each time, the survey found.

More than 70 percent of electric cookers and more than half of microwave ovens are used at least once a day in China, according to the survey.

However, in overall terms, homes in developed countries still consume more energy than those in China.

Cooking ranks next to heating in China's home energy use, according to the survey, which was aimed at finding out the amount of energy used in an average home for cooking, heating, cooling and other purposes.

Wang Xiao'ou, 43, a working mother in Beijing, said: "The survey is reasonable. The pace of city life is fast, and we don't have time to spend hours cooking porridge and soup like our mothers did. But I usually still spend an hour on cooking each day."

Chinese homes spent about 327 kilograms of standard coal equivalent on cooking in 2010.

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China's household cooking consumes too much energy

Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) February 09, 2015

Bee Safe Storage is a 63,000 sq. ft. multi level commercial self storage building in Raleigh which will bring a valuable commodity to the local community. Self storage buildings have become increasingly popular over the last 15 years. These buildings must provide a secure place for local residents to be able to have short and long term storage. Click here to visit the website.

Metal roofs are clearly the best choice for commercial buildings because they last the lifetime of the building, hold up well to rain, wind, and snow, & they reflect the suns rays effectively which lower heating and cooling costs. Metal roofing is also preferred for companies that want to install solar panels for increased efficiency.

Going Green in this day and age is more important than ever. Using metal roof panels in Raleigh, North Carolina on this project makes a lot of sense. Metal is a recycled product that can be recycled over and over again. Choosing to go with this type of installation saves time and money and is doing the right thing for our planet.

Be sure to check out Bee Safe Storage in Raleigh, North Carolina once the roofing project is completed to see what a quality job the experts at ReRoof USA can provide. ReRoof USA is a metal roofing installation contractor serving businesses in Raleigh, NC and all over the Eastern United States with services for new construction, retrofit roof systems, inspections, storm damage repair, and more. For more information call 770-456-1611 or visit ReRoofUSA.com by clicking here.

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Metal Roofing Installation Contractor in Raleigh, North Carolina Announces New Self Storage Project - By ReRoof USA

By Kevin Gillies

It seems like winter never really hit the Lower Mainland this year, with all the record-breaking warm temperatures. Yet spring is quickly approaching, and that means preparing your home for a new season.

From spring cleaning to spring maintenance, the busy season is almost upon us.

Planning your spring home chores list is a good way to ensure this spring is a productive one around the house and helps you save money on energy bills this summer, improve your homes appearance and head off big-ticket repairs down the road.

A few tips to help you prepare your home for the warmer months:

Inspecting the air conditioner for about $75-200, a technician will tune up your cooling system to manufacturer-rated efficiency and you wont sweat the first hot weekend with an air conditioner thats out of commission.

Dirty filters make air conditioners work harder, increasing energy costs and possibly damaging equipment.

Check them monthly and replace as needed, or at least every three months.

Technicians will check drains during a tune-up, as well.

Putting temperature on autopilot a programmable thermostat can save about $180 annually on cooling and heating bills, if you can live with higher indoor temperatures in summer and cooler temperatures in winter.

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Homes: Spring tips for the home

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February 4th, 2015 9:08 am by Rick Wagner

KINGSPORT A local school system is looking to cut grid electricity costs at one of its elementary schools to zero.

Sullivan Countys Ketron Elementary School in the Bloomingdale community soon may become energy self-sufficient, thanks to solar power coupled with its existing geothermal heating and cooling system.

If we add solar to that, its about to become utilities neutral for us, Director of Schools Jubal Yennie said.

Based on preliminary figures, the proposal and its local and grant funding of more than $500,000 combined would have a simple payback of 17.5 years into an expected 30-year life of the system.

Kingsports Dobyns-Bennett High School has solar cells atop the school that provide some lighting, and 20 Hawkins County schools have solar panels, but none of those provide all the electricity to operate a school building. In Hawkins, projected revenue from selling solar power over 20 years is $875,000.

At Ketron, a former middle and high school, the solar array would be built on the roof of the school.

The countys Board of Education Monday night voted 6-0 with one absent to approve applying for a Clean Tennessee Energy grant to fund almost half the cost of the Ketron Elementary Solar PV (photovoltaic) Pilot Project.

This proposed project would install a 175 kilowatt solar photovoltaic electrical power generation system at Ketron Elementary School, according to a summary provided to the BOE before its vote.

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Power play: Ketron hopes to use solar, geothermal to go off the grid

There are lots of things to like about Nest, the smart thermostat that learns your habits and regulates your homes temperature based on your schedule. Its easy to use and install, looks attractive, and lowers your heating and cooling bill. At least, that last part was what the Google-owned company always promised. Now it says it has the data to back up the claim.

In a new white paper, Nest said that based on data it gathered from homeowners from before and after they installed the smart thermostat, the savings averaged out to 10 to 12 percent for heating bills and 15 percent for cooling bills. The company estimates customers saved an average of $131 to $145 a year. The device costs $249, so it would pay for itself in about two years, the company says.

Related:Is it drafty in here? The Tempo lets you hunt your house for wasted heat

The data came from 735 homes in 36 states for gas usage and 624 homes in 39 states for electric. Only customers who had enrolled in Nests MyEnergy service, which lets users track and compare their utility bills, were included in the study. (Back when Google first acquired the thermostat maker, Nests CEO had to reassure customersthat both companies would be transparent about how they used users data.) A control group of non-Nest, MyEnergy customers ensured that energy savings werent due to lower energy costs or unseasonably warm weather, for example.

Nest says its internal study is backed up by two independent ones, one from theEnergy Trust of Oregon, which found Nest users had 12-percent reductions in electric heating bills, and the other from Indiana utility company Vectren.

While we always knew that the Nest Learning Thermostat helps people save energy, we now have independent, third-party evidence of how much it can save, says Ben Bixby, Nests general manager of energy services.

Still, the company admits there are lots of factors that will determine how much the device can actually save you. If you live in a temperate climate and already program your thermostat, you probably wont see the same reduction in your utility bill as someone who leaves the heat blasting all day and night because theyre snowed in from a Noreaster.

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Nest studying customers heating and cooling savings, and the results are in

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TERRELL (CBSDFW.COM) - In Terrell, the busted heat at the Virginia Anne apartments has become something of a broken record.

Oh, its incredibly frustrating, says Desiree Hollis, when they tell you things are changing, and nothing changes.

For nearly a month now weve been chronicling residents efforts to stay warm as one break after another crippled the aging system. As soon as one break is repaired in the underground boiler pipes, another springs up somewhere else. Bottom line, says Hollis, We still have no heat. Its crazy.

One tenant, who did not want her name used, says the heat in her unit hasnt worked all winter. And shes now resorting to risky measures to stay warm.

I pull the mattress in the living room and we all, my husband and two kids sleep on the mattress with the oven down and a heater in the front. With one and 3 year old sons, she admits that heating the apartment with an open oven is a dangerous move. But, told CBS 11 What else can I do?

A spokesperson for the apartment management company says they, too, are frustrated with the seemingly endless series of temporary repairs and are moving forward with plans to install a new heating and cooling system. However, the upgrades will likely take months to complete. A spokesperson told me that they are offering heaters to tenants that request them, and a break on the rent.

Terrell City officials echo that frustration and say they are monitoring the situation closely and will impose fines for every day that the complex is without heat.

Last month, a CBS 11 viewer stepped in to help the Hollis familydropping off blankets and heaters. The family has since paid that generosity forwardsharing a heater with another family. But, they hope their next step forward will take them to a better place to live.

We are looking, says Hollis. We are actively looking. We are tired.

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Heat Out Again At Troubled Terrell Apartment Complex