Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

COLUMBUS -- Recently allocated $1.25 million of the State of Ohios 2020 capital budget, the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) has combined a portion of the State funds which must be used for the repair, reconstruction, or construction of physical property with donations from private sources to begin a $900,000 renovation of the historic Ohio Theatres loge, mezzanine, and balcony.

A complete overhaul of the Ohio Theatres loge (or first seven rows of upper-level seating) began last week to reconstruct the aisle steps and implement new handrails. The railings lining the front and back of the loge will be upgraded and replaced as well, and new carpeting will be installed.

In addition, new handrails and carpet will be installed in the mezzanine and balcony (the remaining 25 rows of upper-level seating) and the railings lining the front and rear of each section will be upgraded and replaced.

This renovation was originally slated for the summer of 2020, but was suspended indefinitely as CAPA and other local arts organizations battle the effects of the pandemic, stated CAPA President and CEO Chad Whittington. These funds come at the perfect time, allowing us the opportunity to make use of the shutdown in a positive way.

"This renovation is an important safety enhancement for our patrons when we are able to welcome them back to the Ohio Theatre again, enabling us to offer an even better customer experience. We are very grateful to the State of Ohio for its acknowledgement of the beloved Ohio Theatre.

CAPA will employ all local contractors for the renovation which is expected to conclude in mid-May.

While plans are still in development, CAPA will utilize the balance of the capital budget allocation funds and private donations to implement further improvements to the Ohio Theatre including renovation of the mezzanine concessions area, enhanced wayfinding signage, and ADA accessibility upgrades.

All of the performance spaces owned or managed by CAPA closed March 12, 2020, as a result of the Governors executive order prohibiting gatherings of more than 100 people.

Upon the Governors August 2020 reopening guidelines allowing public events at 15% of venue capacity, the Ohio Theatre has hosted a small number of public, socially distanced events such as an abbreviated CAPA Summer Movie Series and Columbus Symphony performances.

About the Ohio Theatre

The Spanish Baroque-style, 2,791-seat Ohio Theatre, designed by world-famous architect Thomas Lamb as a palace for the average man, opened on March 17, 1928, as a Loews movie house complete with its own orchestra and theatre organ.

In addition to movies, vaudeville found a home on the Ohio stage, boasting performances from legends such as Milton Berle, Cab Calloway, Buddy Ebsen, Jean Harlow, and Ginger Rogers.

The Ohio Theatre thrived as a movie house until the suburban sprawl of the 1960s drew traffic out of downtown, and Loews closed its doors on February 24, 1969. Sold to a local development company with plans to raze it, the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) was established on May 21, 1969, with the immediate mission to save the theatre from being destroyed.

The newly formed non-profit leapt to rally the community in a Save the Ohio campaign that ultimately raised more than $2 million in less than a year. The unprecedented effort met its mark, and the glorious and beloved Ohio Theatre was saved.

Today, the Ohio Theatre hosts more than 100 performances of BalletMet, Broadway in Columbus, the Columbus Symphony, CAPA-presented performances, and a wide variety of touring artists and shows each year. The beloved venue is also now proudly listed on the National Register of Historic Places, been declared a National Historic Landmark, and is the State Theatre of Ohio.

# # #

The Ohio Arts Council helped fund CAPAs 2020-21 season with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, education excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. CAPA also appreciates the generous support of the Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Lois S. and H. Roy Chope and Helen W. Wildermuth Fund for Drama and Music funds of The Columbus Foundation.

About CAPA

Owner/operator of downtown Columbus magnificent historic theatres (Ohio Theatre, Palace Theatre, Southern Theatre) and manager of the Riffe Center Theatre Complex, Lincoln Theatre, Drexel Theatre, Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts (New Albany, OH), and the Shubert Theatre (New Haven, CT), CAPA is a non-profit, award-winning presenter of national and international performing arts and entertainment. For more information, visit http://www.capa.com.

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CAPA puts capital budget allocation toward Ohio Theatre renovation - knoxpages.com

CHICOPEE City Councilors overwhelmingly agreed they are interested in moving forward with a second phase to rehabilitate City Hall as construction on the crucial first phase comes to a close.

While the about $14.2 million first phase of the project focused on shoring up the tower and most of the exterior stone and brickwork that was crumbling, repairing the slate roof, replacing the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, installing new windows and renovating the auditorium, the second phase of the project would focus on less crucial areas of the building.

Construction is coming to a close and the auditorium, which will have a new meeting space for all boards and modern recording equipment that will ease problems with broadcasting public meetings, sometime in March. Stonework on the building has slowed because it is taking longer to get larger stones that are being replaced and those pieces cannot be set in very cold weather, but it is anticipated to be completed in the spring, said Lee Pouliot, the city planner.

The first phase had to be done to make seriously-needed structural repairs on the about 150-year-old building. More than six years ago, plaster chunks started falling from the molding in the auditorium and stained glass windows loosened from their frames. Then a piece of the support frame that holds City Halls iconic rose-shaped stained glass window broke off and crashed to the stairs below.

A study produced found bad news. The brick facade was bowing out, sandstone columns were badly eroded, an interior brick arch had deteriorated and poor-quality brickwork in the tower was failing. During construction even more problems were found such as plaster ceilings started falling down because they used cut nails.

Phase two is anticipated to focus on the interior of the building, Pouliot said.

That will include renovating and possibly moving offices to better serve the public, increasing document storage which is at a minimum, installing new carpeting, replacing lights with LED bulbs, replacing the outdated chair lift which allows people with limited mobility to reach the City Clerk and Mayors office and making other cosmetic improvements, he said.

Mayor John L. Vieau said he wanted to know if the City Council had an appetite to move forward with the second phase of the project, which would also make the building safer in a situation with an active shooter as well as making cosmetic improvements.

We arent building it for us, we are building it for the next generations, Councilor James K. Tillotson said, adding it if they are going to renovate the building they should complete the work and improve the interior.

In a non-binding vote, councilors agreed that the Planning Department should move forward to find a firm which will begin working on the second phase of the project. The design will cost about $1.4 million and take about 16 months to complete.

Without a design, the cost of improvements is difficult to estimate but Pouilot said he expected it to be between $5 to $7 million. That will will bring the cost of the entire project to no more than $21 million.

Some of the loans the city has been paying for years are soon to be retired so the city will be able to take out more bonds without increasing the amount the city pays in principal and interest, Vieau added.

Along with the other improvements, the second phase also calls for the existing City Council Chambers to be renovated and a movable wall added. That space can be used as staff conference rooms during the day and will give the city more meeting space so they do not have to shoehorn people into offices when two commissions are meeting on the same night, Pouliot said.

There will also be a feed from the auditorium so broadcasting from that room will improve.

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Chicopee City Council agrees to 2nd phase of City Hall renovations - MassLive.com

Battle Creeks Claras on the River opened to diners on Monday and the dining room looks unusually festive for this time of year. The restaurant, housed in a historic train depot in downtown Battle Creek is all decked out for Christmas. Owner Ross Simpson says theyre calling it Christmas in February.

Back on November 15th, we had just finished decorating the restaurant when the Governors shutdown order closed us down again, said Simpson. Nobody ever got to see it and the staff worked so hard that we decided to leave everything up. A lot of things are different at Claras, but customers probably wont notice them.

During the first state shutdown last spring and early summer, Simpson took advantage of the downtime to make many improvements to the restaurant, mostly for the safety of patrons during the pandemic.

They installed automatic doors, faucets, and flush valves, soap and towel dispensers in all six bathrooms. They put in new carpets, new booths that can be easily cleaned and sanitized, and built a new take-out station, and set up car-hop style dining. They even restored the clock in the tower.

This time, Simpson has installed four exhaust units in the ceiling that allow the air to be refreshed constantly inside. I think we may have the cleanest air of any building in town, including the hospital, said Simpson. He also replaced the old boiler with new, more efficient units, and expects that theyll pay for themselves in just a few years. Simpson says he applied early for state loans that allowed him to make the improvements.

The current state order only allows a restaurant to operate at 25% of capacity. Claras can normally have up to 380 inside. But that number is just 95 right now. Simpson says thats just about enough to stop the bleeding. Theyve been getting by on take-out orders, and a few hearty diners eating outside on the patio in heated cabanas. The challenge now is making sure they dont exceed the 95 capacity.

Simpson says the solution was to install a unit they installed at the restaurant entrance. It keeps count of people entering and leaving. Staff members can view the app on their phone and know exactly how many patrons are inside the restaurant.

Another app allows staff to do the required daily health assessment on their phone in just a few seconds, and get the ok to safely report for work.

Claras has outdoor propane heaters for the patio, once things warm up a bit, and Simpson also bought several propane heaters that are often used by fishermen in ice shanties to warm up the outdoor cabanas.

Simpson says all but about four staff members have continued to work at Claras during the shutdown, aided by a state program that allows them to collect partial unemployment while theyve worked reduced hours during the shutdown.

Simpson took advantage of a late afternoon lull to review some historic photos of the former train depot. He says Michael McCullough of Willard Library is working with local historians Randy Case and Kurt Thornton to do a special on-line program on Claras.

Continue reading here:
It's Christmas in February at Clara's On the River - wbckfm.com

To commemorate Black History Month, Robb Report is publishing a limited four-part series highlighting Black designers, thinkers and other creators whose pioneering work has shaped the luxury sector. This is installment one.

Its a story thats been told many times: How Paul Revere Williams, the most renowned Black architect of the 20th century, the acclaimed architect to the stars, taught himself to draw upside down.

The reason was simple: He did it for the benefit of white clients who might have felt uneasy sitting beside a Black man while he sketched designs for their future homes.

In the same vein, the quiet-spoken Williams would typically stand with hands firmly clasped behind his back as he toured construction sites. Again, he simply wanted to avoid making clients feel uncomfortable, removing the need to shake the hand of a Black man.

Despite the inequality and racism, both subtle and overt, the trailblazing architect, during a storied five-decade-long career from the early 1920s to his retirement in 1973, shaped the architectural look of Southern California, from residential projects to commercial and municipal ones.

He earned that architect to the stars tagline after designing homes during the Golden Age of Hollywood for a raft of A-list celebrities. From Tyrone Power to Carey Grant, from Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz to Frank Sinatra and silent movie legend Lon Chaney.

Architect Paul Williams in his Los Angeles office.Photo: Julius Shulman/J. Paul Getty Trust

Then there were the commercial buildings that came off his drawing board: Saks Fifth Avenues flagship Beverly Hills store, the Los Angeles County Courthouse, the MCA headquarters, the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company headquarters and the landmark additions to LAs Beverly Hills Hotel.

When the architect passed away in 1980 at the age of 85, he left behind a prolific portfolio of more than 3,000 buildings that included homes, hotels, banks, churches, hospitals and schools, many of which have become Southern California icons.

Paul Williams was a trailblazing architect whose long career truly helped shape Los Angeles and Southern California, says Getty Research Institute director Mary Miller.

In June last year, Millers Getty Research Institute, together with the University of Southern California, was able to acquire Williams entire archive of roughly 35,000 plans and 10,000 original drawings that had been meticulously curated by his granddaughter, Karen Elyse Hudson.

The work contained in the archive tells many stories. It contains the creative expressions of an architect working across many different constituencies in a socially complicated time, says Milton S.F. Curry, dean of the USC School of Architecture.

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnazs Palm Springs home, built by Williams in 1954-1955.Photo: Julius Shulman/J. Paul Getty Trust

Paul Williams was born in Los Angeles in 1894, to parents who had moved to the city from Memphis. He was just two when his father died of tuberculosis, and four when his mother passed of the same disease.

Raised by church friends of his parents, he developed a passion for architecture and eventually earned a place at LAs Polytechnic High School. It was here a teacher famously advised him against pursuing his dream, telling him white clients wouldnt want to use a Black architect, and Black clients could never afford his services.

Yet Williams was undeterred. After becoming the first Black graduate from USC in 1919, healmost unthinkable at the timewas appointed to the Los Angeles Planning Commission in 1920. The following year, he got his California architects license, opened his own practice in 1922, and became the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1923. He was just 29.

His big break came during Californias 1920s housing boom with the new greenfield suburb of Flintridge, north of Los Angeles. The developer, former senator Frank Flint, hired the young Williams to design his new home in the suburb. That led to other commissions in the area. Business suddenly started to take off.

The unfortunate irony is that the strict, race-based segregation covenants that Flintridge adopted would have prevented Williams and his family from ever buying property there. Same with the hotels he designed, where he would not have been allowed to stay.

The Beverly Hills Hotel addition, which Williams completed in 1950.Photo: Julius Shulman/J. Paul Getty Trust

But the architect continued to attract new commissions through his talent for inspiring clients with his remarkable creativity. He was also determined not to be pigeon-holed into one design style. He could offer plans that ranged from Tudor and French Provincial to Spanish Colonial or Modernist.

And his quiet demeanor, his always-immaculate attiredouble-breasted suits even on gritty construction sitesproved to be key attributes in winning over clients.

In a 1937 essay for The American Magazine entitled I Am a Negro, he wrote that his aim was always to amaze potential clients within a few minutes of meetingthe upside-down sketching no doubt helped. This, he said, would let them focus on his skills and creativity, rather than his race.

It was without doubt his knack for connecting with Hollywoods A-list that defined much of his legacy. One of his landmark designs was for a 15,000-square-foot, 20-room Bel-Air mansion in 1936 for Jay Paley, of the wealthy CBS broadcasting family. A highlight was its breathtaking zodiac pool, designed by Williams and featuring thousands of multi-colored tiles, hand-painted and imported from France.

The zodiac pool was also designed by the homes architect, Paul Revere Williams.Photo: Courtesy of Hilton and Hyland

The estate was eventually bought by the late hotel magnate Barron Hilton who called it home for more than 50 years. Following Hiltons death in 2019, it just recently went on the market for $75 million.

Second only to Williams residential designs were his commercial projects, many of which resonated strongly with LAs Black community.

An early work was the 28th Street YMCA just off Central Avenue in one of the citys most historic Black neighborhoods. The four-story Spanish Revival-style building, completed in 1926, was LAs first club founded by and for Black boys and men.

The remarkable retractable roof Williams designed for the El Mirador Hotel in Palm Springs from 1952 to 1953.Photo: Julius Shulman/J. Paul Getty Trust

Williams Late Moderne design for the new Golden State Mutual Life Insurance headquarters, at the corner of Adams and Western in South Central LA, was considered a masterpiece when it opened in 1949. At the time, Golden State Mutual was the largest Black-owned insurance company west of the Mississippi. It sold life insurance policies to Black Angelenos at a time when other companies refused.

While his worldwide recognition was a long time coming, Williams and his nearly 60-year career and gifted body of work, finally received its due. In 2017, the AIA posthumously awarded him its prestigious gold medal, the organizations highest honor. And his career was a recent subject of an acclaimed PBS documentary, Hollywoods Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story, which can be streamed online.

The pool courtyard at the El Mirador Hotel in Palm Springs.Photo: Julius Shulman/J. Paul Getty Trust

As Williams wrote in that I Am a Negro essay for American Magazine in 1937: Without having the wish to show them, I developed a fierce desire to show myself. I wanted to vindicate every ability I had. I wanted to acquire new abilities. I wanted to prove that I, as an individual, deserved a place in the world. And he did just that.

Read more here:
Paul Williams, Architect to the Stars, Designed the Buildings That Shaped Southern California - Robb Report

Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris is undergoing a large-scale refurbishment while the park remains closed until April. Both it and the Main Street U.S.A. gazebo are currently surrounded with scaffolding and construction equipment as they are prepared for the parks 30th anniversary next year.

Disney has released a better look at Sleeping Beauty Castle since our previous post about the refurbishment. Some of the castles turrets will be replaced with new versions. For the parks reopening in April, the remaining construction will be covered with themed scrim.

Meanwhile, the Main Street U.S.A. gazebo is completely covered with a construction tent. Elements of the gazebo have been stripped down to only the steel supports and a significant portion of the roof has been removed.

Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris is just the latest Disney castle to be refurbished. Sleeping Beauty Castle at the original Disneylandwas refurbished in 2019, whileCinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom was repaintedand thereimagined Castle of Magical Dreams opened at Hong Kong Disneylandlast year.

Related

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PHOTOS: Main Street USA Gazebo Being Refurbished Along with Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris - wdwnt.com

OAKVILLE

Location: 328 Trafalgar Rd.,

Cornwall and Trafalgar Rds.

Asking price: $3,188,000

Size: about 2,676 sq. ft., pus 953 sq. ft. finished basement

Lot: 89-by-170 feet, one-car detached garage, private drive

Taxes: $10,508 (2020)

Bedrooms: 4 plus 1

Bathrooms: 4

In the heart of Old Oakville, this Georgian Revival-style residence backs onto a ravine and Sixteen Mile Creek, and has full water rights.

Multiple decks, lookouts, sitting areas and a dock make the most of the natural setting. Built in 1922 and fully renovated, the sprawling two-storey home features large panoramic windows, Brazilian hardwood floors, and a cathedral ceiling in the principal bedroom.

Every view from the home into the ravine and to the shoreline is stunning in all four seasons, said homeowner Stacey Lewis.

In the summer, we enjoy boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, and watching sunsets in the gazebo ... In the winter, when the creek freezes, we spend many hours skating. After skating, we stay warm by the nearby firepit, said Lewis.

In the spring, our many perennial gardens begin to bloom, and we often spot swans, herons, owls, beavers and turtles, along with an array of songbirds and squirrels, Lewis added.

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The home is located between Lakeshore Rd. and the Queen Elizabeth Way for easy east- and westbound commuting. It is also a few minutes drive to the Oakville GO station, shopping, restaurants and cafes. A mall is nearby, as are parks, schools and Bronte Creek Provincial Park. From Sixteen Mile Creek in the backyard, the owner can boat south to Lake Ontario.

The designer renovations of the home achieve a fusion of character and charm with on-trend sophistication, said real estate agent Kim Cronk about highlights that include high baseboards, crown moulding, multiple built-ins, and large windows.

Featuring a painted wood faade, this home is highlighted by decorative shutters, a dormer window and front door bordered by stained-glass panels. The front, landscaped yard has an interlocking walkout and drive that leads to a detached garage.

The front foyer includes a double closet and hardwood floor.

A gas fireplace with carved wood surround is the highlight of the living room that also features a large picture window, hardwood floor, high baseboards, pot lights and crown moulding.

The dining room has a hardwood floor, box ceiling with pot lights, a pass-through to the kitchen, a picture window flanked with floor-to-ceiling shelves, and a sliding glass door walkout to the back deck.

Open to the dining room, the spacious family room features a hardwood floor, a large bay window, and a gas fireplace bordered with shelves and cabinetry.

The open-concept kitchen showcases a large island with granite countertop, gas stovetop, cabinetry and a built-in wine rack. Other kitchen highlights include granite counters, ceramic tile backsplash and built-in stainless steel appliances, plus an adjoining breakfast room and French door walkout to a mud room with a two-piece bathroom and outdoor access.

On the second floor, the primary bedroom is being used as a second family room and includes a cathedral ceiling, a picture and dormer window, hardwood floor, a walk-in closet and a five-piece ensuite.

There are three more bedrooms on this level, all with hardwood floors and double closets, and a three-piece bathroom.

On the finished lower floor are a recreation room, an office, and a guest bedroom all with laminate floors and pot lights plus a three-piece bathroom and laundry room.

The backyard on the ravine, and creek, features a dock, a firepit and natural rock gardens. Two large back decks, including a covered gazebo, have tiered stairs leading to the creek.

To have a look at this property contact listing agent Kim Cronk, Re/Max Aboutowne Realty Corp., Brokerage, 905-842-8000; http://www.kimcronk.com.

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Renovated, Old Oakville two-storey has a backyard ravine and shoreline: Home of the week - Toronto Star

This is the second post in a two-part series about heat pump waters heaters. The first post is here.

What does a heat pump water heat cost and will you break even? The answer is: It costs a lot and you may not break even, but you wont lose your shirt either. If you want to reduce your homes emissions, it will be the right choice for many of you. You can also increase the odds of breaking even with some effort. Read on for the deets.

What does a heat pump water heat cost?

Heat pump water heater installations have been running around $4500 installed, though prices are coming down. The median of the installations recorded with Silicon Valley Clean Energy in 2019 was $4877 and in 2020 was $4231. There is a lot of price variation, so it pays to shop around. For the purposes of this post, I will use a price of $4000, though with some effort you can get one installed today for $3500 or even less. (1)

Costs of 123 heat pump water heater installations over the last 18 months, as recorded by Silicon Valley Clean Energy. Installations to the right of the green line included an electrical panel upgrade. Older installations are shown to the left of each section.

The variation in prices does not seem to be related to tank size or type. If you arrange the installations by tank size, you will see there is little correlation.

Cost does not seem related to tank size

The majority of the cost is for installation. Retail prices of the water heaters are shown below, though contractors typically get a sizable discount.

Heat pump water heater costs filed with Silicon Valley Clean Energy over the period 2019-2020

You can see that a panel upgrade costs an additional $3500 or so. Since that upgrade can often be avoided, or it may be part of a larger project, this blog post will focus on installations without one. (2)

How does the cost compare with that of a gas tank water heater?

For the $4000 it costs to install a heat pump water heater, you could install three gas tank water heaters or two tankless. To encourage adoption until costs come down, local power providers are offering substantial financial incentives to replace gas water heaters with heat pump water heaters. Peninsula Clean Energy is partnering with the Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) on a $2500 rebate (you must use a BayREN-approved contractor). Silicon Valley Clean Energy is offering $2000. And the City of Palo Alto is offering $1200 (or $1500 if you have room for an 80-gallon tank). (3)

Will a buyer break even?

The rebates are big, but often not enough to cover the gap between the heat pump water heater (say $4000) and the gas-fired one (say $1200). You will still be running a deficit of about $300 if you use Peninsula Clean Energy, $800 if you use Silicon Valley Clean Energy, or $1500 if you live in Palo Alto. You might be wondering if the savings on your gas bill will make up for that. Unfortunately, the savings are not as big as you might hope. The heat pump uses only one-sixth the energy of the gas heater, but electricity is expensive, 4-5 times more than gas (per unit of energy). In a typical water heater retrofit, energy costs will go down by only $40/year or so. (4) Over the ten-year life of the water heater, you will break even with the Peninsula Clean Energy rebate, but otherwise, at todays energy prices, you will be short $400-$1200. (5)

A comprehensive analysis from energy consulting firm E3 confirms this deficit. While many clean energy conversions are financially beneficial, even without rebates, heat pump water heater retrofits in our area generally are not.

Heat pump water heater retrofit costs, analyzed without rebates and using todays energy prices, are not economical when compared with their gas (tank) counterpart. Tankless water heater replacements compare more favorably. Source: E3, 2019.

Should you get one anyway?

For many of you looking to reduce your emissions, the additional $400-$1200 expense of the heat pump water heater is worth it. Your homes emissions go down by 30%, you remove unhealthy and dangerous gas from your garage or utility closet, you eliminate a source of smog (6), and it all works invisibly once the heater is installed.

You may also be anticipating that energy prices will evolve in a way that discourages adoption of gas appliances. The price on carbon may increase or, even without that, the gradual movement away from gas appliances will increase gas prices. By converting now you will stay ahead of the curve.

You might also consider the cost of the carbon dioxide you would be emitting by burning gas for your hot water. A gas tank water heater emits about 11 tonnes of carbon over its lifetime. To remove that amount of carbon and store it underground would cost around $12,000 today (using Climeworks). The heat pump water heater is a bargain! Or you might consider that many economists believe our emissions should be taxed at $50-$100/tonne, which lines up pretty well with the differential cost. Finally, you might take into account that green upgrades like this can increase the value of your home. This study in Nature Energy concluded that homes that have a heat pump for space heating enjoy a $10,000 or so premium in sales price by appealing to environmentally conscious buyers.

For all these reasons, many of you will decide that a heat pump water heater makes sense.

You can also make an effort to get one for $3500 or less. Some tips include:

- Shop around. Reach out to a number of installers. Check your local power provider, SwitchIsOn, and BayREN for possibilities, or the installation history from Silicon Valley Clean Energy.

- Facilitate the bids. Share with the candidates (a) a photo of your current tank, especially the top half so they can see the connections; (b) a photo of the larger area where it is installed, so they can determine how to drain the condensate; and (c) a photo of the inside of your electric panel, so they can assess capacity.

- Choose 15 amps. Opt for the 15-amp model to reduce demand on your panel (and make sure the installer is aware of your choice).

- Help out. Offer to buy your own heater and/or pull the permit on your own. That may save you some cost.

- Plan ahead. Consider getting any electrical work done in advance so the plumber can save time.

Another option is to wait for 120-volt models to come out. I am told that Rheem will be making two models available in April. These should simplify installation and reduce costs in exchange for some performance compromises. I dont have much information on these yet, but hope to soon.

If not now, when?

When will heat pump water heaters reach cost parity without rebates? I am doubtful that will happen soon. The product and installation costs will have to come way down. One installer mentioned that permitting alone can contribute up to $1000 of the cost. In Palo Alto, a contractor might charge $150 to pull the permit, then the City charges $300 for the permit itself. The contractor might bill another $300-$500 to wait for and meet with the inspector. If our building departments streamline and discount this process, that will help. As installers gain experience (and competition) their time and labor costs for installation will continue to come down. Costs of the heaters should come down as well. But all of this takes a while, and once the installed cost has plummeted from $4000 to (say) $2200, the rebate will probably have gone away, leaving a $1000 gap. Energy prices have to change as well.

If electricity were free, the heat pump water heaters would be an easy win since you would save $200-$300 every year on energy bills. Thats not as far-fetched as it sounds. In Texas, there are many plans that offer free electricity at night. You could heat up your water at night for free, maybe to 130 instead of 120, then use it throughout the day, with a particularly hot shower in the morning. Nice!

Unfortunately, California has expensive electricity with relatively anemic time-of-use differentials. The map below shows how Californias electricity prices rank with the rest of the country.

California ranks 45 out of 50 in electricity prices, behind HI, AK, CT, RI, and MA. (Shade indicates rank.) Source: Choose Energy, 2021.

The E3 analysis mentioned above assessed whether scheduling the water heaters to run at low time-of-use rates would help. In practice it made little difference because the pricing differentials are small. (PG&E rates are shown in the left section, using a model based on the climate of Santa Clara County.)

Scheduling your water heater to avoid peak rates has little impact on bill savings. (This comparison is between a heat pump and a tankless gas water heater.) Source: E3, 2019.

It may be difficult for power providers to drop electricity rates much, given the work needed in California to harden the grid from fires and build in resiliency. Christine Tam, a Senior Resource Planner for the City of Palo Alto Utilities, mentioned that transmission costs went up 15% in just the last year alone. If electricity rates do drop a modest amount, we will still need the price of gas to go up to make the heat pump water heater the cheaper option. For example, if electricity prices drop by 15% and gas prices go up by 15%, then the customer saves at least $100 each year with the heat pump water heater and the switch makes sense. An easier approach may be for California power providers to develop more aggressive time-of-use rates ala Texas.

Some types of electrification retrofits are clear financial wins in the Bay Area, like space heating combined with air conditioning. Its tougher to make the case for heat on its own, whether space heating or water heating. Our climate is mild and getting milder, so we dont use enough heat to justify efficient but costly appliances. Policy and pricing need to come together to wean us off of fossil fuels. The rebates are a big help, and the Building Decarbonization Coalition has other great ideas.

I find it particularly hard to reconcile Californias clear desire to electrify its buildings with the fact that our power providers charge some of the highest electricity rates in the country. Stay tuned next week to learn more about why Californias rates are so high and what might be done about it.

In the meantime, those of you interested in reducing your home emissions by almost one-third can take advantage of aggressive rebates today and a growing list of certified installers to get a right-priced installation with a little bit of planning. This is a one-and-done deal, taking no effort once the change is made. Imagine how nice it would be to take a hot shower without heating the planet at the same time!

Notes and References

0. I want to thank Menlo Park Environmental Quality Commissioners Josie Gaillard and Tom Kabat for their contributions to this blog post. Gaillard and Kabat spend a good deal of time working to understand and improve the economics of electrification, and I particularly appreciated their perspectives on this post and the many tips they shared for lowering costs.

1. Silicon Valley Clean Energy collects information about installers. From their records, Air & Plumbing Systems in Los Gatos, which does its own electrical work, has prices right around the median and has done many installs. The other big installer, EJ Plumbing, has higher prices (median $5208), possibly because it does not do the electrical work in-house. I am told that there are plumbers who, if you order the tank and file for the permit yourself, will do the work for around $2000, for a total expense of around $3500.

2. In Silicon Valley Clean Energys data set, 39 out of the 123 installations, or 32%, did a panel upgrade. Many could likely have done without. It is important to remember to get a 15-amp model rather than 30-amp. If needed, consider sharing a 240v circuit with a splitter like this.

3. These rebates only apply when you are replacing a gas fired water heater. There are rebates to replace an electric resistance water heater, but they are much smaller. Both Peninsula Clean Energy and Silicon Valley Clean Energy are also offering partial rebates for panel upgrades if they are needed.

4. Here is the math for that, in case you want to plug in your own numbers. Lets say your annual gas use is 600 therms, which is about average for our area. Maybe 30% of that, or 180 therms, is used to heat water. In Palo Alto that might cost $216 (at $1.20/therm, assuming costs are split across the two tiers), while with PG&E that might cost $306 (at $1.70/therm, again assuming costs are split).

What will it cost with a heat pump water heater? Electricity is more expensive (a $0.25/kWh rate is equivalent to a $8.80/therm price). But electric heat pumps are much more efficient. A gas water heater that burns 180 therms of gas will waste about 40% of that energy, effectively heating the water with only 108 therms. On the other hand, an electric heat pump that needs to generate 108 therms of energy to heat water will consume only 30 therms (880 kWh) from the wall, getting the rest of the heat from the surrounding air. (This assumes a modern heat pump with UEF 3.55.)

In Palo Alto those 880 kWh might cost about $167 (at $0.19/kWh in Tier 2), while with PCE and SVCE that 880 kWh might cost about $264 (at $0.30/kWh in Tier 2). In either case, the savings is only about $40/year.

You can plug in your own rates to see how much cheaper your electric cost will be. Take your electricity rate (in kWh) divided by your gas rate (in therms), and multiply by 4.95. For example, if your electricity rate is $0.22/kWh and your gas rate is $1.30/therm, then the result is 4.95 * $0.22 / $1.30 = 0.84 or 84%. You will save 16% on the amount you pay today for hot water. (If your use is well into the second tier of pricing, then use that price, otherwise use the first tier or a mix.)

You may also want to keep in mind that gas prices are likely to go up over the coming decade, likely increasing the savings on your energy bills if you switch to electric.

5. Those of you with your own solar power, with large hot water demands, or with a particularly well maintained and long-lasting tank will fare somewhat better.

6. Panama Bartholomy of the Building Decarbonization Coalition estimates that buildings in California produce more smog than cars, and about seven times more smog than power plants.

Current Climate Data (December 2020)Global impacts, US impacts, CO2 metric, Climate dashboard (updated annually)

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Will you save money with a heat pump water heater? - Mountain View Voice

Kitchen taps are used several times during the day by both adults and kids in the house. From washing hands, utensils, fresh produce to raw ingredients and more, water supply is a necessity in the kitchen. To add more comfort and convenience, you can opt for tap water heaters that will instantly provide hot water and eliminate the task of heating water on the stove. Tap geysers are also a space-saving tool in the kitchen as you need not install a hefty geyser for access to hot water. In parts where colder temperatures get freezing, these tap geysers will be a saviour for all kinds of kitchen tasks. Check out our picks below: Access water within the temperature range of about 30 degrees to 55 degrees with this tap water heater. This heater has 360 degrees rotation and will be very convenient to use and install. The heater is also has a LED display to display temperature. The shell material of this heater is ABS plastic and the valve material is ceramic. The power cord length of the heater is 1.2 metre.'; var randomNumber = Math.random(); var isIndia = (window.geoinfo && window.geoinfo.CountryCode === 'IN') && (window.location.href.indexOf('outsideindia') === -1 ); //console.log(isIndia && randomNumber This compact and sturdy tap heater will provide you with heated water within a few seconds, unlike conventional heaters that require time to heat up. The shell material of the tap is made from plastic and the heating element is made from stainless steel. This tap water heater will give a lasting performance with its temperature resistant, strong and body that has anti-stamping qualities. The tap heater will provide about 30 degrees to 40 degrees water in colder temperatures. The heater has a built-in high sensitivity sensor probe, which will provide real-time detection of temperature and display the current temperature. This tap water heater is built with highly sensitive built-in leakage protection and anti-dry design to ensure safety. The ABS plastic and stainless steel construction of the unit is shockproof and can be used safely by anyone. The heating tube of the heater is made from stainless steel.DISCLAIMER: The Times of India's journalists were not involved in the production of this article.

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Get temperature-controlled water with tap water heaters for kitchen taps - Times of India

The beginning of astronomical winter arrived more than a month ago, but it took until this week for the real, prolonged, bitter cold to put a freeze on Hampton Roads.

With highs near freezing, wind chill below freezing and two inches of snow this week, its a safe bet many folks were putting on layers, turning up the thermostats, stoking the fires, and maybe even pulling out the space heaters. People with fewer resources may also have turned to less conventional, and more dangerous, methods of heating their living space.

Unfortunately, home heating is the second leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries (after unattended cooking), and the third leading cause of home fire deaths. Fire departments respond to nearly 50,000 fires every year across the United States involving heating equipment.

The National Fire Prevention Association has this list of safety tips to help avoid fires caused by heating equipment:

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Stay safe in cold weather - The Suffolk News-Herald - Suffolk News-Herald

(WWLP)- The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services is reminding residents of ways to safely keep their homes warm this winter and how to prevent house fires.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, heating has caused 6,692 fires over the past five years and is the number two cause of home fires in Massachusetts.

Residents are encouraged to use their home heating system and space heating appliances wisely and responsibly. The following tips were provided by the Department of Fire Services:

The ABCs of fire safety

Be careful when using fireplaces and solid fuel stoves

If you heat your home by burning solid fuels (coal, firewood, pellets), be careful before, during, and after using these kinds of fuels.

Space heaters need space

Fires caused by space heaters are rare but often deadly. If you must use a space heater, doso safely.

Maintain Natural Gas Equipment

Natural gas is a safe and efficient way to cook and heat our homes and hot water.

Gas leaks can be dangerous if you smell something like rotten eggs or you think there might be a leak:

Maintain Oil Heating Equipment

Home heating with fuel oil is also safe and efficient.

Carbon Monoxide: The silent killer

Heating equipment is the leading source of carbon monoxide in the home.

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Tips on how to keep warm and keep safe during cold weather - WWLP.com