Limiting Fossil Fuels in Jericho
New Construction
Affordability of
About Me
- Software Engineer & Jericho Energy Task Force member
- Went deep in to climate, got depressed, found action to be the antidote
- Have written a few opinion pieces for VTDigger, including documenting how I fully-electrified my own home for $3,000.
Climate Change
Climate change, caused by human-made CO2 emissions, is a crisis
Overview
- Vermont passed the Global Warming Solutions act in 2020. Emissions would need to be 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 - six years from now.
- Latest data (ANR, 2020) indicates just a 7% drop.
- Houses built in 2024 will have heating systems built to last one or more decades. The choices we make now will have far-reaching effects on the sustainability of our community.
2024 Town Plan - Building a Connected Community
Learning From Others
- Over 100 municipalities have responded by limiting or completely prohibiting fossil fuel usage in new construction homes.
- These include Burlington VT, Beacon NY, Montreal, Quebec, NY, CA, CO, and WA.
South Burlington
- Ordinance Passed at the end of 2022. Their energy Task Force requested limits on� heating air, and the selectboard requested water to be included as well
- Ordinance requires air/water heating which can run on renewable energy. � Does not prohibit fossil fuels in the home. Backup heating methods are encouraged.
- Exceptions in place if cost is higher over 25-year period. No� exemption has been requested since passage.
- Several new developments, including affordable housing and � fully-electric apartments are under construction
What is Clean Heat - Air
- Heat Pumps take thermal energy from outside the home, and move it inside.
- A modern heat pump averages 300% efficiency year-round. For every unit of energy required to run, one puts out three units of energy into a home.
- A single mini-split heat-pump can be professionally installed for $6-$7k, with a 30% tax-credit bringing the price down to $4-$5k.
What is Clean Heat - Water
- Water Heaters can run with Heat Pumps too. (Even dryers can!)
- Efficiency is as high as 400%
- In the winter, that heat must be replaced. In the summer, mild air-conditioning/dehumidification at no extra cost
- Payback time in as little as three years
Heat Pumps - Future 🕵️
- The US is lagging Europe by several years in heat pump technology, allowing us to look ahead. Some installers here today offer comparable units.
- Modern refrigerants (R32, CO2, Propane), bring that 300% efficiency up to 400%-500%, for 50% cost-savings. (Commercializing in 2024)
- Monobloc heat-pumps heat water with energy from outdoors. They are becoming available and are a great option for DIY/self-install. No HVAC work required, only plumbing.
Installation Affordability
- For 10+ years, it has been cheaper to build an all-electric home than a mixed-fuel one in the Southern US
- In the past ~5 years, cold-climate heat pumps have gotten so good that this is also true in our Climate Zone (Zone 6)
Installation Affordability
Affordability for VT Multi-Family Dwellings
- As buildings get bigger, so too do the cost savings.
- Elm Place in Milton (30 units) � electrified for an additional cost � of 2%, but paid that back in two � years of operating costs savings � compared to their sister facility.
- South Burlington Affordable & � Fully-Electric Housing being built� (pictured)
Operating Affordability
Heat Pumps can result in thousands of dollars in annual savings
Jericho Lifestyles
🌆 Alice
- Lives downtown in an apartment
- Fully electrified home w/o backup
- Relies on reliable city-center electric grid.
🏞️ Bob
- Lives in a woodsy Single Family Home
- Primarily Electrified. Has a woodstove and a whole-house Generac for backup
- Savings from the heat pump vs oil cover the cost of backup heat
Health & Indoor Air Quality
- Nitrous Oxide (NO2) emissions - even with a range hood
- Children have 42% more likelihood of asthma symptoms w/ gas stoves at home
- This is worse in modern buildings, which are tightly sealed, and in smaller units
Working with the Town:
How do we get there from here?
Possible Next Steps
- JETF to present to the Planning Commision (date TBD)
- Planning Commission would hold hearings and eventually present to Select Board to Approval
Questions?
Appendix A – Resources & Links
Appendix B – The growth of Carbon Pricing
^ This Presentation
Appendix A - Resources
- Google Drive - Research & News Articles
- South Burlington Testimony (YouTube) & Ordinance
- Cold Climate Heat Pump Buyers Guide
- Heat Pump Comparison Cost Calculator
- Heat Pump Water Heater Calculator
Appendix B - Carbon Pricing
- Carbon Pricing is rapidly spreading around the world, increasing the price fossil fuels
- CBAM (Carbon Tariffs) bills from Republicans & Democrats are currently proposed