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KYOTO PROJECT Subcommittee of GD/N's Energy
Committee Green Decade's Kyoto Project is named after the Kyoto Protocol, an international effort for all countries to work to reduce CO2 emissions. The United States has never signed on to it. Our Kyoto Project was established in 2002 to help homeowners identify what they can do in their own homes to become more climate-friendly. The Kyoto Coordinator formerly developed CO2 baseline and climate action plans for homes and then calculated how many tons of CO2 were reduced by energy improvements. In addition to energy efficiency measures, the Kyoto Coordinator recommendED green energy options and biodiesel sources for home heating. The Kyoto project has and continues to offer occasional workshops for homeowners wanting to learn more about the technical aspects of making your home more efficient. Starting in 2005, the Kyoto Project focused more on quality control of weatherization improvements. The Kyoto Coordinator and an independent contractor performed 118 energy audits, most of them in Newton, using a blower door and infrared camera test. The purpose of the audits was to evaluate how well an insulation project had been installed, or to determine existing energy leaks. These audits developed into a database of BTU's (British Thermal Units) used per square foot of a house per year. The collection of the data is ongoing and involves analysis of one year of electrical use (number of kw units per month) and one year of heating units (gallons of oil or monthly therms of gas) as a starting point. The ultimate goal is to analyze the same data following an energy upgrade such as adding insulation. Please email the Kyoto Project Coordinator at ReuseRecycle@rcn.com if you are willing to share your energy data. Thanks! Starting in 2009, the Kyoto Committee members have consulted with energy efficiency experts and have banded together to jointly review the draft Statewide Electric and Gas Energy Efficiency Plans. So far the draft does not contain specific quality control requirements or a technical basis for the projections of energy savings made in the plan. The Kyoto Committee will continue to provide comments to assist the Mass Energy Efficiency Advisory Council (EEAC) with their review of the plans.
We have two brochures with information on how you can save money on energy in your home. For more information on how to become a Kyoto client or a Kyoto volunteer or affiliated contractor, please contact Michele Davis, Kyoto Coordinator, at 617-795-0546 or kyoto@greendecade.org.
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