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Real savings, real comfort, and real peace of mind...

 

What if you could make your home more comfortable, lower your utility bills and provide a valuable training opportunity for someone entering the construction industry... all at the same time?  What if you could do all of this with most or all of the cost paid for by utility rebates and the stimulus bill?
You can! This is Rising Sun Energy Center’s GETS Energy Services social enterprise!

GETS Energy Services offers subsidized energy upgrades to moderate income residents of Richmond and Berkeley through a partnership between the City of Berkeley, City of Richmond and Rising Sun Energy Center.
The goal is to lower your utility bills by making your home more comfortable, healthy, durable, and energy efficient, while providing on-the-job training for graduates of Rising Sun’s Green Energy Training Services (GETS) workforce development program.

The GETS Energy Services social enterprise offers qualified residents of Richmond and Berkeley the opportunity to do something good for themselves, their wallets, and the planet - all at little or no cost! 

Much like Rising Sun Energy Center’s California Youth Energy Services free Green House Call, we scout out hidden drafts, inefficient appliances, inadequate or ineffective insulation and moisture and drainage problems.  Unlike CYES, GETS Energy Services can offer deep energy upgrade services that can reduce your energy consumption by up to 20%, 30%, or even 40%!  That’s real savings, real comfort, and real peace of mind.

What can I get from GETS Energy Services?
We offer a wide menu of services to make your home more comfortable, energy efficient, safe, and durable:  attic insulation, draft sealing, furnace filter replacement, furnace duct sealing, compact fluorescent lights, water heater blankets, programmable thermostats and more!

How much will it cost?
Your "out-of-pocket" expenses will range from zero to around $3,000.00.  What you pay depends on two main factors:  1.) the city you live in and 2.) the work we do on your home.  If you are a Richmond resident, we can cover the first $5,000.00 worth of repairs to your home.  This means Richmond participants only pay for work if the total project cost is more than $5,000.00.  If you are a Berkeley resident, the amount of your subsidy and your “out of pocket” expense depends on the amount and type of work you receive.  Average incentives for Berkeley residents range from $250.00 up to $7,000.00 with out-of-pocket expenses ranging from $300.00 up to $5,000.00. 

Am I eligible?
If you are a moderate income homeowner in Berkeley and Richmond, you may be eligible to enroll and take advantage of these subsidies. 

How does this work?
To have GETS Energy Services perform your energy upgrades, fill out the application below (for your city) and mail it to Rising Sun Energy Center with 12 months of PG&E bills and your audiy deposit check for $300.  Once we receive your application along with the $300 deposit, we'll contact you and visit your home to conduct a series of tests. These will give us information to make the best recommendations for you and your home.  We'll work with you to find a scope of work that fits your needs and budget.  Once we've agreed on that, we'll sign a contract and schedule the work.

How much experience does Rising Sun have?
Rising Sun Energy Center has been active since 1994. More than 13,000 homes have benefited from our free Green House Calls. Our GETS Energy Services staff are professionally trained staff from your community. We are an accredited green employer with full worker's compensation and general liability insurances. Rising Sun's Licensed General Contractor is licensed, bonded and insured.

How are Rising Sun’s unique incentives and rebates funded?
The Cities of Berkeley and Richmond decided to use some of their stimulus money from the federal government to help residents improve the efficiency of their homes.  The Cities have contracted with us because we have extensive experience in running energy efficiency programs.  Plus, Rising Sun Energy Center runs the “Green Energy Training Services” (GETS) program, a green-collar jobs training program in which residents of Berkeley and Richmond learn how to make homes more comfortable, energy efficient, safe, and durable.  The GETS Energy Services social enterprise employs some of these graduates whom work with our experienced licensed contractor and staff.  By working with GETS Energy Services, you gain access to unique incentives and rebates and provide green jobs graduates with their first ‘green’ job experience!

What kind of testing will you do on my home?
Our staff will tour your home with you, inside and outside, pointing out where you can save energy and money.  You'll be surprised how much we find! 
We use the most accurate and advanced tools available to measure air leakage into and out of your home and ducts.  All of those drafts you feel are your home leaking energy – energy you've paid for!  We use Blower Doors®, Duct Blasters®, digital manometers, and energy modeling software (Energy Pro 5) to gather the necessary data. 

 

How long does the process take?
It varies from home to home and applicant to applicant. Complete average time from beginning to end of the process will depend on your availability for scheduling appointments but typically ranges from two weeks to one month. See "steps of the process", below, for timing details.

What are the steps of the process?

1. Application:  Complete the application and return it with all necessary paperwork.  We will need approximately five business days to process the application.  Completed applications are processed on a “first come, first served” basis.
2. Phone Interview & Scheduling:  A Rising Sun staff member will call to schedule Home Assessment appointment. 
3. Home Assessment:  The GETS Energy Services Crew Lead a BPI Certified Building Analyst will visit and test your home to collect data and generate a proposal of the recommended work. This testing will take approximately 4 hours.
4. Proposal & Contract:  After a few days, the GETS Energy Services Licensed General Contractor will be back in touch with you to go over the details of the recommended work, along with a budget and timeline for the project.  Once your questions are answered, we'll provide you a contract to sign.
5. Upgrade Work:  We'll schedule an appointment and send a GETS Energy Services crew to your home. The amount of time it takes to do the actual upgrade work varies depending on what and how much work your home is receiving. Typical project lengths range from one to five days.  At the conclusion of the upgrade, the crew will test your home again to verify the quality of their work.

Note: If you owe a balance for the work performed, you must complete payment upon the completion of work.

6. Follow-up:  12 months after your upgrade, a GETS Energy Services staff person will contact you to collect your utility bill information.  This information helps us show the impact of our work.

 

Ready to apply?

Berkeley residents click here.

Richmond residents click here.

 

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Interested in learning more? Contact Khaia McGill, GETS Energy Service Director: by phone at (510) 647-8182, or via email