High Performing Farmworker Housing in Santa Barbara
An innovative new project is creating more equitable access to energy efficiency technologies—the only such project of its scale statewide!
3C-REN’s Home Energy Savings program has partnered with People’s Self Help Housing and the Association for Energy Affordability (AEA) to support a comprehensive energy upgrade for three farmworker housing complexes in north Santa Barbara County by installing nearly 200 heat pump hot water heaters. Other upgrades included insulation, smart thermostats, LED lighting, and a solar PV system at each location.
This energy project takes significant steps to support climate goals by using heat pump technology, which can be 2 to 3 times more energy efficient than conventional gas water heaters. In addition to making these technologies more available to hard-to-reach communities, this project offers on-the-job training for Central Coast workers and has become a model to reduce energy costs and emissions across the entire region.
We’re launching our multifamily program with AEA this fall. If you’re interested in learning more, click here!
Making Our Homes—and Planet—More Resilient
By Ann Edminster
Facing yet another drought, with scorching temperatures and parched landscapes across the West, more people are asking: How can we address the threats of extreme heat, wildfire, smoke, and power shutoffs?
If you own a home and have an interest in remodeling, you likely have several resiliency opportunities. Most homes—unless they were built recently by specially-trained high-performance building pros—are poorly insulated and have little to no air sealing. Improving these shortcomings can significantly increase comfort (even during power outages) while lowering utility bills and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Old and deteriorated roofing and siding can be replaced with fire-resistant materials, which also improves air sealing and insulation. Changing vented attics and crawl spaces to airtight, insulated spaces helps heating and cooling systems operate more efficiently. And if you’re replacing any mechanical equipment, you can switch to smaller, more efficient, all-electric options with zero-emissions.
Remodeling can offer many opportunities to increase your household’s health and resiliency – so plan ahead to make the most of your next home improvement project!
If you missed our Fire Resiliency and Electrification training last month, you can watch the recording on our On-Demand page!
Energy Code Coach Corner
California is facing a housing crisis. Across the state, communities are trying to find ways to create housing opportunities for our teachers, firefighters, service workers, seniors, and others who need quality affordable homes.
To increase housing and affordability, Ventura County is encouraging construction of more Accessory Dwelling Units or ADUs—small secondary homes built on existing lots. A key strategy in speeding the creation of these homes is developing approved, “over-the-counter” ADU plans to streamline permitting and reduce design costs for owners and builders.
3C-REN is supporting these efforts by preparing energy calculations and incorporating cost-effective energy efficiency strategies in plan templates. Our Code Coaches worked with Ventura County staff to produce three 2019 Title 24-compliant floor plans for Climate Zones 06, 09 and 16. Want to learn more about ADUs or have other Code-related questions? Click on the button below!
Have You Heard?
New trainings on our On-Demand page!
Just added: Fire Resiliency, QII, and Residential Retrofits. Find these and more 3C-REN professional trainings online and searchable by topic. New recordings are being added monthly, so check back often!
Check out a DIY Toolkit!
Our free Home Energy Savings Toolkit provides the physical tools you need to upgrade your home, along with easy-to-follow instructions (in English and Spanish). Check out a toolkit from a partner library closest to you!
Upcoming Events
Communicating the Value of High Performance
Flexible Dates
Interest Form
What Energy Consultants Need to Know About QII
Thurs, Aug. 19, 9 am-10:30 am
Register Here
Heat Pump Water Heaters and the Energy Code
Tues, Aug. 31, 9 am-10:30 am
Register Here
All 3C-REN programs and services are free to participants in the tri-county region.
3C-REN offers ICC CEUs and AIA LUs for many of our educational events.
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