Tribal Outreach, Program Development, and Leveraging NLIEC June 14, 2006

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Tribal Outreach, Program Development, and
Leveraging NLIECJune 14, 2006
Paul Dearhouse Inter Tribal Council of Arizona,
Inc Community Development Specialist 2214 N.
Central Avenue Phoenix AZ 85004 Ph
602.258.ITCA (4822) paul.dearhouse_at_itcaonline.com
www.itcaonline.com

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Acknowledgements

• National
• Carole Gates, DOE Regional Office
• Regional Organizations
• Energy OutWest
• Local and State Agencies
• Northern Arizona Council of Governments(NACOG),
• Foundation for Senior Living
• Tribal
• ITCA- Dave Castillo, John Lewis, Alberta
  Tippeconnic
• Cocopah, Yavapai Apache Nation, Havasupai Tribe,
  Pascua Yaqui, Ft Mojave Indian Tribe.

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Presentation Outline

• I. Background information
• A.) Inter Tribal Council of Arizona
• B.) Arizona Tribes
• C.) Department of Energy Weatherization
  Assistance Program
• II. ITCA approach to working with Tribes
• III. ITCA Next Steps
• IV. Recommendations
• GOAL Communicate ITCA learnings on dealing with
  Tribes and provide recommendations for similar
  programs

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I.A) ITCA- Inter Tribal Council of Arizona

• Established 1952
• On July 9, 1975, the council established a
  private, non-profit corporation, Inter Tribal
  Council of Arizona, Inc.
• Mission Statement
• The purpose of the ITCA is to provide the member
  tribes with the means for action on matters that
  affect them collectively and individually, to
  promote tribal sovereignty and to strengthen
  tribal governments.
• http//www.itcaonline.com

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I.B.) Arizona Tribes

• 20 Tribes
• Tribal lands comprise 27 of AZ Land Base
• Industry-
• Gaming, Tourism, Agriculture
• Diversity of Tribal Lands

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AZ - Diversity of AZ Tribal Lands
Havasupai Tribe
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Havasupai Falls
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AZ- Diversity of AZ Tribal Lands

• Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe

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TRIBAL ELECTRIC UTILITIES IN ARIZONA
Ak-Chin Utility Authority
Aha-Macav Power Services
Gila River Indian Community Utility Authority
Navajo Tribal Utility Authority
Tohono OOdham Utility Authority
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I. C.) Wx - Introduction to Weatherization
What are we getting ourselves into?
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Wx - Weatherization

• 10 CFR 440 WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE FOR
  LOW-INCOME PERSONS
• This part implements a weatherization assistance
  program to increase the energy efficiency of
  dwellings owned or occupied by low-income
  persons, reduce their total residential
  expenditures, and improve their health and
  safety, especially low-income persons who are
  particularly vulnerable such as the elderly,
  persons with disabilities, families with
  children, high residential energy users, and
  households with high energy burden
• 10 CFR 600 Financial Assistance Rules

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Wx - Weatherization Overview
The Weatherization Assistance Program provides
weatherization services free of charge to
approximately 100,000 low-income households every
year. Every county and Native American tribe in
the country is included in this program. In
operation since 1976, the Weatherization
Assistance Program is the longest-lived and
largest energy efficiency program in our nation's
history and is one of the few government
activities that saves more money than it costs.
Weatherization provides energy efficiency
services that are tailored to each house and are
designed for maximum cost savings. Families
receiving weatherization services see their
annual energy bills reduced by an average of 200
to 250, depending on fuel prices. Because the
energy retrofits that make up weatherization
services are long lived, the savings add up over
time to substantial benefits for weatherization
clients and their communities, and the nation as
a whole. Department of Energy, 2004
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Wx- Administrative Requirements

• Rules of Thumb
• Install Cost Effective Materials/Measures
• Use Approved Priority List for Climate Zone
• Energy Audits Guide or Confirm Need for Installed
  Materials/Measures
• In general an energy audit consists of the
  following tests/procedures
• Combustion Safety
• Pressure Diagnostics
• Blower Door Testing
• Department of Energy Regulations
• 10 CFR 440
• Online Assistance- www.waptac.org
• Reporting Forms
• Administrative (demographics, qualification)
• Technical (diagnostic, testing, house info)

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Wx- Pressure Diagnostics Blower Door Testing
Testing the Integrity of the House as a System
Building EnvelopeAir Barrier (AB) Insulation
The Thermal Boundary(AB Any airtight
material sealed at joints)
Uninsulated Area
Thermal Boundary
Insulated Area
Thermal Boundary AKA The Building Shell or The
Building Envelope
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Wx- Ex Testing Also Helps Identify Amount of
Infiltration

Door closure can cause part of the home to be at
a positive pressure and part at a negative
pressure

Increased infiltration
Increased exfiltration
Negative pressure
Positive pressure
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Wx- Climate Zones

• Weatherization work based on climate zone
• Priority list contains work which is known to be
  cost effective

• Map here

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Priority list by Climate Zone

• Housing Type Two Homes with Evaporative Cooling
  Only and Electric Resistance Heating
• Existing ceiling insulation of R-11 or less
  upgraded to R-30.
• Pressure diagnostics and repair following the
  pressure diagnostic procedure established by the
  WAP
• program.
• Upgrade of evaporative cooler motor with higher
  efficiency two-speed motor.
• Water heater wrap (where allowed).
• Housing Type Three Homes with Evaporative
  Cooling Only and Gas Heating
• Existing ceiling insulation of R-11 or less
  upgraded to R-19.
• .etc

• CLIMATE ZONE 6 - Yuma, Parker, Bull Head City
• The priority list can be used to determine cost
  effective weatherization materials/measures for
  homes located in Climate Zone 6. The priority
  list is comprised of three housing types with a
  listing of cost effective upgrades.
• Housing Type One Homes with Refrigeration
  Cooling (AC or Heat Pump)
• Existing ceiling insulation of R-19 or less
  upgraded to R-30.
• Un-insulated frame walls upgraded with blown
  insulation.
• Pressure diagnostics and repair following the
  pressure diagnostic procedure established by the
  WAP
• program.
• Air Conditioners twenty years old or older
  upgraded with a minimum 12 SEER unit.
• Shade screens on all sun struck south, east and
  west windows and glass doors.
• Water heater wrap (where allowed).

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Case Studies- Links to Backup

• Example case study

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Weatherization also

• Addresses Health Safety Issues
• Potential Leaks Backdrafting

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Weatherization also

• Energy Education
• Operation
• Maintenance Practice

Clean Coils Annually
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Weatherization also

• Weatherization repairs vary by region

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Weatherization also
Generally allowable cost effective measures
Infiltration Repairs Duct sealing
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II. Wx ITCA Weatherization Overview
The purpose of the ITCA Weatherization Assistance
Program is to provide weatherization services to
low-income tribal members living on tribal lands
in Arizona and through this activity establish a
model tribal weatherization program that
demonstrates weatherization and other
rehabilitation priorities as well as funding
need. This information will then be used to
obtain additional funding through the Department
of Energy and other funding sources for tribal
housing programs in Arizona and throughout the
nation. ITCA Inc., 2000

• Goals
• Weatherize tribal homes
• Develop tribal skills, Wx infrastructure,
  expertise
• Sustainability

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ITCA Implementation Procedure

• Establish Memorandum of Agreement between ITCA
  and Tribal entity
• Administrative file-Qualification, demographics
• Technical File- Housing information, diagnostics
• Train tribal crew through Local/Regional agencies
• Audits and production carried out by tribe or
  Local/Regional agencies
• Reimbursement
• Reports (quarterly and annual)

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ITCA Weatherization Overview

• Successes
• gt100 homes weatherized since 1999
• Tribal housing crews increase weatherization
  technical knowledge
• National acknowledgement that tribal
  weatherization requires additional funding
• Lessons Learned What works?
• Minimal Funding Requires Leveraging Funds
• Partnerships are ESSENTIAL
• What Difficulties are encountered?

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Dealing with Tribes- Observations

• One size does not fit all
• Advantages of established Wx programs dont apply
• No Infrastructure
• No expertise
• Administration varies from tribe to tribe
• Wx may be administered through Tribal Housing,
  Energy Office, Tribal Utility, or Tribal Council.
  
• Wx can be affected by
• Program transfers from one office to another
• Turnover (Normal turnover, Elections, etc)

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Dealing with Tribes- Observations

• Administration restrictions (10) are
  challenging for smaller grantees.
• Are the potential grant dollars significant
  enough to justify effort?
• What kind of leveraging/collaborative
  opportunities are out there within the tribal
  context?
• Are there non-monetary considerations that
  warrant an increased effort to obtain direct
  funding by the tribes or tribal organizations?

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Observations- Poor Housing Stock

• Difficult to accomplish true weatherization
  within 2700 per house budget
• Walk-aways
• Leveraging needed
• LITHC, NAHASDA

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Dealing with Tribes-Observations

• Building trust is key
• Elders suspicious of program and signing forms
• I wont have to move out will I?
• Those most in need are those most difficult to
  serve
• Non-resident tribal member encountering
  difficulties that resident member may not

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What works? Leveraging Resources
Leveraging ResourcesFinding to Better Meet
Your Tribes Needs
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What works? Partnerships!

• Establish partnerships
• For example Energy OutWest is an independent
  organization devoted to the advancement of
  science in the weatherization technologies.
• Representatives from Alaska, Arizona, California,
  Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, the Navajo
  Nation, and the Intertribal Council of Arizona
• EOW Provides expertise and infrastructure-
• dont have to reinvent the wheel- its all been
  done before.

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EOW Tribal Roundtable (4/06)

• Challenges to tribal weatherization
• Distance/isolation of tribal communities
• Outreach needed, no clear mandate from Utilities
  to work with tribes
• Perceptions and misinterpretations
• Adequate training on program regulations
• Seemingly unlimited needs limited resources
• Retaining information when not used regularly

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Tribal Roundtable 4 players on Tribal
Weatherization team

• Federal
• Partnerships
• National Regional Organizations
• Training and Technical Assistance
• Local and State Agencies
• Funding Training and Technical Assistance
• Production
• Tribes
• Sustainability and program implementation

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III. Next Steps

• Continue to build on existing Partnerships and
  create new Partnerships
• Focus on securing additional funding to make
  program more comprehensive, flexible.
• HHS LIHEAP
• Indian Community Development Block Grant
• Utilities- Arizona Public Service funding
  FY06-07.
• Provides for Bill assistance, general home
  repairs
• Increased dollars/house
• On Tribal side
• Varies from Tribe to Tribe ex NAHASDA, Tax
  Housing Credit
• Identify develop a model tribal weatherization
  program

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IV. RecommendationsWhats needed to initiate a
tribal weatherization program?

• Identify a tribal weatherization champion
• Housing, Utility, Energy, or Council.
• Buy-in from Tribal partners- MOA.
• Peer to peer mentoring
• Establishing relationships with state and local
  agencies officials to get the work done

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IV. Recommendations for Sustainability of tribal
weatherization

• Trained Tribal WAP workforce which retains skills
• Fee for service?
• Other ideas?
• Active participation in greater weatherization
  community
• Utilize State/local/regional resources
• Model Tribal WAP programs to assist developing
  programs
• Ex Alaska Community Development Corporation WAP
  since late 90s assisting ITCA.

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Before and After
Before
After
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BACKUP
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Example How well is this house performing in
terms of energy efficiency?
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To Check We Use Specialized Equipment
White is hotter 96.6
Dark is cooler 86.6
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This Insulation Is Not WorkingStud, at R-4 is
insulating better than the R-30 batt
Stud
Batt
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Its insulated but
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Insulation has fallen from the wall.
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Using Federal Weatherization Funds This Home Was
Reinsulated
Before insulation
After insulation
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Impact of room pressure (door closure)
Increased infiltration, hot air coming in the can
lights.
Fixture (light out) 81.4 .
Fixture (light out) 87.9
Fixture (light out) 87.9
Ceiling 77.7 .
Ceiling 77.7
Ceiling 75.8 .
Fixture (light out) 85.5.
Fixture (light out) 82.3.
Fixture (light out) 85.5
We recommended to install return paths in all
homes