Rethink Energy

This regularly scheduled sponsored column is written by the Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy team (AIRE). This county program helps you make smart energy decisions that save you money and leaves a lighter footprint on the environment.

Welcome to the 2021 Green Home and Garden Virtual Tour! This year, the tour will feature short videos of homes and gardens (below) together with an online meet-the-host event where you can ask the hosts your questions directly in small breakout rooms. Get ideas and inspiration for your own home and garden.

Green Home and Garden Tour Meet the Host Event
Friday, June 4, 12-1:30 p.m.
Register online to participate.

Learn more about these new green homes, green renovations and watershed-friendly gardens. See homes featuring energy-efficient technologies, solar energy, water-saving technologies, rain gardens, native plants, wildlife habitat and more. The tour is sponsored by Arlington County’s Office of Sustainability and Environmental Management, EcoAction Arlington, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and Arlington Friends of Urban Agriculture.

Tour highlights include:

Arlington Green Home Choice — Bartell residence renovation, addition, solar

Arlington Green Home Choice — Stout residence renovation, addition, energy-efficient design, solar

Homeowner discusses his experience in adding new very modern space to a small Arlington home with Hambleton Construction. This addition and renovation feature a very energy-efficient design and solar system. This home is Green Home Choice certified.

Rain Garden, Native Plantings, and Dry Wells Improve Drainage and Transform a Garden

Homeowners discuss their modern sustainable Green Home Choice certified addition and renovation by Paola One Design and J and J Construction, This home features a solar system.

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This regularly scheduled sponsored column is written by the Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy team (AIRE). This county program helps you make smart energy decisions that save you money and leaves a lighter footprint on the environment.

Here on the Rethink Energy team, we are big fans of all modes of transit that eliminate single occupant vehicles. Walking, biking, scooting and public transit are all amazing.

Still, we’ve got to get from where we are to where we need to go sometimes with kids, to pick something up or otherwise — and we need a car to do it.

More and more electric cars are popping up in Arlington. The electrification of transportation is a key piece of reaching Arlington’s goal of carbon neutrality.

Electric cars now drive farther, charge faster and come in nearly every price range. Maintenance is simpler and cheaper. Just imagine no oil changes — ever! “Refueling” is as simple as plugging into an electrical outlet, and you’ll spend less than you do on gasoline to charge your vehicle.

Charging stations continue to pop up in Arlington, and incentives are available to help reduce the cost of your electric vehicle (EV) purchase.

Learn about charging, incentives, and more on our Drive Electric Arlington webpage.

EV Fun Facts:

• The first electric vehicle was created in 1832, and Thomas Edison worked on an electric car battery in 1899. In the early 1900s, New York City taxis were primarily electric.
• The longer you own your EV, the cleaner it is to use. Unlike gasoline vehicles that degrade in fuel efficiency over time, EVs use electricity from the electric grid that is getting cleaner all of the time with the addition of renewable energy sources of power like solar and wind.
• If you install solar on your home, you essentially own a “gas station” for your EV. You’ll be driving on sunshine!

This regularly scheduled sponsored column is written by the Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy team (AIRE). This county program helps you make smart energy decisions that save you money and leaves a lighter footprint on the environment.

On Earth Day — April 22, the Biden administration is holding a global climate summit as more than 300 corporate leaders ask the Biden administration to take additional actions to address climate change.

As our schools, businesses, restaurants and the world head toward a “return to normal,” there is no going back to business-as usual.

COVID-19 reminds us that global action is possible to address and mitigate dire threats. It also shows how quickly governments — including Arlington’s — can act given the urgency. The conversation shifts from what should be done to what must be done.

We’re experiencing the possibilities of collective action right now.

Working with residents and businesses, the Rethink Energy team remains committed to addressing climate change to create a carbon-neutral Arlington along with similar efforts around the world.

Together let’s keep working toward that healthy and sustainable future. We can do it. There really isn’t a choice.

• Attend a virtual solar and electric vehicle charger co-op meeting
• Learn about electric vehicles and how to make the switch
• FREE Green Home Certification (new construction and renovations)
• ENERGY STAR Federal Income Tax Credits and Other Incentive for Energy Efficiency
• ENERGY STAR Rule-Your Attic Insulation Program
• Green Valley Earth Day Cleanup
• Find Earth Day actions in Arlington
• Apply to join the Climate Change, Energy, and Environment Commission
• Read and take action to help implement the Community Energy Plan

Happy Earth Day, Arlington!

This regularly scheduled sponsored column is written by the Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy team (AIRE). This county program helps you make smart energy decisions that save you money and leaves a lighter footprint on the environment.

If COVID has shown us anything, it’s that collective action is possible to address a global issue. As the COVID vaccine rolls out, we are watching history being made in so many ways.

On the topic of global collaboration, for the first time, Arlington County is joining a group of other D.C. area local governments to form the Capital Area Solar Co-op.

Launched on April 1, 2021 (no joke), this regional Solar Co-op opportunity will be available from now until the end of August 2021 for residents all over the Capital Area!

It can be hard to find positives amid the chaos of COVID-19, but there is one silver lining. The lockdown has slowed climate change: cutting fossil fuel use, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Unfortunately, this decline in emissions is already reversing.

We as a community and a region have an opportunity to take action now to change the trajectory of the future. Installing solar is one way to directly decarbonize or clean the electric grid, eliminate your dependence on fossil fuels, and even turn your house into a ‘gas station’ if you own or buy an electric car.

More than 230 Arlington homeowners have already participated in the County’s Solar and Electric Vehicle Charger Co-op. The cooperative helps residents, small businesses and non-profit organizations buy solar and electric vehicle (EV) chargers at a discounted price through bulk purchasing. The cooperative provides support to participants to make the purchasing process easy. This year we will also provide information about storing your solar power at home in battery systems.

Take advantage of the federal residential solar and electric vehicle charger tax credits. This year the residential tax credits are 26% for solar and 30% (up to $1,000) for electric vehicle chargers. Business tax credits are also available.

This is a great time to learn more about solar, electric vehicle charging and solar battery storage and help our community reach carbon neutral by 2050.

Below are dates for the upcoming virtual info sessions. Click below to RSVP for the date and time that works best for you:

• April 9 at 12 p.m.
• May 5 at 6:30 p.m.
• June 4 at 12 p.m.
• July 28 at 6:30 p.m.

This regularly scheduled sponsored column is written by the Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy team (AIRE). This county program helps you make smart energy decisions that save you money and leaves a lighter footprint on the environment.

Do you live and breathe renewable energy and energy efficiency? Do you have a keen community commitment, a brain for scaled sustainability programs and the experience that proves it?

Does the idea of completely transforming the way energy is generated, transported and stored (with an expert team that loves this, too) excite you? If so, we have the perfect job for you!

Come join our dedicated and fun-loving team to create a carbon-neutral Arlington.

The Office of Sustainability and Environmental Management (OSEM) within the Department of Environmental Services is seeking a highly skilled technical and programmatic Energy Program Manager with an entrepreneurial sense of emerging energy markets and technologies to strategically lead climate and energy efficiency renewable programs.

The OSEM operates as Arlington County’s core agency for climate mitigation and adaptation programs and a growing portfolio of cross-departmental and community-facing energy programs. Additionally, Arlington County adopted and updated the Community Energy Plan (CEP) 2019, which reflects the climate, energy and social will of its citizens and businesses. The CEP sets defined goals for renewable energy resourcing and arriving at a carbon-neutral community, integrates emerging technologies in the transportation and storage sectors, creates a pathway toward energy resilience, and introduces energy equity into policy and program design.

Specific duties include:

• Providing technical assistance and strategic planning to the climate and energy programs, which address the broader community greenhouse gas reduction goals
• Leading strategic design and development of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs and projects with an emphasis on performance and cost-effectiveness
• Planning and implementing strategies for county operations to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2025
• Organizing utility contract specifications, developing work scopes for energy efficiency projects, and participating in negotiations related to energy efficiency, clean transportation and renewable energy projects
• Determining and assessing opportunities for on-site renewable installations at government sites and facilities
• Developing, managing, and implementing energy programs and initiatives to reduce the county’s energy consumption
• Developing scopes of work for energy efficiency projects, including energy performance contracts, budgets, and timelines for projects, and performing return on investment analyses
• Conducting regular reviews of energy monitoring, including utility bill payments, account review activities, and providing energy-related input into the design and operation of county facilities
• Supporting or leading grant project development application and execution
• Communicating and improving complex energy concepts to staff, elected officials, and the public through verbal presentations, written memos, position papers, and board reports
• Representing the county on regional and state-wide committees and participating in regional, interdepartmental, and community work groups on energy and sustainability issues
• Addressing VA Assembly proposals and legislation and statewide utilities commission initiatives
• Maintaining relationships with Dominion Energy and other utilities to enhance potential partnerships and future negotiations
• Performing other duties as assigned

The successful candidate will possess:

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This regularly scheduled sponsored column is written by the Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy team (AIRE). This county program helps you make smart energy decisions that save you money and leaves a lighter footprint on the environment.

More and more Arlingtonians are buying electric vehicles.

We know the majority of electric vehicle (EV) charging happens at home or work. But where do you charge when traveling around town?

If you have an electric vehicle or are considering an EV, the number of locations to charge continues to grow. Below is a map that shows areas around town that you can charge.

Bus, rail, bike and walking are always the preferred choice for travel around town, but if you have to use a car, electric vehicles are the way to go. Electric vehicles are the future (and present) of transportation.

Arlington is also striving to be carbon neutral by 2050, including using renewable electricity for the entire community by 2035. We’re shifting gears to renewable energy coupled with electric vehicles — a win-win.

Are you considering an EV? The apps below will steer you in the right direction to find EV charging stations. They are popping up faster than we can keep track of…

• PlugShare
• ChargePoint
• Tesla Chargers

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This regularly-scheduled sponsored column is written by the Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy team (AIRE). This county program helps you make smart energy decisions that save you money and leaves a lighter footprint on the environment.

Snow may be falling again tonight and into tomorrow. Snow can be a useful tool. What can you know with snow? Try this!

As snow falls, keep an eye on your roof and the roofs of surrounding homes. A light snow can tell a lot about the efficiency of a home. About an inch or two of snow is best to identify issues. Fast-melting roof snow can be a symptom of inadequate insulation or poor air sealing.

Not all areas of missing snow are indications of energy issues. Hone your eye by taking note of tree limbs over a home, high winds and areas where direct sun may create funky patterns on a roof. Nevertheless, this is a quick way to take inventory of what might be happening in your home.

It isn’t a shock, though — 9 out of 10 homes in the U.S. are under-insulated. In homes across Arlington, poorly sealed and under-insulated attics are taking money out of homeowners’ pockets in the form of high utility bills.

Don’t suffer year after year with uncomfortable spaces in your home. In most cases, the fixes aren’t complex, and the cost will likely be less than you expect. You can also take advantage of the tax credit for insulation!

Are you unsure where to start? Do you have technical questions? Our Green Home Choice staff can help answer your questions and point you in the right direction.

For more information about how to insulate and air seal or about Green Home Choice, visit the Green Home Choice website at www.greenhomechoice.us or contact [email protected].

Stay warm, stay safe, and keep an eye on your roof. It might be trying to tell you something.