Congratulations. You've blown some insulation into the attic, screwed in some compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Perhaps you replaced those old, drafty windows.

Energy-saving moves, all of them.

But that's nothing compared to what is coming at the Navy Yard.

Pennsylvania State University and a slew of partners plan to implement and develop the very latest in eco-friendly technologies at the South Philadelphia site, with the help of $159 million in federal and state grants announced last week.

"Dynamic" building facades that adjust in response to changes in outdoor temperature and sunlight. High-tech materials that remove humidity from the air without cooling it to the bone-chilling level of the typical air conditioner. Electronic sensors that perceive harmful particles in the air and activate filters when needed.

Some of this is still in the concept stage, while other elements are on the market. But they are rarely implemented as parts of a system in which buildings - even entire neighborhoods - can slash energy costs by engaging in a computer-controlled give-and-take with the environment and the electrical grid.

So-called smart buildings have been built here and there, but not in a way that can be replicated at low cost for a mass market, said James Freihaut, a professor of architectural engineering at Penn State. The goal is to develop technology that will pay for itself within five years, cutting energy costs by at least 50 percent.

"It's not rocket science," said Freihaut, the technical lead on the project. "It's actually a lot more difficult."

But he thinks it can be done, starting with several of the Navy Yard's redbrick structures as guinea pigs. Among the site's benefits is that it has its own power grid, said engineer Satish Narayanan of the Connecticut-based United Technologies Corp.

"It's sort of a mini-city," said Narayanan, whose employer is a project partner.

UTC makes Carrier air conditioners, among many other products, and this expertise is expected to be a big source of cost savings.

Today's air conditioners cool the air well below room temperature in order to remove humidity. In a typical commercial building, the air must then be reheated - a significant waste.

In a home with central air, the machine comes roaring to life every so often, emitting air at 55 degrees until the overall temperature is brought down to the desired level.

If the humidity were removed from the air in some other way, the air would not need to be cooled as much, and the machines could be smaller - saving energy and capital costs, Narayanan said.

Humidity could be lowered with some sort of membrane or chemical dehumidifier, perhaps by mimicking processes found in nature, said Penn State's Freihaut. For example, certain desert toads have skin that can capture water from the air, he said.

Other technologies that will be studied at the Navy Yard include window glass that can be electrically manipulated to admit different amounts of light depending on the time of day. Such a system would be automated to anticipate and respond to weather changes and how many people are in the building, said Narayanan.

The project's biggest recipient of federal funds is Penn State, with $34 million. UTC will receive $10 million for research and will chip in $5 million of its own, while Bayer MaterialScience is to get $2.5 million and contribute about $3 million. The partners include 11 universities and five corporations.

Several buildings at the Navy Yard will be retrofitted, among them Building 661 - a 30,000 square-foot edifice that once housed a gymnasium, swimming pool, and offices. A separate laboratory facility will be built from scratch.

Various forms of high-tech insulation will be used, but that requires more focus on indoor air quality, said Mike Gallagher, director of the government services group for Bayer MaterialScience. The air in a tightly sealed building can suffer from "off-gassing," chemicals emitted from synthetic materials.

So the company, part of the German-based Bayer Group, has developed eco-friendly urethane coatings and other materials with negligible levels of volatile organics.

Still another technology involves impregnating concrete or another rigid building material with a second substance, such as a waxlike polymer, that has a melting point near room temperature.

Called phase-change materials because they change back and forth from liquid to solid, melting or solidifying depending on the temperature, they serve as a sort of insulator.

They rely on the principle that a substance requires energy to change its phase - to melt (or boil, for that matter) - energy that is absorbed from the surrounding environment without changing the material's temperature.

The melting point of the substances used in building materials is typically above room temperature. So when the outdoor temperature exceeds that melting point, a certain amount of the heat is absorbed for the purpose of melting. Similarly, when the outdoor temperature comes back down at night, the heat from the material is released.

While these and other green materials already are available, rare is the building that has them all working in concert, said Thanos Tzempelikos, an assistant professor of architectural engineering at Purdue University - another project partner, which is getting $6 million.

A building has many complex subsystems, and they are generally designed and installed by different people. Unlike with say, an automobile, these professionals do not necessarily communicate with each other - from the developer to the architect to the subcontractor.

And the project leaders acknowledge that all the gee-whiz gadgetry in the world will not make a difference if no one uses it. The project officials will visit schools to describe their work and encourage people to enter the green-building field.

Business owners will be able to follow their work on an interactive website.

And some research will look at policies to encourage adoption of the technologies, such as incentives or regulation.

Still others will study energy generation and storage - for example, batteries to capture excess solar or wind energy for later use, when it is not sunny or windy.

Then there's a concept called combined heat and power - generating electricity on or near the site, perhaps with a gas-powered microturbine. Large power plants lose much of their energy in the form of waste heat, whereas the excess heat from a small, on-site plant can be used to heat the buildings.

The bottom line, said Freihaut, is that there is a lot of innovation to be done:

"I tell my students, 'Look, you can be richer than Bill Gates.' "

Dear Dr. Green: I’ve read about white roofs and heard a lot about Philly’s Coolest Block Contest, but that was before the recent heat wave. Ninety degree temperature seems like too much for a measly coat of paint to handle. Does that stuff really work?

A: Skepticism is natural, but this isn’t snake oil we’re selling. A white roof really will save you money, make your home more comfortable, and help slow the rate of climate change.

Let’s first look at the science. During a heat wave, black asphalt roofs can reach 195 degrees Fahrenheit. Much of that accumulated heat radiates into the building, rendering it uncomfortable and, in some cases, dangerous. Air conditioning systems consume great amounts of energy as they fight to counteract the effects of the sweltering roofs.

Experts recommend acrylic, elastomeric white roof coating as an effective way of cooling homes.  Roofing materials with an EPA ENERGY STAR rated solar reflectance of more than 65 percent re-radiate much of the solar radiation back into the sky, reflecting heat much better than a traditional roof.

A healthy suspicion never hurt anyone, but ignoring the truth about white roofs can cost you. White roofs reduce air-conditioning bills by an average of 22 percent. White and reflective roof materials also extend the life of a roof by approximately 10 years, greatly reducing lifetime maintenance costs.

Still don’t believe it? Try this on for size: because so much less heat is absorbed, the benefits extend beyond your energy bill. White roofs essentially restore a piece of the polar ice caps: research shows that by increasing the earth’s reflectance (or albedo) and returning the sun’s heat to outer space, they help both you and the climate stay cool during a heat wave.

Without a doubt, houses with white roofs feel cooler and are more comfortable to live in. But don’t take our word for it—just ask people from the 1200 block of Wolf Street.

As winners of the Coolest Block Contest (CBC), all participating homes on the 1200 block of Wolf Street are receiving a free energy audit, air sealing, insulation, and white roof coating. The homes have yet to be fully retrofitted, but residents are already reporting that their homes are cooler on account of white roofs.

CBC winner Terry Jack perceived a change in her home almost instantly. “I have to say that there actually is a noticeable temperature difference on the second floor on the really hot days,” says Jack.

Cory Suter, founder and chief operator of BioNeighbors, the contractor responsible for installing the white roofs for the 1200 block of Wolf Street, has received very positive feedback. “There is a tremendous difference to the interior comfort of the house,” explains Suter. “People have been really impressed with how much cooler their upstairs is and how much less their air conditioner is running after installation.”

You must be kicking yourself that you don’t have a white roof. Luckily, the opportunity to get one hasn’t passed you by. It’s not too late to install a white roof! It can take as little as one day to install and you can start feeling the benefits almost instantly. So get comfortable and give yourself, your air conditioner, and your wallet a break.

Believe it or not, white roofs are super cool.

A research consortium led by Pennsylvania State University won up to $129 million in federal funding to develop an "energy innovation hub" at the Philadelphia Navy Yard - a project expected to create and retain 1,200 jobs in the area immediately and as many as 100,000 over the next five to 10 years, officials said Tuesday.

The Penn State group garnered the highly competitive grant - the largest in the university's history - from the Department of Energy. Three other federal agencies also contributed about $7 million, and Pennsylvania kicked in $30 million.

The federal grant - to be paid out over the next five years - will fund research into energy-efficient building designs and training workers in how to do the best retrofitting and new construction.

Main projects include retrofitting a 28,000-square-foot building - an old gymnasium in disrepair - into lab space and office space on the Navy Yard campus. A new 40,000-square-foot building also will go up adjacent to it and serve as a living laboratory. Research will focus on how to improve energy efficiency and cut pollution in the construction, maintenance, and management of buildings, with a particular emphasis on retrofitting older buildings.

"It's really a technological game changer," said Henry C. Foley, Penn State's vice president for research and dean of the graduate school, who will lead the effort.

The team includes Princeton, Rutgers, the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel, and other institutions.

But while the grant was secured by Penn State in cooperation with various state, local, and federal politicians, it was the Navy Yard's unique qualities that sold the federal funders on the project. The Navy Yard's 1,200 acres includes more than seven miles of waterfront, a workforce of 8,000 in more than 100 companies, 5.5 million square feet of buildings, and more than $500 million of private investment.

"It is perfect as a test bed," said John Grady, executive vice president of the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp., which manages the Navy Yard for the City of Philadelphia.

The Navy Yard's inventory of 200 buildings provides a complete and diverse set of "lab rats." Buildings are old and brand new and include factories, offices, warehouses, research facilities, and, eventually, residences.

The Navy Yard has its own unregulated power grid. That allows experiments on how buildings relate to the power grid to be conducted without having to affect the city's entire power system.

"It's bigger than a test lab, but smaller than a regional grid," Grady said. "Because we own it, we can implement new software technologies."

Foley said he was excited about the potential.

"It's a little city within a city . . . with very old buildings we can experiment on," he said in an interview from his office in State College, shortly before meeting with Mayor Nutter and Penn State president Graham B. Spanier.

Buildings account for nearly 40 percent of U.S. energy consumption and carbon emissions. The research could lead to reduced energy use and bills, less pollution, and more jobs in the building-efficiency industry, officials said.

The Department of Energy on Tuesday declined to comment on the Philadelphia proposal or say how many other applicants had vied for the money. Crain's New York Business reported that the project beat out a New York "consortium of more than 100 education, nonprofit, government, and industry groups" that had said the project would create 76,000 jobs at Syracuse University.

"All applicants went through a competitive review process with experts from the federal government, industry, and academia that looked at the scientific and technical merit of the projects, along with the qualifications of the management team and personnel, and the applicants' plans for commercializing their technologies," the department said. "This innovation hub will spur significant job creation and economic development throughout Pennsylvania."

Creating green-energy jobs has been a priority of President Obama's. Congress has already approved $22 million for this project and is expected to authorize the balance for each of the next four years.

The Penn State consortium, called the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster, includes academic institutions, federal laboratories, global industry partners, regional economic development agencies, and other entities.

The Philadelphia project becomes the third energy hub to be funded nationally. There is one for nuclear power at Oak Ridge National Lab in Tennessee and another for solar power at the California Institute of Technology.

In announcing the Penn State grant, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu emphasized the importance of the hubs.

"The Energy Innovation Hubs are a key part of our effort to harness the power of American ingenuity to achieve transformative energy breakthroughs," he said in a prepared statement. "By bringing together some of our brightest minds, we can develop cutting-edge building-energy-efficiency technologies that will reduce energy bills, cut carbon pollution, and create jobs. This important investment will help Philadelphia become a leader in the global clean-energy economy."

The project will do more than develop technologies. It will also engage students and researchers in how those technologies are put into use, said James Gambino, vice president of technology commercialization at Ben Franklin Technology Partners, a quasi-state agency that will be neighbor and partner to the Penn State project at the Navy Yard.

For example, he said, computers often have complex capabilities that are never used because only a handful of geeks on the help desk understand them. The project aims to avoid a similar pattern in energy technology. "We're going to see how the human factor works, how people relate to them, how they use them," Grady said.

Research will include components of training and communication.

Grady said the project's implications go beyond its immediate impact at the Navy Yard.

"We already know that life-sciences drive a huge section of our economy in the Philadelphia area," he said. "We think that engineering and energy can be a great second hitter in our economic lineup in our city of Philadelphia.

"We can build a new economy not just around energy, but around engineering and all its implications - software, grids, energy management, the storage of energy."

The project, which is expected to begin by Oct. 30, was heralded by Gov. Rendell and Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.), who both said they had sent letters of support to the Energy Department.

"This funding is great news for the commonwealth and is a crucial step towards creating a more sustainable and environmentally friendly America," Casey said in a statement.

Start the fall by saving energy! The first Urban Sustainability Forum of the fall will help home and business owners to understand the various new tax incentives, rebates, loan programs, and other incentives to help them save energy and money in homes and commercial buildings, while lowering their carbon footprints.

Featuring:

    * Liz Robinson: Executive Director of the Energy Coordinating Agency
       - How to Maximize Energy Savings in Buildings
    * Andy Rachlin: Commerce Department, City of Philadelphia
       -  The new EnergyWorks program and reducing regional energy  consumption in residential and commercial buildings
    * Frank Jiruska: PECO
       - Rebates, incentives, and support through PECO’s Smart Ideas program
    * Steve Hershey: Vice President, PGW
       - PGW’s new initiatives

Additional Panel Members:

    * Roger Clark: Manager For Technology and Policy, The Reinvestment Fund
    * Peter Krasja: President, First Financial, Keystone HELP Loan

6 – 6:30 pm; Reception – featuring light refreshments and informational tables
6:30 pm; Program

Held at the Academyof Natural Sciences

1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA

Register here. 

Join us for green social networking, hear about Rushforth Solar Hot Water systems, and upcoming legislation.

Thursday, August 19 - 5:30 - 8:30 p.m., at Triumph Brewery, 117 Chestnut Street Philadelphia PA 19106 (215) 625-0855.

RSVP to Jan@RushforthSolar.com or to Valerie Huff web page for Green Drinks Philadelphia

Delaware Valley Green Building Council Presents....

Find out the best options for financing and funding green building construction and energy retrofits for your municipal buildings and school district projects.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010; 8:30 - 10:30 am
Location: Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, 1st Floor, CEER Building, Room 1

Schedule:
8:30 - 9:15 am: Breakfast and Networking
9:15 - 10:30 am: Presentation by Mateo Rando, University of Pennsylvania followed by Q&A

This free event is open to all, especially Township supervisors, energy managers, school district officials and the public are encouraged to attend.

Cost: FREE
Register by Friday, August 13, 2010

Register Online Here:
www.dvgbc.org/education/view/gbf101

SPONSORED BY: TD Bank
HOSTED BY:Villanova University
PROMOTIONAL PARTNER: The EAC Network, a project of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council

The Academy of Natural Sciences  and the Center for Environmental Policy
"Philadelphia's Window on the Environment" Special Informational Workshop
"Permitting Solar Photovoltaics in the City of Philadelphia"

2 Sessions - August 10th and August 11th, 2010
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
(Note:  Both sessions will cover the same material)

 Location: Auditorium
                 The Academy of Natural Sciences
                 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
                  Philadelphia PA 19102

The Academy's Center for Environmental Policy is joining with the Mayor's Office of Sustainability and the City Department of Licenses and Inspections to present two information sessions for persons interested in installing solar photovoltaic systems in the city of Philadelphia.

These information sessions will focus on Section 4 of the Philadelphia Guidebook for Solar PV projects.  The Guidebook is intended to serve as an information source for potential project developers (land/property owners, financiers) and contractors who are considering pursuing solar photovoltaic projects within the City of Philadelphia.

This guidebook will answer many of the questions that these individuals will encounter along the way including:

Who can install a PV system within the city of Philadelphia?
What should I consider before installing a PV system?
What permits will be required and when?
Who do I need to contact before installing a system?
What incentives are available for PV systems?
Section 4 details out the City's permitting process as well as PECO's approval process for solar installations. The information sessions are intended to answer any questions that regarding the process. 

Representatives from the City of Philadelphia's Department of Licenses and Inspections will discuss the permitting process requirements for electrical,  building, and zoning permits, and representatives from PECO will speak on the Interconnection Requirements and site limitation possibilities.

 The Academy is pleased to cosponsor this program as part of its ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability in the City of Philadelphia.

Pre-registration not required.

The Academy of Natural Sciences  and the Center for Environmental Policy
"Philadelphia's Window on the Environment" Special Informational Workshop
"Permitting Solar Photovoltaics in the City of Philadelphia"

2 Sessions - August 10th and August 11th, 2010
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
(Note:  Both sessions will cover the same material)

 Location: Auditorium
                 The Academy of Natural Sciences
                 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
                  Philadelphia PA 19102

The Academy's Center for Environmental Policy is joining with the Mayor's Office of Sustainability and the City Department of Licenses and Inspections to present two information sessions for persons interested in installing solar photovoltaic systems in the city of Philadelphia.

These information sessions will focus on Section 4 of the Philadelphia Guidebook for Solar PV projects.  The Guidebook is intended to serve as an information source for potential project developers (land/property owners, financiers) and contractors who are considering pursuing solar photovoltaic projects within the City of Philadelphia.

This guidebook will answer many of the questions that these individuals will encounter along the way including:

Who can install a PV system within the city of Philadelphia?
What should I consider before installing a PV system?
What permits will be required and when?
Who do I need to contact before installing a system?
What incentives are available for PV systems?
Section 4 details out the City's permitting process as well as PECO's approval process for solar installations. The information sessions are intended to answer any questions that regarding the process. 

Representatives from the City of Philadelphia's Department of Licenses and Inspections will discuss the permitting process requirements for electrical,  building, and zoning permits, and representatives from PECO will speak on the Interconnection Requirements and site limitation possibilities.

 The Academy is pleased to cosponsor this program as part of its ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability in the City of Philadelphia.

Pre-registration not required.

PennFuture, the Academy of Natural Sciences and the American Cities Foundation are teaming up to explore the threat of climate change and why we need to act now for the sake of our environment and our economy. Join us as we cover the who, what, when, where and why of climate change and the opportunities that addressing it provide to expand the economy, create green jobs and preserve the planet. Speakers will provide details of global warming initiatives, state and federal legislation and how they would move us forward. Our featured speaker is the brilliant Bill McKibben, world-renowned environmentalist, author and founder of the international 350.org climate campaign. This conference is sure to fill up quickly. Admission is free and space is limited. Don’t miss out – register at billmckibbenclimate.eventbrite.com after 9 a.m. on August 1. Date: Monday, September 20, 2010 Time: 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM Location: The Academy of Natural Sciences 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19103

Is going solar proving too daunting - with too many installers to choose from, reliability hard to judge, and prices all over the place?

For Philadelphia-area homeowners and small businesses, there's an alternative to going it alone, starting Monday.

Consider it matchmaking for the solar-inhibited - with a chance to save some money.

But you'll have to hurry. There's an element of speed-dating involved.

The solar-inclined have three months to sign up for a 15 percent discount on a system and free educational advice through the latest phase of a program being rolled out across the country by One Block Off the Grid, a for-profit San Francisco broker.

The company, more commonly known as 1BOG, launched a similar initiative in South Jersey last month.

The discount is before other cost breaks are factored in, such as state grants and the 30 percent federal tax credit available on purchases of solar systems.

In each of the 16 markets where 1BOG is offering its educational-brokering program, it has secured a group rate from a solar company it has selected to do the installation work for program participants. For Pennsylvania, it has chosen Mercury Solar Systems L.L.C., which bought Eos Energy Solutions L.L.C., of Philadelphia, this year. For South Jersey, 1BOG has picked Freehold, N.J.-based Trinity Solar. Those companies must pay a referral fee of 25 cents per watt installed to 1BOG upon signing contracts with customers.

Before selecting Mercury and Trinity, 1BOG spent about six weeks vetting installers serving Pennsylvania and New Jersey, evaluating their installation practices, warranties, and financial stability, said Dave Llorens, 1BOG's chief executive officer. Typically, requests for proposals are sent to the top 10 installers in a region based on volume, Llorens said.

Llorens, an electrical engineer, founded 1BOG in late 2008, motivated by the customer confusion and reluctance he often encountered while working in the solar industry.

"You've got this hugely complex purchase process, and hugely complex rebates, incentives, and technology," Llorens said in an interview Wednesday.

Llorens said each 1BOG participant was assigned a "solar adviser," who checks out their roof through satellite map technology and explains the benefits of the program, the expected return on investment, and the financial obligations.

The program does not require that participants relinquish ownership of their solar renewable-energy credits (or SRECs), which can be sold on the market. The typical Pennsylvania homeowner can expect to make close to $2,000 a year through SREC sales, Llorens said.

Participants also are eligible for zero down, interest-free financing for 18 months.

If the installers 1BOG has selected are not offering the specific brand of solar system a customer wants, those people are free to continue their solar shopping on their own.

Nationwide, 1BOG claims credit for inspiring the installation of 1,000 solar systems.

Medford resident Eric Hartman has signed up for a 10-kilowatt, $33,000 system through 1BOG.

"What motivated me is what was going on in the gulf," said Hartman, an eye doctor.

The arrival of 1BOG was welcomed by the state's environmental secretary, John Hanger.

"One Block Off the Grid is consistent with what we've seen - the PA Sunshine Program and the stimulus money we've put into solar has made Pennsylvania an attractive solar market," Hanger said. "We welcome them here."

A more lukewarm reaction came from Ron Celentano, a Wyndmoor solar-industry consultant and president of the state division of the Mid-Atlantic Solar Energy Industries Association. His was more from not knowing enough about 1BOG, he said.

"I'm always encouraged or want to encourage all different types of [solar-financing] models that come out," he said. "This could very well be a good one, but it should come with skepticism at first."

 
1BOG deal for Phila. homeowners

For those with currrent average monthly energy bills of $200 who install a 7.56-kilowatt solar system:

Average monthly savings: $119.52

Number of years to repay: 5 years

Increase to home value: $28,683.87

Net cost: $20,234.49