Geothermal Standards & Code for Connecticut.docx

Transcription

1 STANDARDS & CODES Geothermal Standards & Code for Connecticut Ground Source Heat Pumps and their associated earth link loop must meet certain standards in Connecticut. While the well drilling code has not yet been enacted, the 2011 Health Department Code is being enforced by Sanitarians, with legal separation requirements as outlined below, including a new separation distances between loop pipe and various septic system components and other piping. 1. CT Septic System Regulations 2. Proposed Well Drilling Regulations- not yet enacted 3. Connecticut Clean Energy Fund or Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund For owners wishing to receive the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund or Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund rebates, systems must meet with approvals shown in the purple cell. One cannot get one rebate without getting both. Therefore the State Historic Preservation Office 30 day review for archaeological and other impacts requires a similar wait for CEEF application and rebate. And CCEF will not rebate until CEEF approves as shown below. Help filling out Prevailing Wage paperwork is available at the link below. More details about the CCEF are below. 4. IGSHPA 2010 Standards Additional Support 1. CT Septic System Regulations 2011 Septic System Regulation 1/1/11 Comments: In the new code, there are four geo references on page 15, and one each on pages 19, 22 and 23. Page 15, Table 1. P. shows 50', 25' and 10' separations. The older code used to refer to these three 2007 items below, but the new 2011 code does not. Some towns such as Greenwich, report that they enforce the three 2007 circular letters and recommendations. Geothermal Wells: 4/26/07 Geothermal Wells Relative to Subsurface Sewage Disposal Systems: 4/27/07 Recommendations for Regulation Of Geothermal Wells: 3/5/07 Summary of the January 1, 2011 revisions to the Technical Standards for Subsurface Sewage Disposal Systems Important Notes: Page 1 of 5

2 New code Table 2, 2-C and 2-D does now say "Closed Loop geo exchange bore hole, trench (10' minimum) - from Sewer Pipe, Tight Pipe or Force Main pipe. This is an important change although summary of changes does not include it. The State Health Dept recently ruled that a pump chamber force main that was to cross a horizontal geo trench from the house to the boreholes cannot do that because it would violate Table 2D. The Septic and Pump tanks were thus relocated away from the boreholes and the borehole trench. Additional Notes: Per a telephone call and s made to the Dept. of Public Health, Table 1 P does seem to have a minor error: 50' separation of borehole to septic system is correct, but separation of Trench is not also 50'. As of 3/10, the State Health Dept will not issue a Circular Memo correcting this mistake. Efforts are being made to resolve this. The next line below is correct, saying separate trench and septic, etc. by 10'. correspondence posted 5/31/11 of May 21, s about 50' separation. 2. Proposed Well Drilling Regulations- not yet enacted Well Drilling And Geoexchange Systems Comment: Until the Legislature enacts, anything goes for geo as long as old Well Drilling regs are met. Additional past comments. Chapter V P John Sima, PE presents the proposed CT Geothermal Regulations to the EPA. 03/29/11 Learn More Presentations from the EPA Workshop Summaries of Standards and Regulations from around the country are being prepared. The 1990's Study 3. Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund regulations: s from Mark Foley of CL&P Mid April 2011: HVAC/ACCA Standards July 2011: Quality Assured Contractor Program Additional Notes Retrofit projects for existing homes need an Energy Audit, good insulation, and the blower door test must be<1 cfm/sq.ft. Page 2 of 5

3 Home Energy Solutions- Approved Contractors New homes need Home Energy Rater System (HERS) professionals- Not HES (Home Energy Solutions acronym) Application form for new homes Energy Star Geothermal Heat Pumps must be Energy Star rated and on the AHRI website. Energy Star Regulations: 2011 Tier 2 requirement: COP > 3.0 EER > Note COP can be average, not necessarily stage 2 COP per AHRI. 90 page Energy Star list as of March 1, 2011 The Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute web site. A sample approved AHRI certificate for a water to water unit. Heating Capacity is also noted in pencil. After the system is installed, Efficiency is measured by the installer / S-1 heating contractor. The (VIP) Verification of Installed Performance excel worksheet is completed. 5/4/11 All Contractors working on energy star homes will be required to be QIV next year. (Quality Installation Verification) 5/3/11 Technical Seminar: The documents for the QIV program are posted to 3/18/11 The CL&P website has been updated, the new forms are on line for new and existing home projects IGSHPA 2010 Standards Connecticut Clean Energy Fund and the State Historic Preservation Office has the program description and downloadable forms. Rebate Details The final application form requiring submission of a W-9 so that the owner must pay tax is not on the website. (3/20) Payment Request Form from 2010 referring to buildings from 1961 might be superseded. Ask CCEF for their form pending verification that this is the latest Page 3 of 5

4 Recipient of rebate check must supply CCEF and thus the IRS with a completed W-9 taxable income form etc. Rebate is deducted from net cost, so 30% tax credit is removed from it for homeowners. $3600 retro rebate on 3 tons costs $1080 in lost federal tax credit, so bottom line = a $2520 rebate. Correspondence regarding the State Historic Preservation Office requiring 30 days to review a site for archaeological and other resources. [CCEF The State Historic Preservation Office pdf] A new process allowing 40% of the rebate for heat pump only not subject to SHPO delay and outside prevailing wage is under discussion. Whether 40% is proper and not 60-70% is in discussion. (3/20) 3/16/11: Prevailing Wage info for all Commercial (and non profit) projects Sample rates for Litchfield County pdf (But no rates for well drillers, pending CCEF Accounting) 3/31/11:Message from George Bellas who agreed we could post this message unofficially for the benefit of IGSHPA members: 6/29/11 CCEF recently ruled that an S-2 heating contractor was unacceptable for rebate. Instead the system will be installed by an S-1 contractor, to whom the local building dept. issued a heating permit. Licenses can be checked here: An unofficial one page form requesting to be used to replace the existing 19 page residential and/or 34 page commercial form is attached for IGSHPA chapter member comments to Peter Tavino. Should the fact that rebate is subject to tax per a future W-9 submittal be made known on the original form? PDF Here. Comments to the March 2011 CCEF Board meeting about the state of rebates where only 22% has been spent in the first half, etc. made by Peter Tavino not representing the chapter or anyone else are here. Critics of geo often say "It would not be feasible if there weren't rebates." But they ignore the rebates for fossil fuel burning. From the Wall St Journal survey: Should renewables be funded? comes these comments: According to the Environmental Law Institute, U.S. government "Energy Subsidies Favor Fossil Fuels Over Renewables" by a factor of more than 7:1. According to Bloomberg Energy, worldwide fossil fuel subsidies are 12:1 over renewables. According to the Environmental Law Institute, fossil fuels in the U.S. get about $72 billion in subsidies, and about 16 billion in subsidies go to renewables, half of which is corn-based ethanol. However, there are other economic costs not accounted for in fossil fuels too, like environmental pollution causing health care costs, military intervention, and depletion of resources, such as U.S. dollars for foreign oil. But why do we subsidize commodities like fossil fuels? Page 4 of 5

5 Environmental Law Institute Energy Subsidies.pdf See actual figures for 6 years total, slightly different than the comment, but showing huge subsidy and tax break for foreign oil, etc. in competition with geothermal Fossil fuels = $70.2 billion 2002 to All renewables = $12.2 billion leaving a very small percentage for geothermal after wind and solar, etc. Archaeological Reconnaissance Survey Case Study Note that IGSHPA Standards are being updated, and will be available at the October 2011 Annual Meeting in Tulsa, OK. The booklet is purchased at Installer Training time. For info on rebates and tax see and Note that the accelerated depreciation for geo rebate for commercial installations expires in December, Thank you, Peter Tavino PE Chairman: Connecticut Geothermal Chapter of IGSHPA, Standards Committee. Note that this page is unofficial, and readers are urged to verify all standards and regulations independently. This page is made available as a courtesy, to help promote ground source heating and cooling in Connecticut.Please direct comments to Pete@LitchfieldGeothermal.com Page 5 of 5