Dear Florida Homeowner,

Are you interested in saving money on your utility bills?  Do you wish your home used less energy and was more comfortable? Have you considered investing in a major home renovation? If so, your home may qualify for a free energy assessment, incentives through your local utility company, and free technical assistance from one of the nation’s leading national laboratories.

UCF’s Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) is partnering with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to help homeowners achieve 30 to 50 percent energy savings through home efficiency retrofits!  If your house qualifies, your renovation will be part of a research study for PNNL that can help inform the nation about retrofit best practices. 

PNNL and FSEC are looking for homes that meet the following criteria:

• Home was built prior to 2005 (at least 5 yrs. old)
• Home primarily uses a central heating and cooling system (wood stoves, fireplaces, whole house fans or other unusual systems cannot be primary heating or cooling system)
• Home is occupied year-round by the owner
• Owners do not open windows often when the HVAC system is on
• Owners do not have business (other than small home office) or other unusual energy intensive equipment in the home
• Owners do not allow smoking in the home

If your home meets the preceding criteria and you are interested in saving money on your utility bills and improving the energy efficiency of your home, complete the online form at http://deepenergyretrofits.pnnl.gov/documents/informational.doc to express your interest. For more information, visit http://deepenergyretrofits.pnnl.gov or contact Karen Sutherland, ksutherland@fsec.ucf.edu or 321-638-1474.

Please note: Participation in this research project will include construction activity that may produce elevated levels of particulate matter and chemical emissions during the days such activity is conducted and for up to a few days after that.  This normally does not pose a hazard to healthy persons, but persons with acute respiratory illness, multiple chemical sensitivities, or other diseases or sensitivities may experience aggravated symptoms as a result of this activity. Homeowners are urged to consider this factor before choosing to participate in this study.