ATTACHMENT B – RESEARCH AND DATA CONSULTED IN PREPARING THIS REPORT From: LaPierre, Alice <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2022 11:57 AM
To: Tannenwald, Diane <[email protected]>; Kordesch, Nick <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: Reference call about Willdan
Hello everyone,
Happy to help here.
We went through Willdan’s program funded by PG&E. It couldn’t have been easier.
They sent some initial paperwork, and then came to each site to assess the DHW use and existing equipment. Within a few days, they sent a report showing the existing and proposed tank size, any additional things such as a lift for installing the new HPWH, or very long conduit runs, or other considerations, and the costs for each of these.
As for permits, we simply ensured that Enovative, the contractor, signed up for a Berkeley business license, signed up as a Berkeley Vendor (so we could cut them a check if needed), and pulled the permit in one day for all three sites. The installations were inspected and approved by our City inspectors. Because everything is permitted, there is nothing to worry about, as inspections would find any flaws.
In our cases (three sites), the total costs, minus the additional incentives from PG&E and the State, brought the cost down to zero. Additionally, we are able to gain additional savings, by turning OFF a mini-split in one of the mechanical rooms, since the cold air rejection from the HPWH is more than sufficient to cool the space.
As far as the participation in the Demand program, everything is seamless. There have been no complaints, or lack of hot water, even through the recent heat waves.
I hope this helps; this is the best experience I have ever had with a program or contractor in my more than 20 years of work. Everything was done quickly, and the spaces were left cleaner than before the work was done. And, we asked them to photograph everything, so we could put together case studies for Council and the public.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Alice La Pierre
she/her/hers
Building Scientist, Energy Efficiency Coordinator
ASHRAE Member, HERS Rater, CBPCA Professional
City of Berkeley
1947 Center St., 1st Floor
Berkeley CA 94704
Tel: 510-981-7435
Mobile: 510-847-0252