Miller was one of dozens of Oakwood residents who came to the Oakwood High School Energy Fair on March 1 to pick up an energy audit report card run by the students. More than 100 residents turned in free audit requests that included copies of their gas and electric bills, as well as the square footage of their home. Students from the high school’s 80-member Energy Team ran the data through a formula designed by University of Dayton Professor Kevin Hallinan.
The team then gave residents a report card of their energy use, grading the efficiency of their heating, cooling, hot water and lighting/appliance systems. The report also compares each home’s usage to that of an average home and lists categories with the greatest potential for savings, including a five-year dollar projection.
“It breaks down how much you might be able to save through behavioral change — like turning out lights when you leave a room, or buying compact fluorescents instead of incandescent bulbs — or with new hardware,” said Heidi Steinbrink, chairperson of Oakwood High School’s science department.
Miller’s home graded worst on heating and cooling, which she said was no surprise. But she was interested in the students’ chart showing she could save hundreds of dollars with simple lighting changes.
The Energy Fair also featured students and local contractors working together to explain energy-saving technologies like low-flow faucets and insulation strategies to residents. Oakwood junior Rachel Ramey and Jim Alexander of Quality Construction taught about programmable thermostats.
“I have one in my house, but I didn’t really know how to work it,” Ramey said. “So I did some research on my own, and then called (Alexander), and he told me practical ways to apply it.”
Oakwood seniors Dan Edwards and Jami Montesano said the audit program will remain open to Oakwood residents for the rest of the school year, with forms available online and at a variety of sites around town. Edwards said he was a little disappointed that only 114 requests had come in before the Energy Fair.
“This is a great opportunity, because we know there are a lot of old Oakwood homes that have poor insulation, are using way more energy than they should and can definitely benefit from these type of improvements,” he said. “Our goal is to reduce energy consumption in Oakwood by 10 percent. It’s a lofty goal, but if we’re tenacious in our pursuits, we think we can do it.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2278 or jkelley@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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