Tag Archives: Green Blocks

Green Blocks – Final Phase

SBS has had a wonderful and successful time on the side-order list for the City of Missoula’s Green Blocks energy saving program.

We began work back in the Fall of 2010 by getting 2-inters from the University of Montana’s COT Energy Program and got them fully trained on doing a basic solar site assessment.

Our Team ended up doing over 120 assessments over the course of 3-months last fall.  They braved blazing sun, side-ways rain and blowing snow from October – December.  But, it was well worth it.

This spring 2011 marked the final phase of this project.  The City added about 60-90 participants to get to their total count of 300.  We got ourselves another COT Energy intern for this past Spring and he went out and did about 48 more solar site assessments.

Half way through this phase we saw an 18% REDUCTION in the cost to install solar, plus the state and feds decided to KEEP the tax credits in place for renewable, Northwestern Energy gave us a dozen more $6k grants to hand out to customers in good standing, and the MT DEQ revolving loan fund keeps on chugging along (although they are 8-10 weeks out on funding).  To top it off, SBS starting taking credit cards for deposits.

The wet cold spring made for a slow start, and with the unseasonably cool summer, folks were not thinking about solar.  But with the aforementioned incentives, and a little 90 degree weather, we are in full swing.  Over half of the installs we’re doing in July and August came from Green Blocks leads and SBS is now booked out until September.

Thanks to the City of Missoula for this great opportunity!  We’d love to do it again.

If you’re interested in information about solar – get in touch: www.SBSlink.com or info@sbslink.com.

Green Blocks, Phase II

WOW – 120 solar site assessments!

That right, out of the 300 participants in the City of Missoula’s Green Blocks Program we were chosen by 120 participants to do solar site assessments.  This is great news.  I had hoped we’d be a popular Side Order, but this blew our minds.  In fact, we are even getting a second intern from the UM-COT energy program to help with the work load!

Over the next 6-week our interns will be going block by block through the 120 sites to do a basic assessment with our Solar Pathfinder.  We will contact folks a week in advance so they know their block is up next.  Then we’ll do a quick visual assessment and/or a Pathfinder assessment in each yard.

Each participant will be told if they are a good, fair or poor site, why, and what options are available to them according to their results (i.e. PV, Thermal or other renewables like ground source heat pumps).  We will also provide info on available grants, tax credits, rebates and financing for their Solar and Renewable options.

SBS is very excited to be working with the City of Missoula, Northwestern Energy, the COT’s Energy degree program and all of the other Green Blocks Side Orders.  This really is a model public-private project to be duplicated.

SBS as Green Blocks “Side Order”

SBS is proud to be an official Side Order of the City of Missoula’s 2010 Green Blocks program. This residential energy conservation project aims to bring free energy efficiency upgrades to 300 Missoula homes!

The City of Missoula and NorthWestern Energy are launching their second Green Blocks Residential Energy Conservation Pilot Project this week. The partnership aims to provide free energy audits and free home energy-saving improvements such as programmable thermostats and insulation for 300 Missoula homes. The program also includes free water-wise audits and improvements from Mountain Water Company.

The new pilot project has an additional feature we’ve called Green Blocks Side Orders, a package of City of Missoula programs offered exclusively to Green Blocks participants. Participants can choose from a menu that includes discounts on locally manufactured Clawson Windows, waterwise landscape planning, professional solar site assessments from SBS, education and help establishing food gardens, and more. The Side Orders program is made possible by our partners in private business and nonprofits.

Official Green Blocks contacts are

Chase Jones, EECBG grant administrator, 258-4908, cjones@co.missoula.mt.us; cell phone 207-4868

Danie Williams, NorthWestern Energy, 497-3516, danie.williams@northwestern.com.