May 21
Recent Development in Austin’s Energy Audit Ordinance
An amendment attached to a solar bill that’s steaming through the Legislature could torpedo a City of Austin energy efficiency program.
The Austin rule taking effect June 1 requires Austin homes receiving electricity from Austin Energy to have an energy audit before being sold. (Homes can be exempted for a number of reasons, such as if they’re less than 10 years old at time of sale or have received energy-efficiency improvements through Austin energy.) The goal of the plan is to make old building stock more efficient, by encouraging buyers and sellers to learn ways they can cut energy use by doing things like adding insulation.
Violating the ordinance is a Class C misdemeanor, and violators can be fined up to $500.
Read the rest at Latest on Austin’s Energy Audit Ordinance
My comment…
If you want to get an energy audit, no one is stopping you. Go and upgrade your home as you see fit. Be ready when the buyer decides to give you exactly what you’d get for a home without the audit or upgrades, but do it because it’s right and you can afford it. If you want to keep your house at 60 degrees, go ahead, but be ready for the bill.
Many people struggle to pay their mortgage and don’t make a ton of money when they sell so the audits can amount to a monthly payment to them. There is no way anyone should face criminal charges and fines for failure to comply with an unfair law anyway.
If you want to list with a real estate agent who charges $500, do it. If you want full service, pay for it. That’s the beauty of choice and freedom.
Why people think it’s ok to turn Austin from a group of laid back folks who want to coexist with others of differing viewpoints to psycho, militant, legislate everything ya do nut-balls, I’ll never know. But it isn’t cool. It isn’t Austin. At least not the Austin I love and enjoy calling home.
Joe
As an aside, I do feel sorry for all the people who rushed out to corner the mandatory energy audit market and are now potentially sitting on a goose egg. That’s kinda rough.
July 14th, 2009 at 7:31 am
I understand the position that the City shouldn’t force people to get a report on their home when people get get it if they want it. However, the ultimate goal of the audit ordinance is informational and seeks to raise awareness of home’s inefficiencies, particularly with regards to upgrades for which Austin Energy offers rebates and are relatively inexpensive yet very effective. Simply, Austin Energy wants to reduce demand so that they can avoid having to build another power plant.
I run a company in town called Austin Auditors that does these audits and then serves as a facilitator for the upgrades. Visit my website http://www.austinauditors.com and you can find some good information on governmental rebates and general eco-friendly info too.