(a) Purpose. The Council finds the following:
(1) Climate change disproportionally harms BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities.
(2) Bloomington's Energy Action Plan outlines a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2035.
(3) Residential units account for 30% of Bloomington's energy-related greenhouse gas emissions and 44% of community-wide natural gas use.
(4) Improving existing buildings through energy efficiency upgrades is one of the most cost-effective ways to achieve the city's greenhouse gas emission goal.
(5) Eighty-nine percent of Bloomington's single-family homes were built before there was an energy code requiring insulation in homes.
(6) Approximately one in five households living in owner-occupied single-family homes experience a high-energy burden.
(7) Weatherization can provide health benefits by modifying the indoor environmental conditions of a home.
(8) Energy disclosure at the time of sale brings awareness, resources, and value to home energy improvements.
(1) The
must provide an energy asset rating that includes information on the following structural and mechanical assets:
(A) Attic insulation. R-value of insulation, calculated based on industry standards for insulation type and number of inches, recorded for each attic area in the home, including square footage of that area.
(B) Wall insulation. R-value of insulation, calculated based on industry standards for insulation type and number of inches, plus the square footage of exterior walls. For homes built before 1980 insulation levels must be visually verified by drilling and capping a single hole in an exterior wall, or utilizing an existing hole from a previous evaluation. An invoice with scope of work from a licensed contractor showing installation of wall insulation, or other reasonable forms of proof, as determined by the Building Official, may also be used as an alternative for compliance with this portion of the report. If other technologies for determining wall insulation R-value are approved by the Building Official they may also be used.
(C) Heating system efficiency. Heating system type, AFUE, venting and age.
(D) Window efficiency. Window type, and presence of any single pane windows with no storm windows or broken windows.
(E) Water heaters. Fuel type, venting type, and age.
(F) Air conditioning. Type and age.
(2) The
must provide recommendations to improve the energy asset rating of the home.
(A) Recommendations must be expected to have a simple payback of ten years or less.
(B) Recommendations must be prioritized based on energy savings potential and cost effectiveness.
(C) Recommendations must include information on the expected cost and savings of the project, based on city approved methodology.
(3) The
must identify next steps.
(A) The report must sequence recommended actions so that next steps are clear and easy to understand.
(B) The report must include information about who to contact with questions.
(c) Exceptions. The requirement may be satisfied by a time-of-sale of housing evaluation that included an or an energy audit that included an energy asset rating within the last five years. An energy certification approved by the Building Official will also qualify. The asset rating and audit report or certification must be disclosed in accordance with § 14.523 and this Division C.
(d) Appeals.
(1) Insulation inspection appeals. Any owner of property or other person directly and personally affected by the insulation inspection of a property, either personally or through their representative, can make an appeal to the Building Official. The Building Official will have authority to hear and decide all insulation inspection appeals.
(2) Insulation inspection appeal process. Insulation inspection appeals must be made by written notice filed with the Building Official within five days from the date of the initial inspection. The notice of appeal must contain a concise statement of the grounds for the appeal and will be accompanied by a fee of $100. The Building Official has the authority to summarily grant the appeal and to waive the appeal fee. The insulation inspection will not be required if the Building Official determines it is not feasible or would cause significant structural damage to the home. The official receipt date of the appeal is the date when all necessary information has been submitted to the city. The Building Official shall rule on the appeal within three business days of the official receipt date of the appeal. The decision of the Building Official shall be final.
(Ord. 2021-29, passed 9-13-2021)