HRES Virtual Workshops in February & March 2025

February 2025 Virtual Workshop

How Advances in Energy Audits Maximize Energy Tax Credits

Presented by: Paul Karr & Bryton Stoll

Tuesday, February 25th, 2025 at 7pm

(This will be a Zoom Session)

For conscientious homeowners who have made energy improvements on their homes in 2024 or want to plan ahead for future upgrades, we will explore IRS Form 5695 - Residential Energy Credits for obtaining the available federal tax credits.

We will also present advances in home Energy Audits that can help homeowners get more accurate predictions on savings from energy conservation measures so they can make informed decisions for prioritizing comfort, health, and energy and to maximize their available tax credits.

Paul Karr

BPI Building Analyst Professional
Endeavor Home Performance

Bryton Stoll

Endeavor Home Performance

March 2025 Virtual Workshop

Updates about the Metropolitan Energy Center

Presented by: Kelly Gilbert, Executive Director of MEC

Thursday, March 13th, 2025 at 7pm

(This will be a Zoom Session)

Kelly Gilbert, Ex. Director of MEC

Everyone deserves access to clean, healthy energy. That’s what Metropolitan Energy Center has been working toward for its whole 40+ year history. Today, we are working hard to train and retrain workers on energy efficiency building techniques, we are considering the upgrades needed for our demonstration home to keep it accessible and cutting edge, and we are expanding the scope and geographic impact of our sustainable transportation work

Kelly will provide answers to the following questions:

Is there growth potential into a new program area for renewables?
How is the library system getting involved?
Is there funding for small business and homeowners?

Come learn what our staff and partners are working on and what we’re planning for next.

We look forward to seeing you online!

HRES October 2024 Virtual Workshop

In-Person Solar Home Tour of Melton Residence

Melton residence in Parkville, MO

22 solar photovoltaic panels. Each panel near 400 watts. Near net zero for summer usage.
1. 10 panels facing near east.
2. 12 panels facing south west.
Grid tied inverter.
Utility is Evergy.
Production started this summer.
A retrofitted home to be a high performance. Previous features in HRES you-tube session April 2023.
1. Converted to all electric home.
2. Attic insulation replaced and upgraded.
3. Blower door tested to find and reduce air infiltration.
4. Installed a high-efficiency heat pump
5. Added an ERV for fresh air exchange
6. And more.

HRES August 2024 Virtual Workshop Presentation

EmPower Northeast Kansas City, Missouri

Solar Power is for ALL!

Historically in the United States, the high up-front cost of residential solar installations has generally meant that these installations are only feasible for middle- to upper-income individuals. The only federal incentives available have been in the form of tax credits, which isn’t much of an incentive for low-income individuals who don’t have the “tax appetite” to benefit from these credits. However, low-income individuals could potentially benefit the most from clean energy installations, because the lower an individual’s income is, the higher percentage of that income is spent on energy. EmPower the Northeast, a program at Jerusalem Farm in the Kansas City, Missouri Northeast neighborhood, is trying to address this problem. Through an innovative financing model, EmPower Northeast KCMO is making solar power affordable to the people who stand to benefit from it the most.

About the speaker

Adam Rossi is an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer with the Kansas City Public Library. His placement site is Jerusalem Farm, a nonprofit organization and intentional community in The Northeast of Kansas City, MO. He started EmPower the Northeast at Jerusalem Farm, a program that aims to make rooftop solar power systems affordable for low-income homeowners in the Northeast. He has worked on this project for nearly two years, and has been at Jerusalem Farm for over four years total. Before coming to live and work at the Farm, he was a high school environmental science teacher.

HRES Presents Music by Soular

Craig Wolfe Presents an Environmental Musical Journey

Join This Musical Journey with Past HRES President Craig Wolfe

Our Zoom workshop on April 27 will be, well, a little unusual. In our youth, one way we were inspired to care about the Earth was through music. Our own Craig Wolfe was so inspired that he wrote music for his 5-piece band Amdahl Wolfe in the 70's.

He continued writing and playing his environmental and other tunes in his duo Soular from 2012 to the present (and sometimes a 4 piece band and studio work). Craig also became well versed in his home-grown studio to make recordings of his tunes.

So, on April 27 we will listen to and watch Craig's music videos of his own original environmental tunes, and talk with Craig and Randy Deutch, the bass player for Amdahl Wolfe and Soular.

Here are some of the titles we will see and hear: Hope Of Man, Take It Back, Joanna, You Better Worry, Book of the Heart, Solar Prayer, Please Take Your Devil, The Last Journal Entry, Stand Up, and Hang My Head Down.

Oh, and plug in your good speakers and head phones!!